Travel

May 7, 2024

PA Wilds Stays: Overnight accommodations in the Allegheny National Forest and Surrounds landscape of the Pennsylvania Wilds

Covering more than 500,000 acres, the Allegheny National Forest (ANF) is Pennsylvania’s only national forest. It dominates the western end of the Pennsylvania Wilds and features some of the region’s most treasured places and experiences. Choose the lodging establishment that fits your needs, book a night there, and start exploring the Allegheny National Forest and Surrounds!

April 2, 2024

Tips for a once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse experience in the PA Wilds

On April 8, 2024, a small part of the northwestern section of the PA Wilds region will experience the path of totality for a solar eclipse! This includes places like Warren and the Allegheny Reservoir, along with parts of Warren County and McKean County. Even though just a small part of Pennsylvania will be in the official path of totality, there is still a good chance to see a partial eclipse from the rest of the PA Wilds region.

March 19, 2024

YouTube in the Pennsylvania Wilds – “Forest County Outback” 

While hiking through the PA Wilds’ Allegheny National Forest & Surrounds over the years I cannot remember how many times I have come upon a stack of ancient foundation stones or old lumber in the middle of nowhere and wondered, “What’s the story with this, what was this, why is it here?” Somehow, somewhere, there must be somebody who knows something about these little mysteries. Meet Forest County’s Terry Janosik who has investigated at least 40 of them.

February 14, 2024

Reasons to love the PA Wilds

As we celebrate Valentine's Day, our hearts are filled with love... not just for our sweethearts, but also for the special place we call the PA Wilds! There are plenty of reasons to love this region: the awe-inspiring landscape that surrounds us, the family and friends we can share memories with, the creative endeavors of our PA Wilds entrepreneurs, tasty food and drinks, and all of the experiences you can have within a three-hour drive. Let’s take a moment and show some adoration and appreciation for the PA Wilds!

February 8, 2024

Check out Pennsylvania’s 2024 River of the Year and Trail of the Year in this PA Wilds town

For its second time in ten years winning the prestigious award, the Allegheny River in the western section of the Pennsylvania Wilds has been selected by a public vote as Pennsylvania’s 2024 River of the Year. Just days after the River of the Year announcement in late January, the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) announced that Pennsylvania's 2024 Trail of the Year is the Trails at Jakes Rocks, a 35-mile natural surface trail system located in the Allegheny National Forest. The city of Warren is lucky enough to have both the Allegheny River and the Trails at Jakes Rocks, meaning that you can see both the 2024 River of the Year and 2024 Trail of the Year in one visit.

January 25, 2024

The most romantic things to do in the PA Wilds

The rolling mountains, curious wildlife, dark skies, fantastic foods and scenic vistas of the Pennsylvania Wilds can be the perfect background for a romantic day with your sweetheart. Check out these romantic things to do, all within the landscapes of the PA Wilds!

January 11, 2024

Conquering a fear of heights at Kinzua Bridge

“Should I visit Kinzua Bridge State Park if I’m afraid of heights?” It’s a reasonable question, and it’s one that is asked so much online that Google now automatically completes the question for you if you start typing it into the search engine. The Skywalk at Kinzua Bridge in McKean County is undoubtedly high. Hovering 225 feet above the valley floor at its highest point, it’s as though you are standing on the 22nd floor of a skyscraper. Here are some tips for conquering your fear of heights and enjoying Kinzua Bridge!

January 4, 2024

A Ray of Wilds Sonshine

The Wilds Sonshine Factory is a unique destination on several fronts, primarily for their signature product line – distilled spirits made from sunflower seeds, but also for the Factory’s push on educating visitors on some of the region’s outdoor resources that have tattooed this region in the PA Wilds for generations. Writer Ray Hunt took a "Hooky Day" to visit the Wilds Sonshine Factory and learn about the inspiration behind it.

November 28, 2023

My ‘failed’ trip with the dogs to Parker Dam State Park

I’ll be the first to admit that my latest trip to Parker Dam State Park did not go to plan. It rained pretty heavily the entire time, and one of our dogs barked until we ultimately decided to call it quits and go home. We never actually ended up staying overnight in the cabin, despite the fact that we had rented it for multiple nights at the end of October. That might be enough for some people to say that the trip was a disaster. Despite how I have titled this blog, I don’t actually think that our trip to Parker Dam was a failure.

November 16, 2023

The unique I-80 Frontier

Most people don’t notice this, but the I-80 Frontier is the only PA Wilds landscape named after a man-made landmark. All of the others are named after natural things: forest land, animals, or in one case, just darkness. Sure, they try to fool you with the “frontier” part, but it’s named for Interstate 80, which travels all the way across the PA Wilds. To reach a lot of places in the PA Wilds, you pretty much have to start by getting on 80.