Outdoor Recreation

April 5, 2023

Planning your springtime adventure in the PA Wilds

Birds migrating back home, delicate buds appearing on tree branches, the grass returning to a vibrant green color, the birth of fawns and other babies, the smell of rain and sweet flowers… it’s springtime in the Pennsylvania Wilds! Now that the sun is shining and the weather is warmer, check out these popular activities to plan your spring adventure in the PA Wilds.

March 17, 2023

Looking for luck: Four-leaf clovers and shamrock

We all can use a little luck, and sometimes plants come to the rescue. It’s lucky to find four-leaf clovers, a rarity of the typical three-part leaf of white clover, Trifolium repens. This common non-native species is naturalized and planted in lawns and wildlife food plots. The shamrock associated with St. Patrick’s Day is another lucky plant. The word shamrock comes from the Irish word seamair, meaning “young clover."

March 14, 2023

Forest bathing in the PA Wilds

Going into the forest and immersing yourself in the forest atmosphere is what the Japanese call shinrin-yoku or forest bathing. This practice was actually encouraged by their government back in the 80’s. Between then and now, much research on forest bathing has revealed that it is extremely beneficial for us — physically and mentally. And shinrin-yoku has since become popular in many countries, including the United States.

March 8, 2023

Up to Hyner View

On a high peak in Chapman Township, you can see for miles up and down the Susquehanna River valley. At the top of the mountain, Hyner View State Park is 1,940 feet above sea level. It’s above Route 120, and if you want to see a lot of the Elk Country landscape all at once, this is the place to go.

February 13, 2023

Pennsylvania Wilds Astronomy Club offers free membership, welcoming all skill levels of stargazers

A new club focused on studying the sky, called the Pennsylvania Wilds Astronomy Club, has formed in north-central Pennsylvania and is now accepting members! The club welcomes members from anywhere in the Pennsylvania Wilds, a 13-county region of Warren, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Lycoming, Clinton, Elk, Cameron, Forest, Clearfield, Clarion, Jefferson and northern Centre Counties.

January 23, 2023

Bike the Wilds: Find your loop along PA Route 6

Spanning Pennsylvania’s northern tier, PA Route 6 is one of the country’s oldest transcontinental highways. It’s also a great place to cycle. To welcome riders to this region, PA Route 6 Alliance, a state-designated Heritage Area, has recently unveiled a series of loops that showcase some of the best cycling along Route 6, including loops in four counties that are part of the PA Wilds: Warren, McKean, Potter, and Tioga.

January 19, 2023

Down Life’s Crazy Road: Slow to get motivated?

January - it's often the coldest month of the year, with dark evenings and the thrill of the holiday season already over. Author John Pozza suggests some outdoor activities to help you get out of the winter blues.

January 13, 2023

Help plan your winter adventures with the state parks winter report

Want to know what winter activities are available at your local PA Wilds state park? Or are you searching for an activity like sledding or skiing and want to know which state parks offer that outdoor rec option? There's an easy tool to help you... DCNR's Pennsylvania state parks winter report.

January 9, 2023

A family bike ride on the Knox & Kane Rail Trail

Jeremy Bickling was eager to test out his new child trailer, so he hitched it (with his kid, of course!) to the back of his bike and hit the Knox and Kane Rail Trail. Together, he and his family rode the 7.8-mile stretch of the trail, making their way to Kinzua Bridge.

January 5, 2023

Stay safe on state forest roads this winter

Pennsylvania state forests are popular for winter recreation enthusiasts, and we would like to remind everyone to be safe when traveling state forest roads in winter conditions. For economic, logistic and environmental reasons, many state forest roads and drivable trails receive no winter maintenance and are considered “travel at own risk.”