The 26-mile Lehigh Gorge Rail-Trail is a popular rail trail that winds along the Lehigh River between White Haven and Jim Thorpe, PA. A good portion of the trail brings you through the Lehigh Gorge State Park and is notable for its gorgeous mountain and river scenery as well as the numerous tumbling waterfalls. The […]
ecotourism
Cape Henlopen State Park
Cape Henlopen State Park offers lovely stretches of beaches, perfect for whiling away the afternoon or weekend! But if you’re like me, you start to get a bit restless after a bit, just sitting on the beach. That’s why Cape Henlopen State Park is such a great park to visit. There are bike trails, hiking […]
Daniels Old Main Line and Ruins Loop Trail
Patapsco Valley State Park is a park strung out like beads on a necklace, extending along 32 miles of the Patapsco River south and west of the city of Baltimore. The Maryland Forestry Act of 1906’s provisions formed the park, to protect newly completed (and now destroyed) Bloede Dam from silting from nearby farm erosion. […]
Snowy Hike to a Maryland Ghosttown
On Friday, a lovely, powdery snow fell, and I knew I wanted to go on one particular hike the next morning: to see the ruins of St Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church in the snow. To get there, we’d have to follow the Alberton Road Trail in Patapsco Valley State Park into the ghosttown of Daniels. […]
A Hike Through Snow and Ice to Chimney Rock
Nothing compares to the crisp, clean air of winter and the magnificent view of a snowy landscape — sometimes offering quite a nice surprise from the scenes you are more used to. We were looking for a strenuous hike, so we decided upon the Chimney Rock – Wolf Rock Loop, frequently called the best hike […]
Bilger’s Rocks Update
I’ve visited Bilger’s Rocks twice now. The first time was cold, icy and foggy, and in February. But I was fascinated by this rock formation. It was fun exploring from on top, looking down into the crevices. But this second visit was all about experiencing it from within the rock formation itself. When I visited the first time, […]
Exploring Laurel Highlands
With historic forts, outdoor activities such as hiking or white water rafting, historic homes by one of America’s foremost architects, art museums and the Flight 93 Memorial, there is much to do for kids and adults alike in the Laurel Highlands region of Pennsylvania. Whether you dart over there for a daytrip, plan a long […]
10 Great November Daytrip Destinations
November brings great weather for hiking and biking, and if you head south, there are still lovely autumn leaves and scenic drives to enjoy. November’s chill also reminds us the holidays are right around the corner. Start your holiday giving now by giving great experiences, the sort of ones that they’ll remember for years after. […]
Elk Life Day Trip
Elk Country says it all. Elk Country, straddling Clearfield and Elk counties, is home to the largest elk herd in the northeastern United States. And that’s where you go to catch a glimpse of these incredible beauties! Elk Country is by definition in the middle of nowhere. The best place to start this daytrip is […]
Biking on the David Ammerman Trail
As a first biking trip after a long winter of cold, snowy or rainy and dreary weather, hitting the David Ammerman Trail was a delight. Once known as the Clearfield and Grampian Trail, in 2011, the name was changed to the David S. Ammerman Trail, honoring the man who championed turning the abandoned rail corridor […]
Kayaking the West Susqehanna River
Once the weather gets warm, it’s time to start kayaking again! For the first trip of the season, we were introduced to an 11-mile segment of the West Branch Susquehanna River, which spanns some 243 miles, almost entirely within Pennsylvania. Almost half — 102 miles — are within just one county: Clearfield County, in central […]
Soaring at Eagle Rock
The Appalachian Trail, and offshoots from it, offer many opportunities for incredible views. Many of the shorter trails make great, there-and-back day hikes, such as the hike to Eagle Rock, in Frederick County, near Winchester, VA. Eagle Rock has some of the best vistas in the Great North Mountain range, and can be accessed via […]
Schuylkill River Paddle!
So ready for warmer weather and kayaking season again! On a warm Saturday last fall, we started our exploration of the Schuylkill River, near Landingville, PA, down to the basin created by the Auburn Dam. Because of a dam constructed to catch coal mine silt in the late 1940s — part of the effort to […]
Amazing Nature at Bilgers Rocks
I’m always game for interesting rock formations and outcroppings, so when I learned about Bilgers Rocks, I knew it had to be on my visit list. The World Is Looking to US, carved in 1921 just after WWI, the “War to End all Wars” Bilger’s Rocks is a massive, 300 million year old rock formation […]
Falling in Love with the C&O Canal All Over Again
I’ve frequently biked portions of the C&O Canal (although this year, not as much as I’d hoped) and of course, any good weather entices me to bring the mutts for a satisfying walk along some of my favorite sections. The towpath is a go-to destination, over and over. I’m constantly impressed by the beauty of […]