The PA Wilds is filled with bountiful outdoor experiences ready for you to explore! Regional outfitters and guides provide the expertise, equipment and services to help you explore the great outdoors safely. From backpacking and hiking, to paddle sports, mountain biking, and rock-climbing -- outfitters offer plenty of opportunities to put your skills to the test and get your adrenaline pumping!
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Allegheny National Forest & Surrounds
Allegheny Outfitters
In the northwestern corner of the Pennsylvania Wilds, in the Allegheny National Forest & Surrounds landscape, you’ll find Allegheny Outfitters. This outdoor shop and livery provides outdoor gear for sale and equipment rentals for users looking to paddle the Allegheny River, one of two National Wild & Scenic Rivers in the PA Wilds. The river passes through several campgrounds, trails, historical sites and other points of interest, while providing opportunities to spot eagles, heron, snapping turtles, white tailed-deer and many other creatures. Located in Warren, Allegheny Outfitters is open 7 days a week, weather pending, Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend (peak season). Their season stretches from April through October, but is reservation-only before and after peak season.
Check out the day and overnight trips available through Allegheny Outfitters at www.alleghenyoutfitters.com.
Hatch Run Fly Fishing
The Hatch Run Fly Fishing ingredients for success begin with their tireless obsession and infectious passion for the sport of fly fishing. This currently includes spending 200+ days a year guiding clients, working to solve the many mini-mysteries of the waters they choose to fish, and spending their “off time” fishing these same waters so that they may offer a “dialed in” approach. Rest assured Hatch Run Fly Fishing will take the time to teach you the when, where, why and how these components play into your fishing game. If this is your first guided trip or you are new to the sport, there is no need to be intimidated. They spend as much or more time fishing with beginner and intermediate anglers as those with a lifetime of fishing experience. Many guests often rebook year after year to experience new techniques, new fisheries, and the beauty and challenges of fishing a different season of year. Based in Warren County, Hatch Run Fly Fishing helps anglers on the Allegheny River and Clarion Rivers, plus smaller streams.
While exploring the old growth forests in the Cook Forest & the Ancients landscape of the Pennsylvania Wilds, be sure to check out the canoe, kayak, inner tube, and river raft rentals available at Pale Whale Canoe Fleet. Find the information and equipment you need to safely explore the area on the Clarion River, one of two National Wild & Scenic Rivers in the PA Wilds. If you already have your own equipment, Pale Whale can assist you in your adventure by providing transportation services. Open from April through October, Pale Whale provides a variety of trip options to help you make the most of your outing, whether it’s 2.5 miles or 10!
Dustin L Burgoon is a certified kayak instructor and owner of the company Burgoonie’s Boat Rentals and More. Dustin loves to teach others how to have fun on the water while being safe in the great PA Wilds. This new exciting service offers guided tours for hiking, biking and paddling. Based in Emporium, Dustin offers classes and different eco tours around the Dark Skies landscape within the PA Wilds.
Brown Trout Addiction is full-service guide service run by Owner Don Cameroni providing guided fishing adventures on the scenic Clarion River including either walk-in fishing or fishing by drift boat. Full-day guides are available to include a shore lunch. As a catch-and-release all tackle waterway, Don will help any angler catch trophy brown trout, from the novice to the experienced professional.
When exploring the Little-Toby Rail Trail near Ridgway in the Elk Country landscape of the PA Wilds, Mudbeard’s Bikes and Boards can help you with all of the equipment you might need for your adventures… including even skateboards! Mudbeard’s Bikes and Boards sells and rents bicycles, which is especially in demand around the local rail trail. They also offer bicycle repairs and servicing, so your exploration of the PA Wilds can continue even after a minor mishap.
Located in Black Moshannon State Park along the I-80 Frontier landscape of the PA Wilds, Sleepy Hollow Outpost helps travelers find new adventures by renting out kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddle boards. Sleepy Hollow Outpost is one of a few outfitters in the PA Wilds located on public lands, within Black Moshannon State Park. Black Moshannon State Park covers 3,394 acres of forests and wetlands and conserves unique, natural environments.
