February 2025

"In tune with the romantic spirit of February, KTA wants to stoke your passion for trails. Get starry-eyed about the upcoming programs. Set your heart fluttering by signing up for the Spring Hiking Weekend nestled in trail-loving Huntingdon County. The sweet mix of activities is better-and better for you- than a box of chocolates! In the meantime, enjoy the exhilarating days of winter while they last." - Brook Lenker, Executive Director

KTA Trail Care Updates

2025 Trail Care Season: By the end of February, we hope to have all the lodging/camping nailed down for the 20 scheduled events, and most of the event pages ready for you to sign up! View our trail maintenance schedule here.

KTA's Appalachian Trail Section: Thanks to everyone who responded after January's newsletter- all the open sections of trail have been snapped up by new maintainers, and the blaze-painting opportunities have been filled as well. If you'd like to join the waiting list for when volunteer opportunities open up, email Jim: ktalehighgapat@gmail.com

Trail Club Hours: Traditionally, KTA has collected volunteer statistics from our trail clubs. Most clubs request this information from their members and volunteers when they work on the trail: how many miles of trail, number of volunteers on the work trip, and round trip driving miles to the trailhead. We encourage you to collect this data if not already, and you can submit your 2024 data here. Thank you to those we've heard from so far (CCTC, ACW, STC, MSTA, AMC-DV, BMECC, WTA, WTC).

Keystone Trails Association Service Awards

2025 is the year to achieve a Keystone Trails Association Service Award!  

🏆 KTA CLUB OF THE YEAR 
Honors a club for excelling in one or more of the following areas during the previous 12-18 months: hiking promotion, trail work, inclusion and philanthropy. 

🏆 KTA CITATION AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT 
Applicant made significant contributions to the preservation of hiking trails and promoting hiking in Pennsylvania. Service may be in the form of volunteer efforts, publications, field work, or any other pursuit that has furthered the mission of the KTA.

🏆 THYRA SPERRY VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD 
Awarded to a KTA member whose recent service to KTA's mission, especially in the preceding year, is most worthy of recognition. It is named in honor of former KTA president Thyra Sperry and her devoted service to KTA.

🏆 CERTIFICATES OF ACHIEVEMENT
Awarded based on nominations from KTA member organizations for extraordinary work on projects that benefit hikers and/or trails in Pennsylvania. This award option allows clubs to nominate a volunteer who may not be an individual KTA member.  

And ANNOUNCING...

🏆 LEAVE NO TRACE AWARD
The Leave No Trace Award will recognize a KTA member or volunteer who has superbly integrated Leave No Trace into their trail and hiking activities and excelled at teaching others about the outdoor ethics of Leave No Trace

To learn more, visit https://www.kta-hike.org/hiking-awards.html

KTA Spring Hiking Weekend 2025

Registration is now open for Spring Hiking Weekend! Join us April 25-27, 2025 at Lake Raystown Resort and #takethetrail! The weekend will showcase regional hikes, environmental stewardship activities, an outdoor-themed book discussion, biking, kayaking, guest speakers, dog-friendly activities, and more. Registration for event activities is required in advanced. 

KTA has secured discounted rooms at Lake Raystown Resort through March 10. Book the room of your choice by contacting the lodge directly at: (814) 658-3500 extension 0. When you call, be sure to say you are booking through Keystone Trails Association block rate; this will ensure you get a discount. You can explore lodging options here. Please note, our discounted rates expired after March 10; bookings made after that date will be at a higher price. Lodging is starting to fill up! Please remember to call the resort to make your arrangements. 

Ride the train to Huntington! If coming from points east of Huntington, KTA will pick up Amtrak passengers from the Huntingdon station at 4:20 pm on Friday and shuttle them back to the train station at 10:45 am on Sunday.

Apply for a KTA Mini-Grant

KTA International Fundraiser: WALES 

Experience Welsh culture with KTA on a hiking adventure through the rugged mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia) and the eclectic island of Anglesey. This trip is limited to 12 participants who will be preliminarily selected by a lottery. The trip is double occupancy only. For a chance to register, submit your name for the initial drawing, please complete the interest form linked here. 

KTA Great Outdoors Reading Challenge

KTA is excited to announce our Great Outdoors Reading Challenge with the release of the first half of ten books we encourage you to read this year. These books primarily are about Pennsylvania or written by PA authors. They include adventure, reflection, history, overlooked perspectives, and lessons learned while outdoors. Saturday, April 26 we will discuss To My Daughter: Stuff I Learned While Playing Outside, at Spring Hiking Weekend with KTA author Stu Thompson. We'll also call on all of you to help us brainstorm the remaining five books to add to this year's challenge. All books can be purchased online at KTA's store.  

