Your leaf-peeping bucket list awaits.
We love a leisurely hike as much as the next local, but there’s something to be said about activities that get the blood pumping. In the Susquehanna Valley and surrounding areas, adventure abounds. The autumn season, with its colorful foliage and crisp air, is no exception.
If you’re looking for a thrill this fall, soar across a zipline, trek difficult terrain, raft inland white caps, and more. The best part? You won’t have to go far.
Ziplining Through the Colorful Canopies
imagine launching off a zipline platform and tossing a pumpkin to see who gets closest to the target. Come autumn, Refreshing Mountain Retreat and Adventure Center in Lancaster County is home to yard games from the zipline and other activities that keep people returning season after season.
According to Phil True, the official Fun Scheduler at Refreshing Mountain, their zipline is the chance for people to “have a great time overcoming fears while enjoying the outdoors.” With a mix of luxury retreats, outdoor adventures, and a wildlife center featuring one of the largest Pennsylvania native reptiles collections in the state, this place has energy.
Refreshing Mountain offers three professional-guided zipline experiences, all of which end up back at the main activities center. “We zipline through the trees,” says True, adding visitors get to enjoy thousands of Christmas lights on the zipline and trees come winter.
Over in the Pocono Mountains, Camelback Resort offers ziplining and other mountain adventures built on enthusiasm.
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Near the base of Camelback Mountain, guests take a shuttle to the top of the mountain for the 4000-foot zipline experience. Four guests can ride side by side, either sitting on the Sky Riders or flying like Superman on the Sky Flyers. Double barrel 1000-foot ziplines are also available for a slightly more mild experience.
Ziplining over the entire resort, it’s impossible not to take in the beauty and breathtaking views of the Poconos. Ahead of Halloween, guests can even zipline at night for a spooky season twist.
While you’re at Camelback Resort this fall, check out the year-round Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark (recently ranked #1 Indoor Waterpark by USA Today) and arcade, or wait until winter for snow sports up the wazoo.
Learn more about ziplining experiences by visiting Refreshing Mountain at refreshingmountain.com and Camelback Resort at camelbackresort.com.
Multi-day Backpacking in the Dense Pennsylvania Forest
There’s nothing like a fireside nightcap at your campsite in the woods, miles from the nearest lodging. Multi-day backpacking treks open up the senses, and Pennsylvania options are aplenty. In the Susquehanna Valley and beyond, trails like Pennsylvania’s 230-mile section of the Appalachian Trail, the 30-mile West Rim Trail, and more than
42-mile Black Forest Trail put your hiking skills to the test.
Pine Creek Outfitters in Wellsboro gets a front-row view of it all. The Tioga County adventure sports center facilitates hikes as part of its wide swath of offerings. Hikers can go on day hikes with official guides or use the shop’s shuttle service to take them to the trailhead for a multi-day excursion.
While shuttle services mainly focus on the West Rim Trail, they also go to Black Forest, the more than 310-mile Mid-State Trail, and the 92-mile Susquehanna Trail System loop. For Pine Creek Outfitters’ shuttle services, weekday availability is easiest to find.
Jacob Batterson, office manager at Pine Creek Outfitters, says about his home base, “The remote nature of this area is what is most appealing to me—the ability to find new trails and places where you know you are utterly alone in the wilderness.”
Autumn in particular is a stunning time for a backpacking trip. By peak foliage, air has cooled for the season, but that briskness is a welcome respite during peak trekking hours, and prepared campers can stay warm at night.
Visitors can look forward to instructional backpacking trips and overnight guided hikes on the West Rim Trail coming to Pine Creek Outfitters in the future. Before adventuring in the area, Batterson says, “A little bit of research can go a long way, because our area has very limited cell coverage.” Check the rain status, water levels, and more to prepare for your trip. (Pro tip: Bring a bear-resistant canister to store any food or scented belongings, and store it at least 100 yards downwind from where you sleep.)
Learn more about multi-day backpacking with the help of Pine Creek Outfitters by visiting pinecrk.com.
Whitewater Rafting Raises the Stakes
Naturally, Pine Creek Outfitters also offers whitewater rafting adventures along Pine Creek, an area dubbed the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon.
Betterson says, “Pine Creek varies with the water level. Typically, it is a slow-paced scenic creek with Class I-II rapids. However, at the right levels it can be quite fun and a great entrance level for inexperienced boaters.”
According to Betterson, the best time of year for whitewater rafting in the area depends on the water levels at that time. (Check out the creek gauge on the Pine Creek Outfitters website.) However, autumn is past the peak dry times, which can be more beneficial for rafters seeking a thrill. “Most people who use Pine Creek as an entry level to whitewater find it very satisfying, with a perfect mix of excitement and scenery,” Betterson adds.
