👋 Meet Debra, a KTA member from Perry County, PA! She serves as the President of the Duncannon Appalachian Trail Community. Here's what she had to say about PA's hiking trails: 


Q: What makes hiking in Pennsylvania special/meaningful to you?
A: "The mountains, forests and views."

Q: When did you start hiking?
A: "Upon retirement in 2006."

Q: What are you currently excited about in your hiking life?
A: "The fact that I can continue to hike and backpack after 3 knee replacements and 3 serious back surgeries of which the second one left me lame. My Wilderness First Aid Certification put into practice twice for trimalleolar breaks and the ability to teach about the outdoors when I am leading hikes."

Q: Which hiking trails do you enjoy/recommend that are near where you live?
A: "Hawk Rock and Eagles Edge."

Q: Which hiking trails do you recommend (anywhere in PA)?
A: "Quehanna Wildlife Area trails."

Q: What do you value most about KTA's mission?
A: "Promoting recreational hiking trails and hiking opportunities in Pennsylvania."

Q: What other hiking/outdoor-related clubs, organizations, groups, etc. are you involved with?
A: "Susquehanna Appalachian Trail Club, Canoe Club of Greater Harrisburg, Nature Conservancy, Forest Steward Penn State, Duncannon Outdoor Club, Susquehanna River Trails Association, Perry County Day Camp, and Duncannon Appalachian Trail Community."

Group hikes and trainings (like Wilderness First Aid) are great ways to meet other hikers, like Debra! Check out our upcoming events to find an opportunity to get involved and expand your hiking network!

👋 Meet Kathy, a KTA member and Representative at Large from Chester County, PA! She is also an active member of Chester County Trail Club, AMC, ATC, and GMC.


Q: What makes hiking in Pennsylvania special/meaningful to you?
A: "PA hiking is special and meaningful because I live here, and the state provides a wide range and variety of trails within the state. Hiking opportunities abound in the state."

Q: What type of hiking do you typically prefer most often?
A: "I enjoy all types of hiking. Long, short, hard, easy, it doesn't matter, whatever gets me moving and outdoors."

Q: When did you start hiking?
A: "Consistently for over 20 years ago but, I've been active all of my life."

Q: What are you currently excited about in your hiking life?
A: "I'm excited about getting completing and having done many of the major PA trails. Plus, how close I am to earning the PA State Forest Trails award."

Q: Which hiking trails do you recommend (anywhere in PA)?
A: "I would recommend all of them. Each trail has an aspect(s) that makes it unique and wonderful to hike or backpack. Sometimes it depends on how I'm feeling on that particular day or time."

Q: What do you value most about KTA's mission?
A: "I value all parts of the KTA mission because one doesn't work without the others."

Curious about which hiking awards you can receive? Learn more here!

👋 Meet Blase, a KTA Representative at Large from southeastern PA! He is an active member of Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club and is helping to organize a robust intro to backpacking event for hikers that will happen this spring (more details to come!).


Q: What makes hiking in Pennsylvania special/meaningful to you?
A: "The incredible variety of hiking options regarding terrain, views, vegetation and wildlife… and how those options transform through the seasons."

Q: What type of hiking do you typically prefer most often?
A: "Generally backpacking or long full day hikes."

Q: When did you start hiking?
A: "Hiking since youth, backpacking for 6 years."

Q: What are you currently excited about in your hiking life?
A: "Educating myself on PA ecology and in particular plants and geology.  Planning long 7+ day BP’s that may incorporate paths less-traveled."

Q: Which hiking trails do you enjoy/recommend that are near where you live?
A: "The Pinchot Trail is the closest backpacking trail to my home.  A pretty trail with moderate terrain having good water and campsites.  My go-to escape from the matrix."

Q: Which hiking trails do you recommend (anywhere in PA)?
A: "The Black Forest Trail is wonderful but arduous, incorporating many of the best features of PA hiking trails.    I have many favorites that I routinely recommend, examples are the Allegheny Front Trail and West Rim Trail."

Q: What do you value most about KTA's mission?
A: "The KTA plays a pivotal role in representing and integrating the collective interests of outdoor enthusiasts and hiking clubs."

Check out our detailed hiking guides for some of the trails Blase recommends:

Meet Shawna and Terry, a father-daughter hiking duo from western PA! They are ridge runners for the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail and members and volunteers for KTA.

Q: What makes hiking in Pennsylvania special/meaningful to you?
A: "We love hiking in Pennsylvania because it is our home state. There is so much to offer in all seasons and it's beauty is unmatched. We spend a lot of time hiking the Appalachian Trail, and Pennsylvania seems to get a bad reputation because its AT miles are rocky. We like to stand up for PA trails and remind people there is so much more to explore!"

Q: What type of hiking do you typically prefer most often?
A: "We prefer backpacking on multi-day hikes, but we are also happy to get my 2 daughters out on day hikes and one night stayovers!"

Q: When did you start hiking?
A: "We started our backpacking adventures more than 20 years ago after I was required to read "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson as an incoming college freshman."

Q: What are you currently excited about in your hiking life?
A: "We have been working to section hike the entire Appalachian Trail and last summer we crossed the 1,000 mile mark!"

