An autumn walk with my dog in the Quehanna Wild Area

Every once in a while my phone or computer will remind me of photos that I’ve taken in the past and will put them together in an album. An AI-generated title recently popped up on my phone, curating and labeling photos I had taken nearly three years ago: “A fall hike.”

Flashback to November 10, 2020. I remember it was an unusually warm day for fall, and I was deep in the throes of pandemic stress. I decided to take an impromptu hike in one of my favorite spots, the Quehanna Trail in the Quehanna Wild Area.

I would love to do the entirety of the Quehanna Trail one day. It’s a loop of about 75 miles, cutting through some of the deepest wilderness of the PA Wilds. My husband, Jeremy, and I have talked about taking a backpacking trip on the Quehanna Trail, which we imagine would take us at least three or four days to accomplish. Until then, we’ve only explored partial pieces of the trail, most often starting from the trailhead at Parker Dam State Park, near Penfield in Clearfield County.

So I loaded Nellie, my then 8-year-old dog, in our old Subaru and headed for Parker Dam. Nellie (or Nelson-Belson as we sometimes call her) is a rescue that we adopted in 2016, when the previous owners guessed that she was about 3. She’s what we lovingly refer to as a “generic tall dog.” I joke that she looks like the type of dog that someone would draw if you said, “Hey, draw a dog.”

At 8 years old, Nellie was a great hiking dog. She and I had both put on some weight, but she had a surprising amount of endurance. She’s a good dog, eager to sniff around and explore, but typically happy to follow commands. I keep her on a leash while hiking or even while walking around our neighborhood for her own safety, although she loves running off-leash when we go to visit my parents’ house.

Nowadays, Nellie is slower. She has joint pain, and it would be mean to make her tag along on any long hikes. However, the flashback photos from November 2020 remind me of a time when she could happily keep up.

I packed Nellie’s cute little doggy-backpack with poop bags, as well as some food and water for her. It’s convenient that she was able to carry all of her own stuff – and it makes it easier to pick up pet paste and dispose of trash!

As for me, I packed a jacket (though I ended up tying it around my waist for most of the hike) and a fanny pack with some water, a couple of snacks, a tiny first aid kit and some other supplies that I usually carry while out in the woods.

It was a chance to use the Purple Lizard map of the Quehanna/Moshannon area that I had purchased for myself and Jeremy. Although I may have only briefly glanced at it on this particular hike, it’s nice to have in case you get lost or are just curious about the landscape and other side trails. The path near the trailhead by Parker Dam is well marked and easy to follow, but I’ve heard that having a map is especially handy for some of the parts deeper into the Quehanna Wild Area. Besides, there’s practically zero cell phone service on any part of the trail, so GPS isn’t as helpful as a map can be in the wilderness. And, speaking of no cell phone service, I always let my husband (and another friend or family member) know when I’m going on one of these solo hikes. Although I feel at home in the woods, it’s always smart to plan ahead and prepare by alerting others of where you’re going and when you plan to return.

When we arrived at the trailhead on that November day, it was quiet. Despite the unusually warm temperatures, ours was the only car in the trailhead parking area. We got onto the trail, spending a little time to take a photo at the Quehanna Trail sign and to let Nellie sniff around.

There was a lot of sniffing around during that hike. Admittedly, hiking with Nellie (even back in her prime) always takes longer than hiking without a dog. We spent about two hours on the trail that day, but we spent a good chunk of time taking it slow and simply enjoying the outdoors.

After all, a good hike is about the journey, not the destination. And the journey was incredible.

I always enjoy the first part of the Quehanna Trail coming from Parker Dam because there’s a lot to see. Of course, there are some interpretive displays near the trailhead with info about the logging that used to take place there.

There are also some spots to rest and some great views both inside the forest and looking down over a hillside in a small clearing not far into the hike.

My favorite part is all of the little bridges. Especially close to the trailhead, they’re well taken care of and make for a nice chance to listen to the water.

Nellie especially likes these bridges and creeks. Although she’s not usually a fan of water and swimming, she never seems to pass up a chance to dip her toes into the water during a hike.

I also love all of the old structures that remain along the trail. I have to admit, I’m not quite sure what some of them were used for, but it’s interesting to see that they’re still (somewhat) standing. The stone structures are older, obviously, and are showing their age.

However, there is even a house along the trail that I’ve been told was used as a sugar shack at one point to make maple syrup. Although Nellie always wants to go and explore who (or what) lives there, I always try to usher her past a little more quickly.

While out there, I admire what’s there to see, but ensure that I leave it the way it was found for the next visitor to appreciate.

During that November 2020 hike, Nellie and I chose to turn around and head back once we hit part of the trail that crossed a gravel roadway. It’s a struggle sometimes to remember that it will take just as long to walk back as what it did to get there. I had told Jeremy that we were expecting to get back to civilization in about 2.5 hours, so we needed to be mindful about not going too far. It’s always tempting to walk just a little further, to see just a little more.

The hike was over before long, and Nellie and I were both feeling tired. I packed our bags, the trash and poop bags, and ourselves back into the car… but not before taking another quick photo at the trailhead sign.

On the drive home, the sun was getting low and the temperature had cooled down. Nellie was fast asleep on the backseat, exhausted from too many sights and smells. I passed the PA Wilds Elk Scenic Drive road sign on the way home, unknowing at that point that I would be working for the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship a couple years later.

It didn’t take us long to get home, and Jeremy was there waiting for us with dinner. It’s a nice reminder that some of the best trips don’t have to be extravagant. Sometimes a simple hike with your dog about 20 minutes from home is enough to reset your mindset and create a treasured memory.