Hundreds of years ago, a group of Native Americans living along the lower Susquehanna River made an indelible mark on the valley. At what is now known as Safe Harbor, they made hundreds of carvings into the rocks found in the middle of the river.

Animals, bird and animal tracks, directional symbols, teaching or storytelling images, humans and anthropomorphic images, spiritual symbols and geometric and abstract designs were painstakingly carved into the boulder strewn landscape of the river. From the banks of the river, the sites look like any of the rocks found in the river. But up close, these stunning petroglyphs offer a window into a fascinating culture that we still know very little about. 

Despite Native Americans being driven from their homes, villages and hunting grounds. Despite countless floods. Despite dam construction. Despite pollution. Despite industry. And despite man’s constant need to exert his will over the river, these magnificent petroglyphs remain.

Big Indian Rock. Little Indian Rock. Circle Rock. Turkey Track Rock. Eagle Rock and Conestoga Rock.

Right in the middle of the Susquehanna River, as they have for hundreds of years. These sites are sacred spaces for Native Americans. The Safe Harbor Petroglyphs are a rare, direct connection to Indigenous peoples who lived along the Susquehanna River long before European contact.

For many Native communities, these carvings are not just historical artifacts but living cultural expressions—messages left by ancestors that carry spiritual meaning. Their location along the river, a vital life-giving force, further reinforces their sacred nature as places of reverence, storytelling and ancestral presence.

And unlike many pieces of indigenous rock art, they are accessible to the public. But that accessibility comes with a responsibility. 

These carvings are irreplaceable cultural and spiritual expressions created by Indigenous peoples, and even small actions—touching the rock, climbing on it, or disturbing the surrounding area—can cause permanent damage.

Visitors also have a responsibility to listen and learn. Approaching the petroglyphs with humility means acknowledging that this site holds meaning far deeper than what we may fully understand, and that it represents living cultures whose histories and voices have too often been ignored or erased.

On this episode, I speak with Paul Nevin. Paul is recognized as the leading authority of rock art of the lower Susquehanna River and is the author of the “A Guide to the Safe Harbor Petroglyphs.” 

Be sure to support our 2025 sponsors:
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Discover Clarion County

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Hosting, production and editing: Christian Alexandersen
Music: Jon Sauer
Graphics: Matt Davis

Welcome, fellow explorers. My name is Christian Alexandersen and I’m the host of Hemlocks to Hellbenders, a podcast highlighting Pennsylvania’s parks, forests and great outdoors.

Season four of Hemlocks to Hellbenders is shaping up to be our most exciting yet and I can’t wait to take you along for the journey in 2026. We’ll be exploring some of Pennsylvania’s most incredible parks and forests with the people who know them best: park and forest managers, outdoor educators, historians, authors, conservationists and volunteers who are deeply passionate about this place we call home.

This season, conversations will range from outdoor recreation and backpacking to conservation, wildlife and plant management, Indigenous history, volunteerism, and the stories of the people who shaped Pennsylvania’s landscapes.

If exploring wild places, learning their stories, and planning your next adventure excites you, you’re in the right place. Together, we’ll dig into hidden gems and help you experience Pennsylvania’s public lands in a deeper, more meaningful way.

I launched Hemlocks to Hellbenders in 2023 to inspire people to spend more time in Pennsylvania’s parks and forests, to stand up for their protection, and to help make the outdoors a more welcoming place for everyone. I hope you’ll join us in that mission.

I’m excited to be bringing back four advertisers for the 2026 season; the Keystone Trails Association, Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation, Purple Lizard Maps and Sisters' Sunflowers. And I’m thrilled to announce two new supporters of the podcast, Discover Clarion County and Go Laurel Highlands. 

Our fourth season kicks off on Jan. 7 with an episode on the Native American rock carvings found in Safe Harbor on the Susquehanna River. I look forward to sharing our new guests and episodes with you in 2026.

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Visit our website to learn more about the podcast, to purchase merch and to find out about our incredible sponsors. Follow us on Instagram and Meta to stay connected.