The first five books of the KTA Great Outdoors Reading Challenge: 

• To My Daughter, Stuff I Learned While Playing Outside by Stuart Thompson
• We Were There, Too by Gwen Loose
• Under the Sea Wind by Rachel Carson
• The Best of Edward Abbey by Edward Abbey
• Smoke to See By by Ben Moyer 

The careful tending of the woods, waters, and landscapes we each love have been stewarded by many generations before us. Nature observations carefully recorded in written and spoken word by naturalists, freedom seekers in the 1800s, indigenous peoples, and outdoor social clubs in the early 1900s laid the framework for us to realize our impact on ecosystems over centuries. We, humans, have always been connected to, and a part of, nature. The KTA Reading Challenge reminds us of these connections. 

Making an Impact by Leaving No Trace

Growing up, many of us were given guidance on being exemplary house guests—cleaning up after ourselves, being polite, obeying the house rules, etc. We hope to leave a good impression and be invited back. Leave No Trace encourages us to see ourselves as guests of Nature. We enter the outdoors, mindful of how our actions impact the local landscape, wildlife, and people. We leave the space as good, if not better, than we found it.

In 2024, Keystone Trails Association became a partner of the international organization Leave No Trace. We’re committed to being intentional about how our organization’s activities impact the natural landscape. We aim to follow the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace at every KTA event. We also aspire to teach others what these Principles mean in practice, how they benefit the local ecosystem, and how they enhance our time outdoors.

• Plan and prepare
• Travel and camp on durable surfaces
• Dispose of waste properly
• Leave what you find
• Minimize campfire impacts
• Respect wildlife
• Be considerate of others   

You may notice a few ways we’re integrating Leave No Trace into our activities in the year ahead. As we Plan and Prepare for events, we’re asking site hosts to refrain from using plastic so we can avoid adding microplastics to our soils and waters. On historical hikes, we’ll embrace Leave What You Find by refraining from taking artifacts as souvenirs; this way, they remain in place to tell their stories of the past to future hikers.  

On August 1-3, 2025, Keystone Trails Association will offer a 16-hour Level One Training in Leave No Trace (formerly Train the Trainer) in the Allegheny National Forest. This training equips participants with a nuanced understanding of the Seven Principles and certifies them to lead specific training on behalf of Leave No Trace. While the Seven Principles may seem self-explanatory, this training delves into details. For example, the amount of snowpack can make a nondurable surface durable; disposal of human waste varies based on the terrain; guidance on respecting wildlife may shift during a calendar year to account for animals’ breeding habits. Anyone wanting to deepen their understanding of Leave No Trace is encouraged to attend; it’s a fun, hands-on training where the outdoor classroom space is the primary classroom space.

As you attend our events this year, please look for individuals who embrace Leave No Trace personally or teach others these ethics. When these folks catch your eye, thank them, and then please nominate them for our Leave No Trace Award. Like our awards recognizing those who log long miles on PA trails, we want to celebrate individuals who steward outdoor spaces for future generations through their exemplary commitment to Leave No Trace.

As we embark on a year outdoors, we look forward to embracing Leave No Trace with you.

Like Socializing, Working with Youth, or Organizing Things?

If you said "yes" to any of the above, you might be the ideal volunteer! This year, we have lots of exciting opportunities to engage more people in getting outdoors, but we need some KTA ambassadors to help us do so. If interested, please reach out to Kate Prisby, Manager of Events & Programs, at prisby@kta-hike.org. Volunteer opportunities include:

• Festival ambassadors to work at a KTA table at public functions
• Working with high schools that are building hiking activities into new environmental literacy standards
• Inventorying storage and packing First Aid kits for this year's activities

Meet A PA HIKER

 "PA Hiking Trail Trailers"

We're excited to share these new short 1-minute trailers for hiking trails in PA! This month we're highlighting the first trailer of 2025 Black Forest Trail!

KTA WEBINAR SERIES: Hiking with Your Dog 
February 18, 2025 | 6:00 PM
Safely Hiking with your Dog co-hosted by HSUS State Director, Kristen Tullo and Dr. Resnick, Veterinarian. Tuesday, February 18th at 6pm. Registration is free but required.
Register here! 

Spring Migration Hike at Middle Creek 
February 27, 2025 | 6:00 PM  | Middle Creek, PA
Middle Creek is a Globally Important Bird Area managed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. It provides an annual resting spot for migrating tundra swans and snow geese late February and early March. During this time, bird counts can reach over 100,000. Annual counts depend on the freeze, thaw cycle of the lake and nearby fields that provide food. Join us on Thursday, February 27th from 4pm-6pm for a 3.3 mile hike using the landscape to tell the story of these migrating birds. Note that KTA is keeping apprised of the restrictions at Middle Creek pertaining to bird flu mitigation. 
Register here! 

