Hiking is for everyone. PA trails are for everyone.
​KTA is for everyone.
Hiking trails are like hallways leading us to classrooms under canopies of towering pines, riverside lectures from babbling brooks, and libraries filled with stories read to us by the chirping birds.

What is the biggest lesson we can learn in this woodland academy? 

We are invited to hear Earth’s greatest wisdom about creating and supporting a healthy, diverse, and inclusive community. 
Hiking trails can teach us how to unite and empower individuals, entire towns, the natural environment, and our state as a commonwealth. They should be a neutral space where cross-cultural conversation is strengthened.

Ecosystems thrive through harmonious living. All of nature - plants, wildlife, insects, and elements - relies on one another to survive. There is a time and place for every creature, season, and activity.
KTA strives to reach, support, and welcome hikers of all skill levels, preferences, and demographics. When possible, we coordinate transportation for organized group hikes to increase accessibility for those with travel limitations. We participate in cultural/demographic events to reinforce the nonjudgmental nature of hiking trails and the hiking community.
KTA invites each hiker to use their personal strengths and gifts to support PA’s hiking trails and community. Encouraging hikers to be who they really are creates a welcoming environment and allows them to contribute to a thriving collective whole, using skills and resources only they can provide. This establishes respect and gratitude for one another that mends cultural or demographic divides.
KTA partners with related outdoor recreational organizations and groups (birding, plant identification, wildlife, trail running, geocaching, etc) to hold space for various footpath intentions and create opportunities to connect with others. Every hiker has their own “why” for hiking: to get a good workout, to find peace and quiet, to study wildlife and plants, to spend time with friends, or one of a thousand other reasons. We also promote local trail club events to help hikers connect with others who share similar hiking intentions, style, pace, or preferences.
KTA breaks down barriers and misconceptions around hiking through safety and skills training (Wilderness First Aid, Intro to backpacking, etc) and guided hikes and outings so hiking is more comfortable and accessible for all.  By teaching Leave No Trace and hiking best practices, we reinforce the importance of respecting the natural world, and the diversity and inclusion of every hiker on the trail.
Trails benefit all.
They improve overall well-being and physical and mental health and stimulate the state's outdoor recreation economy. Those benefits are maximized when everyone can equally enjoy hiking experiences. In our leadership, staffing, membership, and participation, KTA aims to be reflective of the human complexity that is Pennsylvania. In doing so, we help all Pennsylvanians become wild-at-heart hikers, nurturing PA’s hiking trails and hiking trails into the future.