Hosting, production and editing: Christian Alexandersen
Music: Jon Sauer
Graphics: Matt Davis

For a long time, there’s been this mostly unspoken rule that “real” outdoor experiences have to be rugged. You’ve got to rough it, hike ten miles in the rain, sleep on the ground and eat beans from a can — or else it somehow doesn’t count. 

Luckily, that’s changing. More and more people are discovering that you don’t have to give up comfort to connect with the outdoors. Here in Pennsylvania – especially in state parks - that change has been evident. Instead of only offering tent sites, state parks have cottages, cabins, yurts and other accommodations. Many offer amenities like stoves, refrigerators, microwaves, tables and chairs.

No longer are you forced to pack up everything you own for a weekend in the woods. You can book a comfortable accommodation AND still be in nature. However, these upgraded accommodations still have rubbed people the wrong way. 

It isn’t “real’ camping. What does that even mean anyway? Real camping? Does it mean sleeping on the ground. Waking up with a sore back and condensation in the tent. Cold and miserable. No thanks. 

It’s that sort of attitude that I despise in the outdoors. You’re not a real hiker unless. You’re not a real hunter unless. You’re not really camping unless. It’s such a pointless and divisive way of thinking. 

Thankfully, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources does not think that way. They are more considered with getting people outdoors and meeting them where they are in their outdoor recreation journey. As opposed to bending them to their will.

That’s why I was so excited when they announced in 2025 that they were partnering with Timberline Glamping Company to bring glamping to seven Pennsylvania state parks in 2026. The public would have the chance to reserve one of the 54 fully outfitted sites —no gear needed. 

Glamping will be available in Pymatuning, Hills Creek, Promised Land, Hickory Run, French Creek, Codorus and Laurel Hill State Parks. 

Timberline will provide the beds, heat, air conditioning, coffee maker, linens, pillows and comfortable accommodations. All you have to bring is an open mind and a sense of adventure. 

These wonderful glamping spots are creating space for everyone to experience the magic of nature in their own way. By making the outdoors accessible for everyone- from people who don’t own camping gear to those physically unable to sleep in a tent - glamping is opening doors, breaking down barriers and reimagining what it means to “get outside.” 

Because nature belongs to all of us — whether you’re sleeping under the stars or under a heated canopy.

On this episode I speak with Nathan and Rebeka Self, founders of Timberline Glamping Company, and Kaitlyn Gundersen-Thorpe, manager of the French Creek State Park Complex. 

Be sure to support our 2025 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association
Purple Lizard Maps
Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
Sisters' Sunflowers

Support the show

Visit our website to learn more about the podcast, to purchase merch and to find out about our incredible sponsors. Follow us on Instagram and Meta to stay connected.

Hosting, production and editing: Christian Alexandersen
Music: Jon Sauer
Graphics: Matt Davis

In Pennsylvania, every state park has its purpose. Allegheny Islands shows people what undeveloped islands once looked like on the river. Colton Point features stunning views of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. And Pine Grove Furnace highlights the iron making industry crucial to Pennsylvania and America’s growth.

But are there any places set aside for learning and study. As it turns out, there is. One such place is Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center.

Located in Berks County, Nolde Forest was established as the first environmental education center operated by DCNR’s Bureau of State Parks in the 1970s. It is dedicated to helping visitors and community members develop sound environmental ethics based upon science.

The park has provided a wide variety of nature-based educational programs for students, teachers, organizations and families. Students take part in guided, hands-on activities that let them explore unique ecosystems and deepen their awareness, appreciation and understanding of the natural environment.

Nolde Forest also functions as an outdoor laboratory for biologists, college students and natural resource professionals conducting a wide range of environmental studies and research projects. Topics that have been studied in the park include everything from water quality and songbirds to small mammals and reptiles. 

But I know what you’re thinking, “Christian, bubbie, I’m not a child or a scientist. Is there anything for me there?” Don’t worry, I got you, player. 

As much as Nolde Forest is about serious study and learning, it also about recreation. The park has hiking trails, historic structures, ponds, streams and more to explore. 

