Welcome to /r/PAWilds, the subreddit for outdoor recreation in the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania! While most of this discussion in this subreddit focuses on hiking and camping opportunities within the PA Wilds region specifically, it is open to discussion of all forms of outdoor recreation (including but not limited to paddling, rock climbing, hunting, and fishing) across the entire state. Users are invited to submit photos and trip reports, and to ask questions about gear, outdoor skills, and recreation destinations.

This is the new "general overview of this subreddit" thread, to replace the old one that I made when the subreddit was first formed, 5 years ago. It's meant to be a bit more comprehensive than that old thread was, with more helpful information especially to first-time visitors to this subreddit and/or those just getting started in experiencing everything that PA has to offer in the realm of outdoor recreation. This is a work in progress so feel free to suggest edits and additional content in the comments below.

Answers to some of the more commonly asked questions here are as follows:

What are the rules of this subreddit?

An overview of the rules for /r/PAWilds can be found via this mod post .

What are some good resources for beginners?

The 10 essentials for hiking: These are the "must haves" that you generally should be carrying on any hike.

The 7 Leave No Trace principles: Leave No Trace (LNT) is a set of outdoor ethics that enable recreational users to better protect wild areas by minimizing their impacts. LNT is a bit more involved than just "if you carry it in, carry it out," so it's worth reading through the LNT website if you have never done so before.

Hiking for beginners: Solid article from REI on the basics of undertaking your first hike, with links to additional articles on more in-depth subjects.

Backpacking for beginners: Another nice article from REI on the basics of undertaking your first backpacking trip where you'll camp overnight in the backcountry.

Backcountry bathroom basics: Improper human waste disposal on public lands is one of the biggest problems our parks and forests face. In addition to being unsightly and disgusting, human waste can spread disease and lead to issues with nuisance wildlife behavior. In some instances, it can even contribute to the loss of access to some public lands. It is important to make sure that all visitors to public lands- including even those just day hiking- understand how to properly dispose of waste in the backcountry.

Where can I find information for planning trips?

KTA website: The Keystone Trails Association is PA's largest hiking club and their website is an essential resource for PA Hiking. The Find A Trail Page has links to information about many of PA's major hiking and backpacking trails, and their online store has a ton of guidebooks and maps for sale.

PAHikes website: Another essential resource for finding information on some of PA's more popular hiking trails. PAHikes.com also has an online store that has maps and guidebooks available for sale.

MidAtlanticHikes.com: A labor of love that includes online trail descriptions, maps, and hiker reviews for hikes not just across PA, but also the states of WV, VA, and MD. There is also a moderately active message board where more information can be solicited and found.

Purple Lizard Maps: Maker of high-quality, waterproof maps that cover many of the options for outdoor recreation across the PA Wilds and elsewhere.

PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR) website: The official website of the state agency tasked with overseeing much of PA's public lands. DCNR includes both State Parks and State Forests, which together comprise most of the best opportunities for outdoor recreation in PA. Free trail maps of each state forest (and of many of the more well known backpacking trails) are available by mail upon request- simply contact the relevant state forest headquarters. There is also an interactive online map of hiking trails across the state.

PA Game Commission website: While game lands aren't primarily managed for outdoor recreation, they do nevertheless offer some opportunities for hiking and paddling in addition to fishing and hunting.

Allegheny National Forest website: An invaluable resource for information on recreation opportunities within the boundaries of the Allegheny National Forest in northwestern PA.

Delaware Water Gap website: Information on hikes and other recreation opportunities within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in northeastern PA.

Is there a list of backpacking trails within in PA with links to additional info?

The following list contains the majority of the more well-known opportunities for hiking and especially backpacking across the state. (Feel free to suggest anything I've missed in the comments- I'd like to keep this list somewhat concise by restricting it mainly to the more well known and/or longer trails but I'm open to suggestions for additional entries.)

Note that not all of these trails are complete. In some cases, such as with the North Country, Mid State, and Baker Trails, the given mileage includes some substantial portions of road walking. Anyone thinking about hiking all or a portion of these trails is advised to do some additional research on the route on their own.

I've heard that I can get a patch for having hiked every trail in the state. Is this true?

You probably heard about the State Forest Trails Award. It's available to anyone who has hiked all of the state forest land sections of the 18 designated state forest trails. All told, some 700+ miles of trails must be hiked to become eligible to receive the award. The application for the award is available on the DCNR website.

I've heard that I can camp anywhere I want on public land in PA. Is this true?

Sort of. What you're asking about is usually called "dispersed camping," which is camping at sites of your own choosing, away from an established campground with amenities.

Most public lands in PA typically fall into one of five categories. Here's a quick overview of how primitive/dispersed camping works on each:

  • State Forest Lands: Dispersed camping is permitted, with some exceptions. Permits are required in many but not all circumstances.
  • State Park Lands: Backcountry camping is allowed at designated sites only. Only a small number of state parks have any designated backcountry sites.
  • State Game Lands: All camping is prohibited. An exception was made for the Appalachian Trail, but with some rather stringent stipulations.
  • National Forest Lands: Dispersed camping is permitted, with some exceptions.
  • National Park Lands: Backcountry camping is generally allowed at designated sites only. Delaware Water Gap allows some minimal dispersed camping along the AT but with a bunch of additional criteria to adhere to.

An important component of figuring out whether you can camp and where on a specific parcel of public land is figuring out which of these categories it falls into. Even where dispersed camping is allowed, there are still some restrictions and expectations that you must abide by. The specifics of how each of these areas works with regards to primitive and/or dispersed camping is a bit more in depth that I think many may be looking for in this post, and I've elected the share that information separately in a response to this thread below .

It's also generally expected when primitive camping, regardless of location, that you abiding by the Leave No Trace principles.

Note also that public lands can fall into additional categories- there's public lands owned by municipal park departments, not-for-profit entitles, and even private individuals. Even when open to the public and when wild in character, these classifications of public land ownership usually do not permit camping.

I've heard that it's possible to lease land from the state to build a cabin on. Is this true?

It is true that there is no shortage of lease camps (cabins) in existence on state forest lands across PA. However, new leases have not been available for since 1970. Every so often, existing lease camps may be made available for sale- but the opportunity to secure such a lease is not without considerable interest and they usually fetch a fair amount of money. Lease camps may not be used for permanent, year-round occupation.