Hiking
Purple Lizard Cartography: Getting Lost in Michaux State Forest, PA
Purple Lizard Maps gives some insight on what it takes to create a recreational map of the highest quality.
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Beat The Heat: Six Ways to Stay Cool On Summer Hikes
Summer can get pretty darn hot these days, and here in the Mid-Atlantic Region keeping the basics in mind when playing outside in the summer has become an absolute necessity.
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Seeking Purple Lizards At Smoke Hole, Seneca Rocks, and Spruce Knob, WV
The Department of Adventure goes out to locate and map the most fun and unique locations surrounding Smoke Hole, Seneca Rocks, and Spruce Knob, West Virginia.
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Sinking into Summer in Loyalsock
Loyalsock is one of our go-to choices when we are looking for somewhere to unwind away from the world. There is something magical about this forest. Perhaps it is the fact that "Worlds End" is literally a place name in this forest, or perhaps it's the fact that in the era of overstimulation with technology and news and. . . well everything, this is one of those increasingly rare, beautiful places where for the most part you won't have cell service.
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Six Mile Run South: A Winter Day Hike In Moshannon State Forest, PA
Get outside to enjoy evergreen trees while discovering trails near Black Moshannon State Park! Snow or no snow? Doesn't much matter! It's always a great time to grab your Moshannon Lizard Map and follow along on a short adventure along Six Mile Run that includes green leaves and clear streams all year long - and often a beautiful winter blanket of snow!
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Caught In The Hook: Pennsylvania's Largest Natural Area
What exactly is a designated Natural Area? The goal is to allow nature to take its course as it would without human interruption. Rather than being managed by humans, the State allows these lands to mature and regenerate naturally. To support this goal only exploring on foot is permitted: there is no camping, campfires, bicycles or horses allowed in a designated Natural Area. All motorized vehicles are restricted to the borders and roads around the area. Only day hikers can explore within the borders. The Hook Natural Area, found on our Bald Eagle Lizard Map, is PA's largest Natural Area and offers many opportunities for a great adventure.
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Winter Adventure Getaways in Moshannon State Forest, PA
Winter is very unpredictable in Pennsylvania, regardless of what that silly rodent thinks about his shadow. Some seasons we see a week of substantial snowfall, followed by a warming trend that feels like spring, but we know it's too early... or is it? You can take advantage of these winter/spring/winter conditions and enjoy what Mother Nature offers by considering all the things you can do in Moshannon - ski, snowshoe, hike, bike, or just hang out in a sweet cabin for the weekend!
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Four Fall Adventures in Pennsylvania
Looking for a fall fix? Here are four PA Fall adventure ideas to consider in Pine Creek, Rothrock, and Bald Eagle State Forest.
(updated 2023)
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10-mile Gentle Hiking Loop in Prime Elk Habitat: Quehanna Wild Area, PA
Follow along with us on a gentle, but remote 10-mile hike through prime elk habitat in Central PA. Besides a section of State Game Lands, this lovely loop is completely within the nearly 50,000 acre Quehanna Wild Area. This is the largest Wild Area in Pennsylvania, and is home to all of the best wildlife that PA has to offer: bear, deer, elk, bobcat, coyote, rattlesnakes, fishers and more. The two short climbs on this loop only gain about 100 feet of elevation and the classic Central PA rocks are non-existent.
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Exploring Cook Forest
Cook Forest will always be my favorite Pennsylvania state park. It has a great combination of “stuff for the kiddos,” good restaurants, many hiking trails, the Wild & Scenic Clarion River, historic sites from Native Americans, logging history, CCC history, and of course, one of the last remaining stands of “Penns Woods” that has been untouched for over 400 years.
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Trip Report: Spring In Pine Creek Pennsylvania
Having the Purple Lizard Map of Pine Creek really did allow us to plan and make our own adventure in Pine Creek. Even though we only had three days and got to explore a small portion of what Pine Creek has to offer.
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Rothrock State Forest: Peace and Serenity Only 5 Miles From Downtown State College, PA
Every now and again we all need a break from the hustle and bustle of 21st Century America. Luckily, State College, PA, is surrounded by hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands that are waiting to embrace you with fresh air and natural light. Email, news, phone, school, snapchat, social media, text, traffic, tv, twitter, work...leave it all behind and head into the forest to rejuvenate!
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