The joy of exploring your hometown on foot

When it comes to encouraging people to use their feet instead of always hopping into a car, I try to literally “walk the walk.” Sure, there are plenty of times when I end up driving somewhere that is technically within walking distance. However, when it’s a gorgeous autumn day and the air is filled with the scent of falling leaves… well, there’s nothing better than a walk through town before hunkering down at my laptop for the day.

Plenty of the communities within the PA Wilds region are incredibly walkable. Places like Kane, Bellefonte, Warren and Wellsboro all have downtowns that are easy to navigate on foot. Other towns, such as Emporium, have bike trails that run right through the downtown. Along the West Branch Susquehanna River, Williamsport and Lock Haven and Clearfield all have river walks that run along the waterway.

My walk to the library in Clearfield thankfully has sidewalks the entire way, making it an easy journey. The trees are still vibrant, filled with an array of orange, red, yellow and purple leaves. Although lots of leaves remain in the trees, there are plenty on the ground, providing a constant “sha-sha-sha” noise as my feet shuffle through. The weather is warmer than I would like for fall, but it makes for a pleasant walk without a coat.

I opt to take the Clearfield River Walk, which winds directly beside the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. It’s around lunchtime, and the walkway is busy with folks enjoying the fresh air. An older man with a large white dog stops to talk to a friend. A mother pushes a stroller, zigzagging back and forth on the straight path and making her child giggle.

The River Walk also takes me past River’s Landing, a beautiful building with large windows and cute string lights. In fact, the building is so gorgeous that it won the PA Wilds Champion Award for Great Design in 2023. The Dented Keg, one of my favorite restaurants, uses the main part of the building. Even on a Tuesday, the patio is busy with people gathering for lunch. I notice a family sitting together, a birthday balloon tied to a chair with a preteen girl who looked to be skipping school to celebrate. Walking below on the walkway, I could smell the fries and sandwiches a waitress was bringing, making me momentarily regret eating lunch at home.

I cross over the Market Street Bridge, pausing to take a few photos of the river below and the fall foliage reflected on the water. Ducks swim lazily on the river, seemingly unaware that it is a workday. I remember many times walking on this bridge with family or crossing it during the Clearfield Fair Parade with the high school marching band. During the summer, kids typically gather to go fishing off the bridge, but today they are cooped inside a school classroom.

A few tables away, two men chat and shuffle worksheets around, possibly a meeting to help one of them earn his GED or do continuing education. A woman comes in, looking for legal pamphlets and to use the library’s printer. A homeschooled child and his parent stop by the front desk, with the child bravely peeking over the desk to ask for the bathroom key at his mother’s insistence that he can ask all by himself. A local author (who also happens to be one of my former teachers) stops by to see if any of his books have sold and to inquire why the library would be closing early that night. The staff member explains that a paranormal investigation team was coming for a meeting and to use some of their investigative skills inside the building!

Although it’s an easy place to focus and work, the liveliness also gives me an excuse to take a break and eavesdrop on the interesting conversations. 

When my eyes need a break from the computer screen, I meander over to visit the library’s pet: a guinea pig named Harry Porker. Harry is a popular fellow at the library, though a sign warns that he’s been known to mistake fingers for snacks.

After Harry Porker and I catch up, I check out the juried art session that is being hosted at the library. The Susquehanna River Art Center displays their juried pieces at the library each fall. I’m always amazed at how much talent there is here in Clearfield County alone. The pieces span a variety of mediums – paintings, wooden sculptures, jewelry, felted work, photography and more.

As I make my way back home, I take the long way back. The route goes through the streets of Downtown Clearfield. I check out the movies that are listed on the marquee at the Ritz Theater: Terrifier 3 and Smile 2, perfect for the Halloween season. 

The Clearfield Revitalization Corporation, as always, helped decorate the streets with scarecrows. The scarecrows themselves were made by the Clearfield High School art classes, and then they were attached to streetlights and trees by volunteers. Each scarecrow is different, carefully designed by young people who are proud to see their creations displayed through town.

The Clearfield County Courthouse is one of my favorite buildings, standing tall and proud in the middle of town. The brick building dates back to 1860, and it was finished during the Civil War. It’s obviously had a lot of renovations since then to keep it modern inside, but it’s still a beautiful historical building that always captures my attention when I walk past it.

Recently, I also realized that Downtown Clearfield doesn’t have many electrical lines running across the streets or sidewalks. I suppose I never thought about it until a friend of mine pointed it out while visiting.

“In my town, there are so many electrical lines everywhere. Yours must be buried underground,” she marveled. “Everything looks so clean.”

Speaking of cleanliness, I found some litter on my walk back home. An avid supporter of Leave No Trace principles and Keep America Beautiful, I always try to pick up obvious litter on my walks whenever possible. I dutifully tuck the candy wrapper into my backpack’s side pocket, reminding myself to dispose of it when I get home.

Walking the streets of my hometown strengthens my connections to where I live. 

It makes me appreciate the little things here: the decorations on a house’s porch, the bowl of water that the pizza shop puts out on the sidewalk for dogs, the donated bench on the River Walk.

It also keeps me aware of things that could be improved: a stray piece of litter, a bush that is overgrowing into the sidewalk, a “for sale” sign on a building.