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Hiking Awards
Did you know you can earn an award just by hiking? 

A Brief History of the Keystone Trails Association Annual Hiking Awards  

In 1961, the Keystone Trails Association (KTA) instituted an annual Hiking Awards Program to recognize those hikers whose enjoyment of Pennsylvania’s trails might serve as an example and inspiration to their peers. Over the years, hundreds of individuals have demonstrated their dedication to hiking and, in no small part, to preservation of trails by applying for and receiving the various KTA awards.  
In 2003, three additional awards joined the traditional Appalachian Trail, Merit, Merit II and Western Pennsylvania Awards. Hikers may now apply for the Pennsylvania Award, the Young Hiker Award, and the State Forest Trails Award (cosponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources).    
Rules for each award, eligible trails, and the application procedure are outlined in this brochure.   

AWARD DETAILS AND REQUIREMENTS
  1. Appalachian Trail Award - Applicant must have hiked the entire Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania.
  2. Merit Award - Applicant must have hiked the entire Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania plus 200 or more miles on any of the trails listed below.
  3. Merit II Award - Applicant must have hiked all of the Appalachian Trail between the Hudson River and the Potomac River plus 200 or more miles on trails listed below in addition to those used for the Merit Award.
  4. Pennsylvania Award - Applicant must have hiked 500 miles in Pennsylvania. Trails can be found in Pennsylvania Hiking Trails, KTA's hiking guide. Portions of any trail may be used.
  5. State Forest Trails Award - Applicant must have hiked all 798 miles of trails in the Pennsylvania State Forest system. State Forest trails may be used to fulfill the requirements of another award. Applicant must complete a short form on DCNR's website in addition to sending in the KTA Award Application.
  6. Western Pennsylvania Award - Applicant must have hiked 200 miles or more on any of the western trails listed below.
  7. Young Hiker Award (12 and under) - Applicant must have hiked 25 miles on any trail in Pennsylvania. Applicant may receive this award on multiple occasions, but must complete the 25-mile requirement on different trails for each award.

ELIGIBLE TRAILS

​Trails in italics are at least in part State Forest Trails and are therefore eligible for use in completion of the DCNR State Forest Trails Award. A list of trails and required mileage for each are listed on this Bureau of Forestry page. 
WESTERN TRAILS
Allegheny Front
Baker  
Bucktail Path  
Chuck Keiper  
Donut Hole

Elk
Hickory Creek  
John P. Saylor
Laurel Highlands
Lost Turkey  
Mid State
Mill Creek
North Country
Oil Creek State Park
Quehanna
Raccoon Loop
Rachel Carson
Rimrock-Morrison
Shenango
Susquehannock
Twin Lakes
​Warrior 
EASTERN TRAILS
Big Pocono State Park
Black Forest
Blooming Grove  
Brandywine
Conestoga  
Darlington
Golden Eagle  
Horse Shoe
Joseph Gmitter
Lehigh River  
Loyalsock  
Mason-Dixon
Mid-State
Old Loggers Path
Pinchot

Ricketts Glen State Park  
Rocky Knob
Standing Stone
Susquehannock
Thunder Swamp

Tobyhanna Lake
Tuscarora
​West Rim  
GUIDELINES 

Applications received by September 1 will be eligible for receiving Awards at the Annual KTA Fall Hiking  Weekend. Awards not claimed at the Annual Meeting will be mailed to the recipient. Applications received after September 1 will be considered for the subsequent year.
The following rules must be observed:  
 A log showing starting and stopping points on trails and dates hiked must be included with the application.
 No trail may be used for more than one award, as specified in the award requirements, except for the Appalachian Trail and State Forest Trails Awards.
 Except for the Pennsylvania and Young Hiker Awards, any trail used for an award must be hiked in its entirety; partially hiked trails will not be accepted.
 In support of the application, please obtain the signature of an officer of KTA or some other outdoor organization.
 A separate application must be submitted for each award.
 Applications must be received by the first of September of the year in which the award is to be made.  