 On this episode, I speak with Brent Erb. Brent is the center manager at Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center. 

Be sure to support our 2025 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association
Purple Lizard Maps
Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
Sisters' Sunflowers

Support the show

Visit our website to learn more about the podcast, to purchase merch and to find out about our incredible sponsors. Follow us on Instagram and Meta to stay connected.

Hosting, production and editing: Christian Alexandersen
Music: Jon Sauer
Graphics: Matt Davis

One of the strangest things about getting older has been the shift in my interests. Despite being intensely curious as a kid, I never cared about nature growing up. I didn’t climb trees or capture bugs or explore creeks. 

But as I’ve gotten older all that’s changed. Which has made me feel like I’m constantly catching up to those that spent their early lives trekking through the woods, paddling on rivers and exploring the natural world. 

I often think to myself, “Am I too old to start learning how to identify trees? What’s the point of birding if it’s going to take me 20 years to catch up? Is it sad that I do a podcast about nature while still knowing so little about it?” A little imposter syndrome mixed in there, of course. 

Luckily, my positive self-talk tamps those thoughts down long enough to embrace my curiosity. And since I’ve spent so much time outside, I’ve found more subjects I want to learn about. One of those topics is geology. 

Who else can relate to walking around and finding a cool looking rock or fossil and thinking, “I wonder what this is?” I know I do it all the time. 

You can’t spend much time in Pennsylvania without running into examples of incredible geology. From the Appalachian and Allegheny Mountains to the Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers, Pennsylvania is packed with geologic features. 

State parks like Leonard Harrison, Ricketts Glen, Worlds End, McConnells Mill and Hickory Run are just a few state lands that have unique rocks, boulders, minerals, fossils and cliffs on full, beautiful display. Quartz, slate, shale, limestone, sandstone and marble are woven throughout the Commonwealth. 

And they can be found, literally, everywhere. Under our feet and above our heads. On the sides of the road and in the middle of forests. Rocks are just cool. But, as I’ve said, I don’t know very much about them. So I wanted to interview someone who did. 

On this episode I speak with Russell Losco. Russ is a soil scientist & geologist adjunct professor at West Chester University and the host of the PCPG's A Poorly Sorted but Well Rounded Series. 

Be sure to support our 2025 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association
Purple Lizard Maps
Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
Sisters' Sunflowers

Support the show

Visit our website to learn more about the podcast, to purchase merch and to find out about our incredible sponsors. Follow us on Instagram and Meta to stay connected.

Hosting, production and editing: Christian Alexandersen
Music: Jon Sauer
Graphics: Matt Davis

What is it that makes a state park special? It’s a question I’ve asked my self countless times since I began exploring Pennsylvania’s public lands in 2021. 

For some it’s deep, meaningful history to indigenous cultures, to early settlers or even to industry. For others its beautiful features like waterfalls, old growth forests and scenic vistas. And for many it’s the landscapes that allow them to hike, bike, paddle, birdwatch, hunt, fish and more.

For me, I’ve found that parks I deem special share a lot of these components. I want some history. I want something beautiful to look at. And I want a park that provides me with the opportunity to explore and discover. 

One of those places for me is Salt Springs State Park. Located less than 10 miles from the New York border, Salt Springs State Park is special. Now, I can’t guarantee YOU will find it special, but I think it’s pretty damn cool.

Here’s a quick list of some of thing things I think are special that we’ll delve further into this episode. It’s got an old growth forest, three waterfalls, meadows, historic buildings, pre-colonial and early-American history, fascinatin geology, hiking trails, camping and so much more. 

But best of all, it’s in the middle of nowhere. So your hikes won’t be disturbed by road noise and it’s likely you wont find a crowded park. Wouldn’t that be nice for a change.  

Salt Springs State Park is special and it should be near the top of your list if it’s not already. Yes, it’s a bit of a drive depending on where you live, but the best places are always worth the extra time it takes to get there. 

On this episode, I speak with Lee Dillon. Lee is the manager of the Lackawanna State Park Complex which includes Salt Springs State Park. 

