Outdoor Recreation

October 14, 2024

Capture the stars! PA Great Outdoors stargazing photo contest open October-December

Capture the beautiful night sky and stars in a photo... and you could even win some prizes! There are many great places to go stargazing in Pennsylvania’s Great Outdoors region, part of the Pennsylvania Wilds that includes the counties of Cameron, Elk, and Forest. If you capture some of those special starry skies with a photo while traveling in the PA Great Outdoors region, consider entering it into the latest photo contest.

September 24, 2024

Wilds Child: Late summer migratory paths at Parker Dam State Park

Every year around mid-August, millions of monarch butterflies take flight from their botanical homes and travel thousands of miles along an ancestral fall migration path. Monarchs in the eastern United States, including monarchs that call the Pennsylvania Wilds home, depart to Mexico to overwinter together in fluttering clusters, only to return to our wildflower fields and backyard gardens in the spring. Every year around mid-August, millions of children across Pennsylvania take a similar migratory path, departing from their sunsoaked backyards and the ease of summer vacation and into large yellow buses that trace familiar routes to their primary and secondary schools.

September 20, 2024

ATV trails will close for summer in Allegheny National Forest on September 29

The US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service will close the all-terrain vehicle and off-highway motorcycle (ATV/OHM) trails in the Allegheny National Forest for the summer season at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, September 29, 2024.

September 19, 2024

Taking care of the Chuck Keiper Trail

Keystone Trails Association's trail care program focuses on trails that lack formal trail maintenance clubs. Deep in the Sproul State Forest just south of Renovo in Clinton County, the Chuck Keiper Trail is one of those trails. Over the past several years, the Chuck Keiper Trail has earned a reputation for having very rough conditions. Now with the help of Keystone Trails Association and the Outdoor Corps, part of the trail is looking much better.

September 17, 2024

Ride the PA Wilds (and share your cycling feedback!)

The PA Wilds is filled with endless opportunities to explore via bicycle, from scenic rail trails like the Pine Creek Rail Trail and Clarion Little-Toby Trail, to thrilling purpose-built mountain bike trails such as Jakes Rocks, to thousands of miles of gravel and dirt roads. Cycling, in particular off-road cycling, has grown in recent years with more participants than ever taking to the trails to discover the joy of two wheels. E-bikes have made the sport even more accessible, lowering the physical barrier for using bikes for both transportation and recreation. Now a survey is asking for your feedback about how you bike in the PA Wilds!

September 16, 2024

Last swim

Quick is usually best. A deep breath, a plunge and the cool September water laughs and envelops me one last time. Everything feels sharp and alive. The smooth stones slip by below and newly browned and yellowed leaves ride the surface with me as we journey together for a while. Eventually their delicate veins will slip beneath the surface as mine have now, marveling at late afternoon slant of light on stone and branch and leaf now resting below.

September 10, 2024

September in the PA Wilds – a new beginning

At last, autumn is here with all its trimmings, It is THE perfect time for NEW beginnings! Our good Mother Nature is putting on quite a show, With spectacular colors, from Warren to Wellsboro! A poem celebrating the seasonal change that comes in September, written by Ed Byers.

September 9, 2024

A climb with Van Wagner in Jefferson County

Van Wagner arrived, ready to make his 53rd tree climb as part of his mission to climb the tallest of trees at the highest elevation in each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. His goals include raising awareness about the importance of forests, the connection they hold to our heritage, and the jobs, habitat, and many other benefits that come from sustainable forest management practices today.

September 2, 2024

Why Pennsylvania’s fall foliage season is the most beautiful

Each year, hundreds of thousands of travelers make their way to the Pennsylvania Wilds, eager to get a view of some of the most gorgeous fall foliage in the world. These “leaf peepers,” as they’re called, know there’s something special about Pennsylvania’s autumn leaves… scientifically, Pennsylvania is a prime viewing spot.

August 26, 2024

What is fishing really about?

Ask a hundred anglers why they fish and you’ll likely get a hundred different responses. Some might put emphasis on catching dinner while others are looking for a way to enjoy the outdoors with friends or by themselves. I’ve always been curious, though, why anglers, when asked why they fish, don’t unanimously state that it’s about the fish. After all, without the fish, there would be no fishing.