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Enjoy Pennsylvania's Great Outdoors
PA is home to more than 54,000 miles of rivers and streams, 116 state parks, 20 state forests, and the Allegheny National Forest. More than 100 greenways and rail trails are available for non-motorized recreation, including some of the longest bicycle rail trails in the country. Pennsylvania recreational corridors total more than 2000 miles.
Because of these protected natural resources, the state is well known for hiking, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, hunting, fishing, whitewater sports, and bicycling. These special places can be found throughout the state, always a short distance away from the cities and towns of every region.
And sometimes, getting there is half the fun. There are 19 scenic drives, including the Route 6 scenic drive and State Heritage Corridor that spans 400 miles along the state’s northern regions.
Outdoor enthusiasts will find plenty of places to roam. You’re never too far from the countryside in Pennsylvania.
Outdoor & Recreation Blog
Find your Perfect Pace on Pennsylvania's Trail of the Year
10/01/2023 - 10:34amWhether your summer was a barrage of frenetic activity or a true vacation full of breezy beachside views, the beginning of fall can bring out a desire to slow down in all of us. What better way to take in the changing seasons than strolling down Pennsylvania’s “Trail of the Year”, an eigh...
Read MoreMaple Sugar Weekends in Pennsylvania
09/21/2023 - 11:23amFor some, maple is associated with the brilliant fall colors of New England or Canada, while for others it’s associated with the comfort of more close-to-home weekend breakfasts—but for those who hail from Pennsylvania’s maple regions, the first tapping of the maple trees is the quintessence of spring. Welcome spring and all the delicate sweetne...
Read MorePennsylvania's Best Trout Fishing Waters
09/21/2023 - 10:19amState College is in the heartland of Pennsylvania's impressive system of waterways and tributaries, nestled between the massive main course of the Susquehanna River and its West Branch, and it offers some of the most challenging angling in the United States. Best known for its population of wild trout and miles that don't require any stocking by...
Read MoreFly Fishing in Penn’s Creek, State College
09/21/2023 - 10:02amPenn’s Creek is one of those rare places that really does have it all. From its wild and scenic setting and spectacular views to the eighty miles of spring-fed water that runs through Centre, Mifflin, and Union counties, Penn’s Creek remains Pennsylvania’s crown jewel of limestone streams (and holds the title as the longest and largest...
Read MoreBest Hikes in Pennsylvania
09/21/2023 - 9:23amWhat better place than Pennsylvania for a fall getaway? With endless rolling hills, valleys, and mountain ridges covered in dense forests (not to mention dozens of bed and breakfasts in every region), Pennsylvania is prime leaf peeping material and the perfect autumn destination. Our many state park vistas and viewpoints are guaranteed...
Read MorePine Creek is Gorge-ous!
08/25/2023 - 11:13amOur namesake may be all about our famous forests (and we take pride in being their caretakers) but Pennsylvania has a diverse landscape that is full of some of the planet’s most beautiful natural landmarks. Other than the endless expanse of woods teeming with wildlife, it’s the deep gorges and the streaming waterfalls of the Pennsylvan...
Read MoreMeyersdale: The Sweetest Place to Visit This Spring
08/23/2023 - 1:44pmIn Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands, Meyersdale’s Maple Festival is about as universal a sign of the season as the mythical, spring-heralding groundhog. This year, you can see why our nation’s most unique sweet in all its forms—from maple candy, to maple baked goods, to maple syrup—is worth savoring, as well as all the sights and attractions of t...
Read MoreNew Year’s Eve Drops Across Pennsylvania
08/23/2023 - 1:37pmIf for most Americans watching the crystal ball drop in Times Square is the standard way to ring in the New Year, for Pennsylvanians their unique New Year’s “drops” have a mythos (and gravity-compelled object) unique to each community. While certain cities across the United States mark the beginning of the New Year by raising or dropping an obje...
Read MorePaddling Pennsylvania's Rivers
08/23/2023 - 1:32pmPart of Pennsylvania's signature landscape is its waterways; from the astounding mile-wide expanse of the Susquehanna River at Harrisburg to the world-famous confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers at Pittsburgh that form the Ohio River, some of the most impressive freshwater formations on the continent are in Pennsylvania. Explore th...
Read MoreThe Core of the Apple: Biglerville and Adams County
08/23/2023 - 1:22pmBelieve it or not, the history of apples is closely intertwined with that of mankind’s. Thousands of years ago, the goddess of chaos, Eris, started the famous Trojan War by tossing an apple into a private wedding. While never actually specified, the forbidden fruit in the biblical Garden of Eden was never specified until John Milton’s revolution...
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