Be sure to support our 2025 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association
Purple Lizard Maps
Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
Sisters' Sunflowers

Support the show

Visit our website to learn more about the podcast, to purchase merch and to find out about our incredible sponsors. Follow us on Instagram and Meta to stay connected.

Hosting, production and editing: Christian Alexandersen
Music: Jon Sauer
Graphics: Matt Davis

When people think about history, especially armed conflicts, many picture dusty textbooks, old maps and long-forgotten generals. But here in Pennsylvania, history isn’t just words on a page—it’s written into the very ground beneath our feet.

From the rolling hills of Gettysburg, where the fate of a nation turned in just three days, to the banks of the Brandywine, where the Revolutionary War nearly lost its footing, to the quiet frontier where settlers clashed in the Whiskey Rebellion—Pennsylvania has been a crossroads for some of the most important struggles in American history.

In fact, you can’t tell the history of America without looking at the battles that scarred Pennsylvania’s landscape. When hatchets, arrows, bullets, swords and cannons left thousands of dead bodies on what was once was peaceful forests and fields.

It’s also true that you can’t tell the stories of Pennsylvania’s parks, forests and public lands without looking at the battles that shaped our history. Places like Point State Park, Washington Crossing State Park and Fort Necessity National Battlefield are just a couple of the public lands that we can enjoy and appreciate today.

Not to mention places like Colonel Denning State Park, Francis Slocum State Park and Ricketts Glen State Park which are named after influential service members and survivors of battles. The very parks we visit, trails we hike and sites we explore have meaning. And it’s important that we know about these hallowed grounds. 

Now I understand that history is not for everyone. But I think it’s all in how you learn about it. History isn’t just about battle lines, troop movements and bloody war stories. It’s so much more than that.

It’s about ordinary people—farmers, shopkeepers, immigrants, and families—whose lives were upended by battles happening in their backyards. It’s about how communities responded to chaos, how a landscape carried on the memory of those lost and how the echoes of cannon fire shaped the Pennsylvania we live in today. 

So even if you don’t think you’re a “history person,” stick around. Because the battles that happened here aren’t just about the past—they’re about understanding the public lands we have right now.

On this episode, I speak with Brady Crytzer. Brady teaches history at Robert Morris University and is the author of several books about Pennsylvania history. 

Be sure to support our 2025 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association
Purple Lizard Maps
Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
Sisters' Sunflowers

Support the show

Visit our website to learn more about the podcast, to purchase merch and to find out about our incredible sponsors. Follow us on Instagram and Meta to stay connected.

Hosting, production and editing: Christian Alexandersen
Music: Jon Sauer
Graphics: Matt Davis

When you stand on the ridgeline of South Mountain and look out across the valleys, you see more than just trees and farmland. You see orchards stretching toward the horizon, you see trails that have carried travelers for centuries and you see small, thriving towns that grew out of rocky soil.

This beautiful ridgeline is the northern terminus of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a billion-year old mountain range that stretches 550 miles across eight states. 

South Mountain isn’t just a line on a map—it’s the beating heart of south-central Pennsylvania. But here’s the thing: landscapes like this don’t stay special on their own. They face pressures from development, from climate change, from people loving them a little too much—or sometimes not enough.

That’s where the South Mountain Partnership comes in. The organization serves as a public-private partnership between the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.  Over time, it’s grown into an alliance of citizens, businesses, non-profits, academic institutions, and local, state and federal government agencies and officials collaborating to envision and secure a sustainable future for the South Mountain landscape.

This unique coalition is working together to protect not just the forests and farms, but the culture, the history and the very sense of place that makes South Mountain what it is. Because when you talk about protecting a landscape, you’re really talking about protecting people’s lives, their heritage and their future.

And in South Mountain, all those things are tightly bound together.

On this episode, I speak with Katie Hess and Julia Chain. Katie is the director and Julia is the program manager at the South Mountain Partnership.

Be sure to support our 2025 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association
Purple Lizard Maps
Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
Sisters' Sunflowers

Support the show

Visit our website to learn more about the podcast, to purchase merch and to find out about our incredible sponsors. Follow us on Instagram and Meta to stay connected.