Picture this: A perfectly curated tablescape alongside slowly flowing water, underneath the shade of a weeping willow. In the background, the sound of kids playing, ducks quacking, and even a summer concert being performed. It’s the scene that Renea Nichols creates almost weekly through her business Spring Creek Picnics, based in Bellefonte — part of the I-80 Frontier landscape of the PA Wilds. When someone calls her to set up a picnic, she really takes the time to get to know them and understand what they’re looking for. During that call, she promotes a list of all of the local restaurants that could be a good fit for their picnic. Renea then does the hard work of hauling and setting up the tablescape — crafted with locally sourced materials — and picnic-goers just show up with their takeout in hand. At the end of the event, there’s no packing up or lugging of items for attendees to do.
Looking to get off the beaten path while traveling the I-80 Frontier of the Pennsylvania Wilds? Make sure to visit Tussey Mountain Outfitters in Bellefonte. TMO specializes in selling and providing high-quality canoes, kayaks, equipment, and rental services. They also provide transportation services for recreation enthusiasts. The shop, open year-round, helps paddlers access a number of local waterways, including Spring Creek, Bald Eagle Creek and the West Branch Susquehanna River April through late October, based on weather.
Crooked Roots Adventures offers stand-up paddle boarding lessons on the lake. Once one has completed all lessons, they transition into a guided river trip on the Upper Pine Creek River. CRA offers guided rock climbing trips in the Tioga State Forest. They also offer tube rentals on the Upper Pine Creek. Crooked Roots Adventures is proud to host an annual Crooked-Cross gravel grinder bike event each October.
The Pennsylvania Wilds is vast and beautiful, and it invites us into that space to explore and to become our most authentic selves. Deep Green Journey, a specialized field guide based in Williamsport along the I-80 Frontier landscape of the PA Wilds, offers to “create space in the Wild to find healing, wholeness and delight.” Guide Beth Jones is trained as a Certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and has been leading backpack trips for over 20 years in the mountains of Central PA.
Lunar’s Outdoor Adventures’ mission is to inspire and enable people to experience the great outdoors. Reuben “Lunar” Stugart has completed the Triple Crown of backpacking and is an avid outdoorsman. His experience as a teacher at therapeutic wilderness programs, in special education, volunteering with a scout troop, and being an active member of a Search and Rescue team inspires confidence that Safety, Preparedness, and communication are of top priority in all of our adventures.
Located in the Pine Creek Valley & PA Grand Canyon Landscape of the Pennsylvania Wilds, just outside of Wellsboro, PA, Pine Creek Outfitters offers raft, canoe, kayak, and wetsuit rentals, bicycle rentals and shuttles, and guided trips—in addition to a variety of other services. Pine Creek Outfitters has been family-owned since 1984 and serves the entire Pine Creek Rail Trail from Wellsboro to Jersey Shore. Open March through October, the outfitter also offers a shop complete with outdoor gear necessities.
Learn more about the offerings at Pine Creek Outfitters at www.pinecrk.com.
Rich Port Adventure Company
Rich Port Adventure Company’s history teaches the power of adapting, going with the flow, and finding the beauty in everything. Located in Muncy, just east of Williamsport in Lycoming County, Rich Port Adventure Company helps travelers explore the many wonderful waterways and other outdoor rec experiences. Rich Port Adventure Company now offers kayak, canoe, paddle board, tube, mountain bike, and electric bike rentals as well as hiking tours and shuttle services. Adventurers can rent single kayaks, double kayaks, canoes, stand up paddle boards (known as SUPs) for use on local lakes and the river for reasonable prices. The shuttle service makes it accessible to those who don’t want to haul their own equipment.
When you travel, it makes a world of difference to have someone as your guide, showing you the ins and outs of the region and giving you the expertise you need to have the best trip possible. What if you could always have those seasoned guides along for your journeys? That is exactly what Roambler seeks to do. Rambler is an online peer-to-peer listing and booking platform that links customers to experiences. These customers, called “Seekers,” can find people who host experiences, called “Hosts,” throughout Pennsylvania.
Find out about booking an outdoor experience at www.roambler.com.
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