​Completed applications should be mailed to:
Keystone Trails Association
46 E. Main St.
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

​Direct questions to Casey Schneck at ktaadmin@kta-hike.org.

KTA Service Awards

The KTA Citation Award for Lifetime Achievement is presented to a person who has, over a period of years (not necessarily their entire lifetime), 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. 

The Thyra Sperry Volunteer of the Year Award goes 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 (d. 2017) and her devoted service to KTA.

Certificates of Achievement can also be 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.  The nomination should be based on recent service, especially in the past year, that serves the hiking public as a whole rather than primarily the members of the member club.
Past Award Recipients
KTA Citation Award
2020 John Eastlake
2019 Peter Fleszar
2018 Wanda Shirk
2017 Ed Lawrence
2016 Tom Scully
2015 Joyce Appel
2014 Ralph Seeley
2013 John Stein  
2012 Wayne E. Gross  
2011 Carl Lorence
2010 Richard L. Carlson
2009 Lorraine Healey 
2008 Alfred W. Wiemann
2007 Louis Schultz Jr.
2006 Joseph E. Healey 
2005 I.B. Sinclair       
2004 Edward J. Beck   
2003 Mike Sausser
2002 Barbara Wiemann
2001 Kenneth A. Scott  
2000 Roger Lehman 
1999 Jean Aron   
1998 Hugh S. Downing
1997 Richard J. Tobias 
1996 Carol Witzeman       
1995 Bob Webber 
1994 M.Virginia Musser 
1993 Craig C. Dunn   
1992 Paul C. Weikel 
1991 Jack E. Hickman
1990 Merritt Zimmerman      
1989 Thurston Griggs 
1988 Thomas Thwaites       
1987 Richard R. Thorpe 
1986 David Raphael
1985 Malcolm L. White  
1984 Wilma S. Flaig  
1983 Henry J. Finerfrock     
1982 Doris B. Finerfrock     
1981 Paul R. Lehman 
1980 Mildred Forrester      
1979 Ruth Blackburn      
1978 Fred Blackburn      
1977 Raymond H. Fadner 
1976 Col. Lester L. Holmes 
1975 Paul Wagner 
1975 Sharon Wagner 
1974 Ruth A. Bolla  
1973 Maurice J. Forrester
1972 Nancy J. Heller 
1971 Martin  Brillhart      
1970 Albert  McDonald       
1969 Madeline Fleming
1968 Elmer T. Bolla  
1967 Mel Brinton
1967 Earl V. Shaffer
1966 George Spring 
1966 Jean Stephenson     
1965 Richard C. Kimmel 
1964 Paul Good   
1963 Maurice K. Goddard​
Volunteer of the Year
2020 Robert Merrill
2019 Dennis Hurley
2018 Jenn Ulmer
2017 Mary Ladish
2016 Tom Bastian
2015 Tony Robbins
2014 Deb Dunkle
Certificate of Achievement
2019 Doug Kutz of Lancaster Hiking Club
2018 BATONA Hiking Club’s Appalachian Trail Committee
2016 Tim Bachmann and George Garbarino of SATC (rock step project)
  • Home
    • About
    • Work For KTA
    • Our People
    • Our Story
    • Press
    • Multimedia
  • Events
    • KTA Trail Challenge
    • WalesCoastPath
    • Rambles
  • Membership
  • Donate
    • 22x22
    • Keep Trails Alive
    • The Heritage Society
    • Keystone Trails Endowment
    • 100-Mile Trail Challenge
    • KTA Trail Patrons
  • Protect
    • Current Issues >
      • Low Fly Zone
    • Take Action
    • Activist Backpack >
      • Write a Letter to the Editor
      • Write to Your Elected Officials
      • Phone Your Elected Officials
      • Meet Your Elected Officials
      • Gather Trail Data
    • Kids Trail Ambassador Program
    • Opinion Survey
  • Trails
    • Hiking Clubs
    • Major Trails and Find a Club
    • Trail Care and Trail Crew
    • Volunteer Hours
    • Trail Alerts
    • Hiking Awards
  • News
    • Newsletter Archive
    • Advertising
  • Store
  • Contact