Events

We're coordinating with Keystone Trails Association again this year to offer Trail Care days during the week. On Wednesdays from May through September, you can join us at one of our preserves and past land projects  to help spruce up their trails, and work on a couple brand new trails. There will be something for any level of experience, from sprucing up existing trails on their lovely properties, to helping build two brand new, accessible trails. So, these events are ideal for anyone from beginners with zero experience, to veterans of trail work. Type of work may involve trimming back vegetation with loppers, pruners and handsaws, pulling invasive species, as well as raking, digging, and grading new treadway. Food/Drink: Generally, bring your own lunch/snacks and water. We're looking to secure some goodies to hand out. What else to bring: For these partial day outings, we recommend a small pack with your aforementioned snacks and fluids, insect repellent and sunscreen, needed medications, and a rain jacket if desired. Long pants, sneakers or boots- comfortable clothes to work in and potentially get dirty. KTA will bring a first aid kit, as well as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as gloves and safety glasses, as well as any tools needed. Please feel free to bring your own favorite gloves and tools. For more general information about the Trail Care Program and suggested packing lists, see KTA Trail Care FAQ page here. Please contact Jenn Ulmer, KTA Manager of Trail Maintenance and Training, at ulmer@kta-hike.org or 570-854-8316 with any questions.   → Learn more and register here ←

Under the glow of the August full moon, join us for a peaceful evening walk through the Letort Spring Garden Preserve. As moonlight shimmers on the spring-fed waters amidst the songs of singing insects, you’ll experience the preserve in a whole new way. This 1.5 mile walk through the preserve’s flat, grass trails offers a chance to unwind, notice the subtle beauty of the preserve after dark, and enjoy the magic of a summer night beneath a bright full moon.Registration is not required, but strongly encouraged.

Join us for an enchanting evening beneath the open sky at Kings Gap State Park. Inspired by the elegant fête en blanc tradition, guests dress head-to-toe in white for a refined al fresco dinner, live music, and a silent auction – all in support of preserving the lands, waters, and scenic beauty of south-central Pennsylvania. >> Learn more and purchase tickets here <<

We're coordinating with Keystone Trails Association again this year to offer Trail Care days during the week. On Wednesdays from May through September, you can join us at one of our preserves and past land projects  to help spruce up their trails, and work on a couple brand new trails. There will be something for any level of experience, from sprucing up existing trails on their lovely properties, to helping build two brand new, accessible trails. So, these events are ideal for anyone from beginners with zero experience, to veterans of trail work. Type of work may involve trimming back vegetation with loppers, pruners and handsaws, pulling invasive species, as well as raking, digging, and grading new treadway. Food/Drink: Generally, bring your own lunch/snacks and water. We're looking to secure some goodies to hand out. What else to bring: For these partial day outings, we recommend a small pack with your aforementioned snacks and fluids, insect repellent and sunscreen, needed medications, and a rain jacket if desired. Long pants, sneakers or boots- comfortable clothes to work in and potentially get dirty. KTA will bring a first aid kit, as well as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as gloves and safety glasses, as well as any tools needed. Please feel free to bring your own favorite gloves and tools. For more general information about the Trail Care Program and suggested packing lists, see KTA Trail Care FAQ page here. Please contact Jenn Ulmer, KTA Manager of Trail Maintenance and Training, at ulmer@kta-hike.org or 570-854-8316 with any questions.   → Learn more and register here ←

Join us at the Letort Spring Garden Preserve to enjoy a guided educational stream health walk led by Natalie Marioni, Extension Educator at Penn State Extension. We'll take a walk along the stream to discuss what we see that makes for a healthy stream (or makes it less than ideal), and chat about the wildlife and plants you might see around a healthy stream.     About Our Guide:  Natalie is a Penn State Extension natural resources educator with a strong focus on water resources and based out of the Cumberland Co. Office. The first half of my career was spent as a wildlife biologist, and she spent the last 15 years in environmental education and was recently certified as a Local Phenology Leader through the USA National Phenology Network. Her focus now is on helping people understand our impacts on streams and watershed health, how our changing climate affects the natural work around us and our experience with it, and helping people identify ways they can engage in these issues through community science.

Birders and hikers are invited to join the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy for an afternoon at Waggoner’s Gap Hawk Watch, and a short 1.5-mile out-and-back hike along the Tuscarora Trail. There will be numerous opportunities to sight migrating birds of prey from the rocky trails and outcroppings of Blue Mountain, so binoculars and hiking poles are recommended to make the most of the outing. Along the way, participants will learn about the Conservancy’s role in preserving Waggoner’s Gap and how it’s partnership with the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club enabled consistent maintenance and enhancement of the Tuscarora Trail for future generations.     About Cameron Weiser: Cameron Weiser is the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy’s Land Protection Director, and works with the organization’s Land Protection Committee to develop new project, set project priorities, and secure project funding. Over the last four years in his role, Cameron has worked with public and private partners to organize and navigate complex real estate transactions and establish new protected lands for conservation and recreation across central PA.

Join Peggy Fogarty on November 7th to enjoy fall on Peters Mountain! This moderately difficult 8-mile rocky trail walks along Peters Mountain ridge and along the Appalachian trail.  Attendees will enjoy scenic views of the Halifax area, beautiful forests, and historic landmarks. We recommend wearing orange, supportive hiking boots, and layers.  Be sure to bring snacks and water and trekking poles as well. Registration is not required, but highly encouraged.   About our Guide:  Peggy Fogarty brings over two decades of leadership in nonprofit management, program development, and mission-driven strategy across Pennsylvania’s environmental and agricultural sectors. A passionate advocate for conservation, Peggy’s commitment to land stewardship is deeply rooted in her personal history. Her grandparents sold a large tract of land in the 1960s that became part of what is now the Appalachian Trail in Dauphin County. Their cabin beside the trail instilled in her a lifelong love for mountain views, birds, trees, wildflowers, and waterways that define our region.  You can read her full bio here.