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December 6, 2024

Indigenous names of the Susquehanna Greenway

The Susquehanna River has drawn people to its banks for thousands of years. Many of our Susquehanna Greenway River Towns were built where former Native American villages once maintained extensive agricultural fields, towns, and roads along the easily navigable shores of the Susquehanna River. Acknowledging the importance of Indigenous people in Pennsylvania’s past, present, and future is key to understanding and respecting the Susquehanna Greenway that we explore today.

December 5, 2024

Brady Tunnel opens in Clarion County, completing top ten trail gap

Some were skeptical that it could be done, but after six years of hard work, Armstrong Trails celebrated the opening of the newly renovated Brady Tunnel on Friday, Nov. 1. After decades of dormancy, the 2,468-foot railroad tunnel, located in Clarion County, will be open to non-motorized public use. The accomplishment marked the closing of one of Pennsylvania’s Top Ten trail gaps, creating 100 miles of connected trail in the Armstrong Trails network.

December 2, 2024

Viewing the Aurora Borealis in the dark skies of the PA Wilds

In May and October of this year, solar storms have presented northern Pennsylvania with multiple unique and rare opportunities to witness the Northern Lights from their backyards. This year, we have been hit (granted) with multiple large solar ejections, also known as solar flares. This has produced opportunities to witness these epic events first-hand, spontaneously, with barely having to travel. In fact, the lights could be seen within the Pennsylvania Wilds!

November 29, 2024

Forest Fridays: I brought the green bean casserole

The first Thanksgiving was held near Plymouth, Massachusetts, and not the Pennsylvania Wilds. However, many of the things eaten during that first Thanksgiving meal would have also likely been found in our rural section of Pennsylvania... and would seem very different from what Thanksgiving looks like nowadays.

November 25, 2024

Cameron County leans into dark sky tourism

Cameron County is taking advantage of its location to capitalize on the tourism benefits of dark skies. The PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) recently awarded a grant to the Lumber Heritage Region, which will help fund a master site development plan to create a dark skies park in Cameron County. The park site is a reclaimed county landfill. The plan will explore strategic goals, timelines, and implementation methods. Ultimately, the desire is to have a site and community recognized by the International Dark Skies Association.

November 21, 2024

Tips for taking spectacular outdoor photos in winter in the PA Wilds

Deep in the snowy hills of the northern Pennsylvania Wilds, photographer Bernadette Chiaramonte is no stranger to venturing out on cold, blustery days to get some spectacular shots of winter scenes. Tioga County, where Bernadette lives, is up in what is known as the Pine Creek Valley and PA Grand Canyon landscape of the PA Wilds region. The higher elevations, ridges and gorges, and northern latitude of Tioga County means it has some of the most beautiful winter scenery. Over the years as owner of Edge of the Woods Photography, Bernadette has used the gorgeous landscape and wildlife to capture some great photos during the winter months.

November 19, 2024

How to get kids started with fishing

When my wife was pregnant with our first child, friends told me my life was going to change in ways I wouldn’t always appreciate. Sure, many things would change for the better, and my life would no doubt be full of the joys of parenthood, but what they really meant was that I wouldn’t be able to fish as much as usual – if at all. I didn’t listen, of course. Fishing was a huge part of my childhood and is a cornerstone of my adult life, and more than anything in the world, I looked forward to someday sharing the outdoors with my kids.

November 18, 2024

Things we’re thankful for in the PA Wilds

The Thanksgiving season reminds us of the things for which we are grateful: family, friends, health, prosperity, creative endeavors and the awe-inspiring landscape that surrounds us. Our Pennsylvania Wilds region gives us plenty to give thanks for, especially with its rich history and endless variety of natural beauty. Let’s take a moment and remember the things we are much thankful for in the PA Wilds!

November 15, 2024

Forest Fridays: Thank a veteran and thank a forestry veteran

Veterans Day calls on us to thank the members of our community that defend our American way of life. This Veterans Day we honor all the veterans who have served in our armed forces and the forests of the Commonwealth with a brief history of World War I and how it affected Pennsylvania’s forestry professionals. 

November 11, 2024

A hidden cost of our wild places – A few true stories in honor of Veteran’s Day

Writer Jim Hyland shares stories of the price just a few of our fellow Pennsylvanians paid for the lifestyle we enjoy. But there are many others. Some stories are still unfolding today overseas, and many are gone without ever having been told. Hyland's Uncle Elwood didn’t tell his until his last years. We’ve all heard the cliché “freedom isn’t free”, but all Americans must continue to understand these simple words. The next time you’re out in our forests, remember that the solitude, beauty, serenity, and peace you feel was, and is presently paid for with the strength, sweat, bravery, and blood of those of our society who defend our great country with their lives.