Year in Review: Top 10 PA Wilds blogs of 2024

There were so many stories to tell in the Pennsylvania Wilds in 2024!

The year 2024 was full of exploration, history, mystery, growth and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. The 2024 solar eclipse’s path of totality passed through the northeastern corner of the PA Wilds region, drawing thousands of visitors to come to the rural area to catch a glimpse of darkness during the daytime.

The year brought new recognition to the region as well, as the Trails at Jakes Rock was named as Pennsylvania’s Trail of the Year and the Allegheny River was named as Pennsylvania’s River of the Year.

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.

Continue reading: https://pawilds.com/tips-solar-eclipse-experience-pa-wilds/

Traveling in the Pennsylvania Wilds is full of endless discoveries and unexpected pleasantries. The sights will astound you. The communities will humble you. And the experience will leave you with anticipation for your next return. However, no excursion is complete without knowing where you’ll rest your head. And for those inclined to reel at the thought of winter camping, it’s always a safe bet to pre-plan your lodging accommodations to be sure a bed is ready and waiting for your arrival. With a little research, you’ll find a variety of lodging options, from bed and breakfasts and inns, to cabins and other unique lodging experiences.

Continue reading: https://pawilds.com/find-your-overnight-home-in-the-pa-wilds/

Everyone loves the soaring heights, tremendous views, and incredible history of the Kinzua Skywalk at Kinzua Bridge State Park in the Pennsylvania Wilds! Recently, the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced that the Kinzua Skywalk will be undergoing a multi-year rehabilitation and renovation project, starting after the 2024 fall foliage season.

Continue reading: https://pawilds.com/temp-closure-renovation-kinzua-skywalk/

If you’re into cryptozoology, the study of unknown mystery creatures, the Pennsylvania Wilds is a good place to visit. The forests are packed with Bigfoot sightings, and there are water monsters, too, such as the Susquehanna Seal said to inhabit the West Branch Susquehanna. And if you happen to be looking for this sort of thing, make sure you also look up. There have been sightings of Thunderbirds, too.

Continue reading: https://pawilds.com/legend-of-the-thunderbird/ 

There are plenty of reasons to visit the Pennsylvania Wilds. There’s the hiking, camping, and exploring. There are all the historic sites. And if you’re in the mood, there are quests for buried treasure, just waiting to be found. Over the years, people have lost and stashed a shocking amount of money, gold, and silver in Pennsylvania.

Continue reading: https://pawilds.com/x-marks-the-spot-treasure-in-the-pa-wilds/ 

At first, you can’t believe your eyes, but as they say, seeing is believing. Nevertheless, it is so surreal to see a bridge under water. Situated on the far southwestern fringes of the Allegheny National Forest and Surrounds, this is something you don’t come across every day in these Pennsylvania Wilds — or anywhere else for that matter. In all its aging glory, the Nebraska Bridge spanning Forest County’s Tionesta Creek is under water for several weeks of the year.

Continue reading: https://pawilds.com/nebraska-bridge/

A wise person once noted, “Mother Nature is beautiful, Mother Nature is powerful, and Mother Nature is cruel.” Nowhere is this truer than in the Kinzua Creek Valley where, in fewer than 30 seconds, the “powerful and cruel” became real on July 21, 2003 and something “beautiful” that stood for 121 years, was gone. It has been 20 years since the Kinzua Viaduct/Bridge was blown out by a tornado.

Continue reading: https://pawilds.com/the-kinzua-bridge-tornado-20-years-later/ 

For the fifth year in a row, From My Shelf Books & Gifts at 7 East Avenue in Wellsboro, the local bookstore owned by author Kevin Coolidge, is hosting the “Where Are the Totally Ninja Raccoons?” hunt throughout the community. The raccoons will be hiding in 25 area businesses during the month of August.

Continue reading: https://pawilds.com/totally-ninja-raccoons-hunt-wellsboro-2024/

Fifteen years ago, I was asked to do a research job that involved lost deposits of silver in Clinton County. I looked into it and discovered that it was plausible, though I didn’t personally find any silver (you’ll notice I still have to work for a living). Recent discoveries have reopened that research job for me, and I’ve spent part of the summer again looking into the possibility of undiscovered silver within the Pennsylvania Wilds.

Continue reading: https://pawilds.com/silver-pennsylvania-wilds/

Area 51, Flat Earthers, the Moon landing — I enjoy a good conspiracy theory. That’s why I decided to investigate Conspiracy Coffee Co. in downtown Mansfield, Tioga County, in the Pine Creek Valley and PA Grand Canyon landscape of the PA Wilds. People have been whispering about it, and I had to see for myself.

Continue reading: https://pawilds.com/bigfoot-challenge-conspiracy-cafe/