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

One of the most common New Year’s Resolutions is to start exercising more and to lose weight. There are plenty ways to become more physically active, but the Pennsylvania Wilds offers such an incredible variety of physical activities that you’ll never be bored.

Even in the winter when many people think there’s nothing to do outdoors, there are plenty of ways to stay active. That includes cross-country skiing, winter hiking, sledding, hunting, ice skating, snowmobiling and much more. 

If you’re looking for indoor activities, there are also indoor gyms and even indoor rock climbing facilities in the PA Wilds, such as The Goat Fort.

Maybe your resolution focuses more on enjoying nature and getting some fresh air, rather than more strenuous outdoor adventures. No fear, there are still plenty of ways of enjoying the outdoors! Plan ahead and schedule a camping trip to one of the many state parks, state forests or the national forest in the Pennsylvania Wilds, either in a tent or an RV. You can also make plans to go boating or fishing on the various waterways throughout the PA Wilds, or plan a visit to Benezette to view the elk herd.

Shopping in the Pennsylvania Wilds means you’ll be doing more than just providing a good gift! Shopping within the region strengthens the local economy, supports local makers and businesses, and also reduces your carbon footprint, as items are not shipped from faraway places to your doorstep.

In addition to the many retailers throughout the area who are part of the Wilds Cooperative of Pennsylvania, our PA Wilds Conservation Shops offer many locally produced products in their gift shops, inspiring pride in our PA Wilds region while also giving back to those entrepreneurs in the Pennsylvania Wilds community. The shop at Kinzua Bridge State Park is open year-round, and the shop at Leonard Harrison State Park is open spring through fall. You can also shop online and check hours at ShopThePAWilds.com.

Mindfulness is a wonderful New Year’s Resolution, simply because it touches so many aspects of our lives. Mindfulness teaches us to slow down and take in every experience and sense, while listening to our body and mind. Being out in nature and quietly acknowledging how you fit into the environment can help with mindfulness, as Kalie Schmader explains in this blog post. For a more guided experience, you might consider a mindfulness experience with an organization such as Jenny Garrison’s Yoga with Trees or Beth Jones’ Deep Green Journey.

Volunteering and getting involved with an organization can help make your new year even more exciting and meaningful. Choose a cause that is close to your heart, then find ways to make a difference. Find ways to give back to the community and to the environment with our PA Wilds volunteer reference page here. Want to tell people about your experience in the PA Wilds? You can also volunteer to submit a blog post here.

Who said a New Year’s Resolution had to be hard work? Maybe you want to take some time to yourself and unwind. The PA Wilds has charming and unique places to stay across the region. You can kick back and relax by checking out these overnight accommodations.

Or if sitting with a glass of red or white is more up your alley, there are plenty of wineries throughout the PA Wilds to tickle your tastebuds. More of a brew person? Check out this list of regional breweries. Why not make it your resolution to try them all?

Even for people who have lived in the PA Wilds their entire lives, there is always more to explore. Choose a PA Wilds landscape that is more unfamiliar to you and vow to take an adventure there: Elk County, Cook Forest and the Ancients, Dark Skies, Allegheny National Forest and the Surrounds, I-80 Frontier or the Pine Creek Valley and the PA Grand Canyon. Or choose a journey to take: Scenic Route 6, the Kinzua Experience, Bucktail Scenic Byway, West Branch of the Susquehanna, National Wild and Scenic Rivers, North Country National Scenic Trail, Elk Scenic Drive or the Pine Creek Rail Trail. Any of them would make a perfect new adventure for the new year!