Land Restoration Workshop: Live Staking with Horn Farm Center
March 2, 2025 | 10 am - 12 pm | York, Pa
"Live stakes" are stem cuttings from trees and shrubs. When planted or "staked" into the ground, these cuttings are capable of growing into new plants. This form of propagation is an evolved trait for many woody plants in streamside and wetland areas, since unstable conditions are an ecological norm in these habitats. For folks who are tending, protecting, and restoring natural landscapes--whether at home or on the trail--live stakes offer a promising and accessible alternative for bolstering native vegetation and reversing degradation. As plants establish roots and grow, they mitigate soil erosion, keep pollutants from entering waterways, and provide a myriad of other benefits. In this hands-on program, you will explore a live stake "nursery" at the Horn Farm Center while learning about the science of live stakes, which plants and habitats are best suited for this restoration technique, and how to harvest, store, and plant stem cuttings.
Learn more and register here!

"Redd Up Tom's Run," an International Women's Day Trail Care Event
March 8, 2025  | Pittsburgh, PA
Join Keystone Trails Association, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy,
@torytalkstrails & @hikesandhopsblog, Pittsburgh-based outdoor content creators to celebrate International Women's Day. Volunteers will gather in Pittsburgh for morning programming and education followed by spring cleaning after a winter season at WPC's Tom's Run Nature Preserve. After party celebration at Grist Brewing in Pittsburgh!
Register here! 

Backpacking 101 
March 29, 2025 | Harrisburg, PA
Join Keystone Trails Association & Dauphin County Parks and Recreation with a one-day seminar on backpacking basics. This training is geared towards avid day hikers who are interested in learning about backpacking from a group of experienced backpackers. Topics will include differences between day hiking and backpacking, clothing, footwear, gear (packs, sleeping bags, stoves, lights, stuff sacks, poles, tents), food preparation, campsite selection, potential dangers (ticks, waterborne diseases, bears, snakes), Leave No Trace and unique considerations for women with available resources (online and print). A light continental breakfast will be provided. Participants are encouraged to bring their own lunch to consume during the designated lunch break. Dress for indoor and outdoor activities.
Register Here!

Trail Maintenance Training Institute
April 4-6, 2025 | Biglersville, PA
This is open to new and seasoned trail maintenance folks. We'll have chainsaw safety training, and sessions on water diversion and general topics. Registration includes food and lodging at Camp Nawakwa near Biglersville in Adams County.
More information and registration available here. 

Spring Hiking Weekend 
April 25-27, 2025 | Raystown Lake 
Join us for a weekend spent outdoors on trail, on the water, giving back to nature, biking, and more.  We have activities for animal lovers, families, and those with limited mobility. Select your activities for the weekend today and explore lodging options at Lake Raystown Resort!  
The last day to register is April 10th. Learn more and register here.

Mid State Trail - Everett Region Slackpack
May 2-4, 2025 | Everett, Pa  
Join us for some challenging hiking while basking in the beauty of PA in the springtime. Tiptoe, not among the tulips, but the sharp ankle-turning boulders and briars in Tiltrock Country atop the knife edge of Tussey Mountain, and take in the sweeping vistas. Saturday will be the most arduous; Friday's and Sunday's hikes are quite pleasant. You'll just need a daypack as we provide shuttling, meals, and planning, as well as three days of guided hikes. Registration does not include lodging, but we've arranged for a room block of special rates at our home base, the gorgeous Union Hotel in Everett.
More details and registration available here. 

Underground Railroad Hike
June 22, 2025 | Lancaster, Pa
Hike into the history of the Underground Railroad and the anti-slavery movement in Southern Lancaster County through the Lancaster Conservancy's Fishing Creek Nature Preserve. Close to the Mason Dixon Line, we will trace a path of emancipation for Freedom Seekers who crossed the Susquehanna on what would later be known as the Pilgrim's Pathway to Christiana.
Learn more and register here.

Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail Slackpack II - Northern Section
June 26-29, 2025 | SAVE THE DATE
Registration coming soon. 

Leave No Trace Level One Training
August 1-3, 2025 | Allegheny National Forest 
This training is geared toward hiking enthusiasts, trail maintainers, outdoor educators, and those working to preserve public and private lands for recreational use. The training will take place on trails in and around the Allegheny National Forest in western Pennsylvania. You'll receive a grounding in how to practice Leave No Trace as an individual and the skills to teach Leave No Trace to a broader audience. 
Learn more and register here.

