Outdoor Recreation

January 10, 2024

New Year’s Resolutions that the PA Wilds can help you accomplish

A New Year’s Resolution is all about hope for the upcoming year. Whatever you’re trying to accomplish in 2024, there are places in the PA Wilds that can help you achieve it.

January 8, 2024

A short First Day Hike in Lock Haven

When we were first married, my wife and I used to traditionally take First Day hikes on January first, every year. Then we had a kid. We adopted my son, Paul Matthew, in 2014. I love being a parent, but I have to say that there is nothing like a baby to keep you in the house. They’re like an ankle monitor that you have to feed. However, Paul is nine now. And I enjoy doing things with him, so this year I brought up the idea of getting back into the First Day Hikes.

January 5, 2024

A First Day Hike at Parker Dam State Park

Just ten hours after watching the Times Square ball drop celebration on TV and ringing in the new year for 2024, I found myself at Parker Dam State Park to celebrate the start of a fresh year with their annual First Day Hike. What is a First Day Hike? They’re held on the first day of the new year at lots of Pennsylvania state parks. These free hikes are guided by staff and volunteers from the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), and they’re typically anywhere from 1 to 3.5 miles long.

January 3, 2024

Stargazing Sanctuary: Exploring the Dark Sky at Cherry Springs State Park

Nestled amidst the picturesque Dark Skies landscape of the Pennsylvania Wilds sits a haven for stargazers and nature enthusiasts — the awe-inspiring Cherry Springs State Park. To understand the magic of the Commonwealth’s first Dark Sky Park, Christian Alexandersen spoke with Park Manager Ben Stone for the season premiere of the Hemlocks to Hellbenders podcast. The episode – “Cherry Springs State Park – Spend a night in the stars”- premiered January 3, 2024. 

December 28, 2023

Meet Your New Year’s Resolution on the West Branch Susquehanna River

As the New Year approaches, so too do the hopes, inspirations, and goals of our upcoming resolutions. Do you have yours yet? Let the Susquehanna Greenway Partnership (SGP) help! Here are some resolution ideas that you can meet with us in 2024 on and along the Susquehanna River, part of which includes the West Branch Susquehanna River in the PA Wilds region.

December 26, 2023

Start your 2024 on the right foot with a First Day Hike

Go take a hike! No, really. You can start the new year on the right foot (literally) with guided hikes at many state parks throughout Pennsylvania, including several in the Pennsylvania Wilds.

December 21, 2023

Snowmobile season begins in the Allegheny National Forest

Snowmobile season is officially open in the Allegheny National Forest, says the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. The season started at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, December 15, 2023, and snowmobile trails will remain open until 12:00 p.m. on March 31, 2024. Sufficient snowfall is needed for the trails to be usable.

December 19, 2023

Rain can’t spoil the fun: A leaf-peeping overnighter to Wellsboro

As the leaves were changing in the Pine Creek Valley in the PA Wilds, Helen Kotala and her group of biking friends were heading north. The plan was to park at Hyner Run State Park and ride up to Wellsboro, stay in a hotel, then ride back the next day. It was rainy, but that didn't hold them back. The route spanned Sproul, Tioga, and Tiadaghton State Forests, about 145 miles in total. It included some new-to-Helena territory linking the Cross Fork area and the Pine Creek Gorge area, filling in another gap in her north-central PA map.

December 14, 2023

Down Life’s Crazy Road: Our own winter wonderland 

The PA Wilds transforms into a winter wonderland January through March, with breathtaking snowy landscapes and frozen waterfalls creating a truly magical atmosphere. The scenery is simply stunning and offers a unique experience for nature lovers and photographers alike.

December 8, 2023

Allegheny River nominated for River of the Year again, voting open now

Voting is open online for the 2024 Pennsylvania River of the Year, with the National Wild & Scenic Allegheny River in the Pennsylvania Wilds being one of the three waterways nominated throughout the state. Although the Allegheny River was the 2017 River of the Year, it's in the running again... proving its worth as a place to paddle, fish, photograph and enjoy.