Overview
As Pennsylvania’s leader and chief advocate for conservation and outdoor recreation, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) will inspire citizens to:
- Value their natural resources
- Engage in conservation practices
- Experience the outdoors
Hiking
Hiking is the most popular outdoor activity in Pennsylvania, and it’s no wonder with all of the outstanding opportunities, from short loop hikes on state park trails to long, multi-day options on state forest lands, to family-friendly adventures on one of Pennsylvania’s rail-trails.
Hiking
Biking
If your need for speed is on two wheels, there are lots of options in our Pennsylvania state parks or the vast network of rail trails in Pennsylvania for a spin on flat, family-friendly trails.
Biking
Kayaking and Canoeing
Pennsylvania is a paddler’s paradise because it is blessed with an abundance of lakes, rivers, streams, and ponds all across the commonwealth for kayaking and canoeing. Many of these paddling opportunities exist within our state parks and forests.
Kayaking and Canoeing-
May 21, 2026 Pennsylvania’s Northcentral Regional ATV Trail Reopens May 22 with Nearly 1,000 Miles of Roads to Ride for 2026 SeasonThe popular Northcentral Regional ATV Trail is one of Pennsylvania’s premier outdoor recreation destinations in the Pennsylvania Wilds region.
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May 19, 2026 Shapiro Administration Announces Trail Rehabilitation Work to Start on Glen Onoko Falls in Lehigh Gorge State ParkThe Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Outdoor Corps crews have begun rehabilitation work on the long-closed Falls Trail at the Glen Onoko Falls Tract in Carbon County, marking a major step toward reopening and restoring public access to one of the region’s most iconic outdoor destinations.
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May 11, 2026 ICYMI: Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Dunn Joins WITF’s The Spark to Highlight Laurel Caverns, Pennsylvania’s 125th and First Underground State ParkThe Department of Conservation and Natural Resources manages the Commonwealth’s 2.2 million acres of state forestlands and 125 state parks, which are free and open to the public every day.
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May 08, 2026 Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Opens $500,000 Grant Program to Protect At-Risk Wildlife and Native Plants in PennsylvaniaApplications will be accepted now through 4:00 PM on June 30, 2026, through DCNR’s online grant portal.