About The East Falls River Landing

The East Falls River Landing is a long-awaited, ADA-accessible public facility for recreational paddlers, birders, anglers, and more to access the Schuylkill River in East Falls. The East Falls Development Corporation spearheaded this project through a community-driven concept process, partnering with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation and garnering financial support from the William Penn Foundation and PA Fish & Boat Commission. The project was designed by Urban Engineers and constructed by Seravalli, Inc, and officially opened to the public in the spring of 2022.

Located in East Fairmount Park at 4530 Kelly Drive adjacent to the public parking lot just upstream from the East Falls Bridge, and along the Schuylkill River Trail, this site has a long history of river access: dating as far back as when the Lenape people established a fishing and hunting village along the banks of the river near the original rocky falls, to the late 1800’s when East Falls was a riverfront resort destination with inns and restaurants serving up famous Catfish and Waffle dinners with locally brewed German beers to visitors from Center City who were transported by ferry to a landing. Today, paddlers and anglers access the river along the East Falls banks from the popular Schuylkill River Trail – and now the East Falls River Landing.

The East Falls River Landing is also a much-welcomed and long-awaited landing along the Schuylkill River Heritage Water Trail, providing a terrific spot for paddlers to stop and enjoy the neighborhood’s riverfront business district. Thanks to financial support and collaboration with the Audubon Discovery Center and the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club, a novel and engaging interpretive sign was installed overlooking the river landing to deepen visitors’ appreciation and understanding for the Schuylkill River. Thanks to a Restoration Grant from the Schuylkill River Greenways with generous support from the Philadelphia Water Department and the PowerCorpsPHL workforce development program, in the fall of 2022 EFDC conducted a large-scale planting to restore the native riparian corridor on the banks of the Landing by installing native floodplain species to improve water quality, habitat and stormwater management.