Q: Which hiking trails do you enjoy/recommend that are near where you live?
A: "I live near the Westmoreland Heritage Trail and Duff Park in Murrysville. They are both great options to get out and about when I only have a few hours."

Q: Which hiking trails do you recommend (anywhere in PA)?
A: "We love the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail. It's a great trail for beginning backpackers. The designated shelter areas make it easier to plan your overnight stays."

Q: What do you value most about KTA's mission?
A: "I value KTA's mission to promote recreational hiking trails. I work in education and I love sharing my outdoor stories and knowledge with my students. Let's get more students outdoors!"

Working on hiking the AT in PA, too? Check out our detailed hiking guide for the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania: https://ktahike.app.neoncrm.com/.../ktahike/giftstore.jsp

Meet Rita and Steve! They live in Armstrong County, which is close to so many PA hiking gems! Rita and Steve are KTA members and Representatives at Large. Let's get to know them!

Q: Which hiking trails do you recommend near you?
A: "We recommend Baker Trail, North Country Trail, Clear Creek & Cook Forest State Parks, Moraine & McConnells Mills State Park."

Q: What makes hiking in Pennsylvania special/meaningful to you?
A: "Being outdoors in nature!"

Q: What type of hiking do you typically prefer most often?
A: "Daily short hikes, weekly day hikes, and a few multi-day organized hikes each year."

Q: When did you start hiking?
A:" We have been hiking together for over 20 years, but a friend recommended KTA for slack packing weekends about 3 years ago and we really enjoyed it."

​Q: What are you currently excited about in your hiking life?
A: "Organizing a trail care weekend with KTA, attending more trail care events this year and completing the NCT 100-Mile Trail Challenge."

Q: What do you value most about KTA's mission?
A: "Trail care and organized group hikes!"

Q: Are you part of any other clubs?
A: Butler Outdoor Club, Outdoor Discovery Center at Crooked Creek Lake, K-9 Walkers at Crooked Creek Lake, and NCT Butler and Clarion Chapters.

Thank you, Steve and Rita, for everything you do for PA's hikers and trails!

Curious about the group hiking events that Steve and Rita enjoy so much? Sign up for the KTA newsletter to stay in the loop with upcoming weekend adventures, slackpacking trips, trail care days, and more! https://bit.ly/ktanews

Say hello to Elizabeth, a fellow Pennsylvania hiker!

Q: What are your favorite things about hiking?
A: I love being out in nature and spending time with friends, all while getting a good workout in!

Q: What are some of your favorite hiking trails in PA, and what makes them your favorite?
A: Gallitzin State Forest has some of my favorite trails! The County Line Loop trail is probably my favorite because the vistas are incredible!

Q: What is your favorite / most memorable hiking experience?
A: My most memorable experience was my first time out on the County Line Loop trail in Gallitzin. My friend and I ran right into a black bear sow and her cub. It was terrifying, but eye-opening. My favorite hiking experience was just recently when my friend and I decided to hike in the fog and rain. It was beautiful, but so cold, and we were drenched!

Q: Do you have any advice for new hikers?
A: It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to get to where you’re going. I’m still working on getting my stamina up and it’s definitely a struggle when you’re first getting into it, but don’t give up!!

Q: Do you have a favorite nature/ hiking quote that you can share with us (either your own or someone else’s)?
A: “The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” - Chris McCandless
Elizabeth completed KTA's 100 Mile Trail Challenge last year, "I decided to take the 100 Mile Trail Challenge to challenge myself and to give me the motivation to tack on more miles!"

​You can sign up to complete the challenge this year at https://www.kta-hike.org/100milechallenge.html

Meet Cyril, a fellow PA hiker and KTA Representative at Large!

Q: When did you start hiking?
A: "I hiked as a boy scout (I was an Eagle) but didn't hike much as an adult. I eventually weighed 540 pounds and hiking was not that feasible. About 10 years ago a former student took me to Ricketts Glenn. I loved it, and I went back there 4 or 5 times a year (it was almost a 2-hour drive for me). I didn't know of any other hiking trails, and wished there were trails near me. During Covid, I found out about Trexler Game Preserve and hiked every mile of that park several times. Again loving it, but wishing there were more trails to hike. I finally saw and purchased a book of 50 hikes in the Philadelphia Area (from South Jersey to the Lancaster Area) and started doing them. I recently finished my 48th hike from that book!"

Q: What are you currently excited about in your hiking life?
A: "I have been doing some trail maintenance, and hope to become more qualified to do certain things in that region. I am also trying to hike every mile of every trail on the KTA map (as well as the entire AT)."

Q: What makes hiking in Pennsylvania special/meaningful to you?
A: "Well first and foremost it is where I fell in love with hiking, and it has the AT. It is a strange thing, but when I drive down I 78 or I 81 and I look at the ridge, I have this feeling of wow, that's my true home.
Also, meeting hikers, both those chance meetings you have on the trail, or while doing trail magic, and the relationships you develop with a hiker partner. I just started doing the Mason Dixon with Wanda Shirk, and we spent our first three days laughing, talking, arguing (friendly), and just enjoying each other. We got into personal stuff that usually you wouldn't talk about with someone you had just recently met. Hikers are great."

​Last year Cyril received multiple KTA hiking awards! Find out which awards you can earn here: kta-hike.org/hiking-awards.html