Pennsylvania has even more opportunity for whitewater rafting, including in the Poconos and Ohiopyle.
Pocono Whitewater offers dam release whitewater rafting in Lehigh Gorge State Park in Jim Thorpe. The 12-mile Class II–III rafting trip lasts about four hours. Other styles, like family rafting and moonlight rafting, are available for different types of experiences.
Wilderness Voyageurs in Ohiopyle offers opportunities for different skill levels in lower, middle, and upper portions of the Youghiogheny River, or the “Yough” (pronounced “Yok”) for short.
Wherever you go, the thought of getting your blood pumping while enjoying the richly colored leaves is incredible. Many places that offer whitewater rafting also provide kayaking opportunities, a solid option for people who prefer the maneuverability and independence of a kayak.
Contact Pine Creek to learn more, or check out Wilderness Voyageurs at wilderness-voyageurs.com and Pocono Whitewater at poconowhitewater.com.
Caving for an Ancient View
Regardless of whether you know what stalactites and stalagmites are, caving is an out-of-this-world adventure that transports you to a subterranean oasis. Pennsylvania just so happens to be rich with thick limestone, which is why we have seven show caves in our state (and an estimated 1,100 private mapped caverns).
Indian Echo Caverns at Echo Dell in Hummelstown is open year round and, according to the facility, maintains a cool 52 degrees regardless of outside temperatures. Along the Swatara Creek, the cave cuts through 440-million-year-old Beekmantown limestone formed as a result of water erosion.
What the caverns look like today is a result of millions of years of this erosion, and you can feel it for yourself (likely alongside wildlife with a penchant for caves, like bats).
Kutztown’s Crystal Cave has been a public-known spectacle for 145 years. Going as far as 125 feet underground, visitors can experience the innumerable crystalline formations along the cave’s walls and ceilings (hence the cave’s name).
Two men named William Merkel and John Gehret discovered Crystal Cave in 1871 after blasting for limestone. All these years later, the cave has kept its charm.
Guided caving is one thing. Going solo like a true troglobite (yes, that’s a cave-dwelling creature) is another level of adventurousness. If that’s more your speed, take yourself on an unguided tour of Wind Cave in Pequea. It’s a unique option for those experienced at trekking in caves or cave-like environments, or who are comfortable going deep.
For any caving experience, visitors should wear sturdy shoes that cover the foot and bring or rent a headlamp to keep hands free for easier exploring. If you’re going without a guide, make sure you understand the cave route and avoid squeezing into too-tight spots. As a final word of caution, particularly for caverns that are off the beaten path, watch out for venomous snakes that may inhabit the shallow dwellings.
Ready to go caving? Plan for your trip at the Indian Echo Caverns by visiting indianechocaverns.com and at Crystal Cave by visiting crystalcavepa.com.
Skydiving over the Autumn Harvest
“We are all equal in the sky.”
That’s what Harv Selway, long-time skydiver, says.
Selway has been skydiving for longer than most people—53 years, to be precise. A retired operator for a maintenance supply distributor, he calls Maytown Sport Parachute Club at the Donegal Springs Airport in Marietta his home drop zone. “I started skydiving in 1969 with York Skydivers, and when they disbanded, I joined Maytown Skydivers back in the early 70s,” says Selway.
Selway says it’s not the size of the drop zone that matters most. “Much, if not most, of the long-time attraction is the people you jump with.”
That community is what attracts skydivers of all experience levels to Maytown. “As a club, not a commercial operation,” Selway says, “we bring new folks into the community and they feel comfortable here, more than other places.”
Whether skydiving above the autumn scenery or another time of year, Selway says the sport is the great equalizer. Since starting in 1969, he says, “I’ve been fortunate to meet and get to know some amazing people. Some lawyers, doctors, construction workers, you name it. The only thing in common is the sport itself.”
Maytown works hard to minimize risks in what is generally considered a risk-taking sport. Selway says, “We all wear an AAD [automatic activation device] which will deploy the reserve parachute if, for some reason, the jumper can not. We all wear two parachutes. We have minimum opening altitudes for different skill levels and we take immediate action if we see risky behavior.” And, he adds, everyone jumps tandem until they’re a licensed skydiver and can jump alone.
Not so sure about skydiving yet? That’s fair. Maytown welcomes spectators so you can see the process for yourself before deciding to literally take the leap. Here, too, you can feel the community that Maytown fosters.
Skydivers and wanna-be skydivers, check out Maytown Sport Parachute Club at skydivemspc.com.
