Outdoors

143 articles

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Pennsylvania’s Elk Herd: Past and Present

Native elk roamed Pennsylvania’s mountainsides before colonization. Moose and buffalo also inhabited the region. By the 1860s, only a few elk remained in Elk and Cameron counties. Hunting was unregulated then, and by the late 1870s, the last native eastern elk had been shot for food.

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Watershed Cleanup Day Set for April 12!

Individuals, families, and groups are invited to register for the 29th annual Watershed Cleanup Day. The event will be held during Earth Day weekend on Saturday, April 12 from 8 a.m. to noon.

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Local banquet to benefit Pennsylvania elk

The Happy Valley Chapter of The Keystone Elk Country Alliance will hold its annual conservation banquet in State College, Pa., in April 2025. Proceeds from the event will help the nonprofit further its mission to improve habitat for Pennsylvania’s elk herd, promote conservation, and provide conservation education for future generations.

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KimHikedIt on a Purple Lizard adventure in Happy Valley

In 2023, I set out to hike in all 124 Pennsylvania State Parks. I began with day trips to state parks nearest my home in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Eventually, I expanded to weekend getaways that included multiple state park visits, often with my husband and five children.

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Eco-friendly and sustainable tourism in Happy Valley

*Crunch* The sound of a crispy leaf that you step on in the fall. Or maybe it’s your boot on fresh snow in wintertime, a springtime snack in the forest, a rocky summit in the summer heat. Happy Valley offers year-round enjoyment of nature, with miles of hiking and biking trails across six state parks in Centre County—and plenty of eco-friendly ways to explore!

The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau publishes up-to-date event information at HappyValley.com/events