Wales: Mountains & Coast Hiking Adventure |
KTA International Trip Fundraiser
August 3-14, 2025 | Save the date!
Experience Welsh culture with KTA on a hiking adventure through the rugged mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia) and the eclectic island of Anglesey. Spend three days exploring Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park in North Wales. Hike to the top of Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales. Not feeling up for the hike? Take the Snowdon Mountain Railway to the top! The second half of the trip will be spent exploring the Anglesey Coastal Path. The path traverses a landscape that includes farmland, coastal heath, dunes, saltmarsh, cliffs, and woodland. The trip includes roundtrip airfare from Dulles (IAD), ten night's lodging, all ground transportation, guided daily hikes, breakfast each morning, and lunches on hiking days. Optional transport to and from Dulles is provided at an additional cost. Luggage transport is included so that participants will never need to carry more than a daypack while hiking. Accommodations are in modern hotels/inns.
Learn more and enter the lottery here! 
Price: $4,495 (double occupancy)

Keystone Hiking & Outdoor Weekend 2025
October 17-19, 2025 | The PA Wilds
Save the date & join us for three days of outdoor activities and camaraderie in the PA Wilds.

Wilderness First Aid Training
November 1-2, 2025 | Mill Run, Pa
Save the date; registration should go live mid-February!  Come learn these important outdoor life-saving skills in a beautiful autumn landscape.  

KTA Trail Club Symposium 
November 8, 2025 | South Mountain Conservation Landscape 
Trail clubs and maintainers save the date!

• The Pennsylvania Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan is now available online where you can also register for five informational webinars set to take place between 2/3 and 3/3 - one each on the five priority areas set forth in the draft plan. View the 2025-2029 SCORP here and offer comments!
• The United States Postal Service has announced the Appalachian Trail Stamps! The Appalachian Trail Stamps Arrive Feb. 28, 2025. Join the USPS in celebrating a century of the A.T. with 15 stamps. Learn more at USPS. 
• Port Clinton Appalachian Trail improvements made by the collaboration of the Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club and railroad. Read the entire feature by WVIA here. 
• Canada will no longer let Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers cross its border. Northbound thru-hikers will have to backtrack to Harts Pass after Canada stops issuing permits allowing hikers to enter at the northern terminus. Read the BackPacker full article here.
• Appalachian Trail Conservancy 2024 Hiker Survey Results: What Hikers Wished They Knew Before Their Journey. Read the ATC survey results here.
• KTA Board Member Ezra Thrush will serve on the Attorney General's Energy & Environment Committee. Ezra is recognized as one of Harrisburg's leading energy and environmental lobbyists, with a proven track record of working in a bipartisan manner and securing bipartisan legislative victories for our environment. Congratulations Ezra!
• On Saturday, January 4, President Joe Biden signed the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act into law. The new legislation rolls a dozen or so existing outdoor recreation-relation initiatives into one policy, which includes approval of building long-distance bike trails, the protection of rock climbing anchors in wilderness areas, and a more efficient permit process for guiding companies. Read the entire article by Outside Magazine's Miyo McGinn here.
• The Allegheny National Forest Chapter of the North Country Trail Association is excited to announce the annual Allegheny 100 Hiking Challenge (A-100) from June 6–8, 2025! Learn more about the A-100 with the North Country Trail Association here.
• DCNR has announced the 2025 Trough Creek and Warriors Path Trail Challenge. Over the course of this hiking series you have the chance to hike all of the trails these two beautiful parks have to offer. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

 Other PA Club & Org Events 

• 2/5: Exploring our Emancipation Landscape by Lancaster Conservancy. Lancaster Conservancy 
• 2/17-2/18: Rothrock Trail Alliance public stakeholder meetings. Rothrock Trail Alliance
• 2/23-2/27: Hike the Hill Washington DC is hosted by the American Hiking Society the the Partnership for the National Trails System. Hike the Hill is organized in an effort to bring together the trails community to advance shared trail priorities with congressional and federal agency leaders including: trails funding, public lands management and conservation, equitable access, and other top priority issues that sustain trails and improve access to public lands. Learn more at and register with the American Hiking Society 
• 2/14-17:  SkiDance is a volunteer-led  activity sponsored by Sierra Club Potomac Region Outings (SCPRO). After almost 40 years, the organizers have decided to make this  our last event, so if you’ve ever thought about joining us or haven’t been in a few years, make it a reunion and come help make it our best! Register here 
• 2/26: Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation Virtual Book Club. Learn more at PPFF
• 3/16: The AT Museum welcomes Kip Redick, author of American Camino: Walking as Spiritual Practice on the Appalachian Trail, on Sunday, March 16th at 1:30pm at Bosler Memorial Library in Carlisle. Kip is professor of philosophy and religion at Christopher Newport University.
• 3/21 & 3/22: 2025 AT Museum Spring Work Days. Learn more and sign up at Appalachian Trail Museum 
• 4/6: UltraTrek Challenge at Bear Creek Mountain in Macungie, PA, is a scenic trek through the trails and winding paths of the mountain. The event features 7, 14, 21, and 28-mile race options. UltraTrek
• 5/21: We are excited circulate the date of the 2025 Pennsylvania Envirothon. Hosted this year in Windber, PA. Learn more at Pennsylvania Envirothon