Hosting, production and editing: Christian Alexandersen
Music: Jon Sauer
Graphics: Matt Davis

When you stand at the edge of Hyner View State Park, it feels like Pennsylvania has stretched itself out just for you. Rolling mountains covered in endless green, the West Branch of the Susquehanna winding far below, and a sky so wide it makes you want to take flight.

In fact, people do—Hyner View is one of the state’s most famous hang-gliding spots, where the bold launch themselves into the open air. I’ve been fortunate enough to see gliders taking off from the park’s summit and it is a sight to behold. 

While the Hyner View is beautiful no matter the time of year, in autumn it becomes a colorful masterpiece. The endless ridges fade into the horizon and are set ablaze with fiery reds, glowing oranges and warm golds, as if the mountains themselves are smoldering. From the overlook, you can watch the Susquehanna carve its way through the valley below. 

Hyner View provides my favorite view in all of the Commonwealth. If I’m within an hour of the park, I must stop just to take in the breathtaking view of the Pennsylvania Wilds.

But Hyner isn’t just about the view. Just a few miles down the road, Hyner Run State Park offers a quieter, more grounded escape. The park feels like one of those secret spots you stumble upon and instantly want to keep to yourself. Tucked in a narrow valley, the park wrapped in trees make you feel protected from the world outside its boundaries.  

A cool mountain stream winds through the valley, drawing families to its swimming pool in summer and anglers to its trout-filled waters in spring. Trails climb from the valley floor into the surrounding forest, offering quiet paths where deer slip through the underbrush and birdsong replaces the hum of traffic. 

Hyner Run is a place where camping, hiking, and simple stillness come together. Together, these two parks tell a story of contrast—one that lifts you into the sky, and another that brings you back to the forest. 

On this episode, I speak with Ian Loewen. Ian is the environmental education specialist for Hyner Run and Hyner View State Parks. 

Be sure to support our 2025 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association
Purple Lizard Maps
Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
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Support the show

Visit our website to learn more about the podcast, to purchase merch and to find out about our incredible sponsors. Follow us on Instagram and Meta to stay connected.

Hosting, production and editing: Christian Alexandersen
Music: Jon Sauer
Graphics: Matt Davis

As the sun dips below the tree line and the night sky takes over, a quiet but critical process begins above our heads. Tiny silhouettes flit through the dark, weaving between branches and barn rafters, doing the work of a thousand pesticides—silently, efficiently and for free.

These are Pennsylvania’s bats, and despite their bad reputation in folklore and films, they’re some of the hardest-working—and most misunderstood—members of our ecosystem.

Bats matter more than most people realize. These nocturnal mammals play a critical role in keeping our environment balanced. They eat thousands of insects every night—mosquitoes, moths, beetles and other crop-damaging pests—saving farmers millions of dollars and helping reduce the need for chemical pesticides.

While bats may be stealthy in the sky, their struggles are becoming increasingly visible on the ground. Populations have plummeted in recent years due to threats like habitat loss, climate change and —perhaps most devastating of all—White-nose Syndrome, a deadly fungal disease that’s wiped-out entire colonies across the Northeast.

Though these creatures are vital, there aren’t a ton of local people and organizations working to protect these essential creatures in Pennsylvania. There are even fewer helping bats that have been injured or impacted.

That’s where Pennsylvania Bat Conservation and Rehabilitation steps in. 

They provide rescue and rehabilitation support for bats that are brought to their facility. Their staff and volunteers have committed much of their lives to helping re-introduce bats back into the wild. Once reintroduced, these bats can continue their incredible work in nature. 

But caring for bats can be a difficult and costly endeavor. There are few grants available and finding volunteers to help with such misunderstood creatures can be challenging. So that means we must do whatever we can to help Pennsylvania Bat Rescue and Rehabilitation. 

Donations. Sponsorships. Volunteers. Anything we can do to help. 

In fact, I am pledging a $100 donation to the organization to help with their important work. This money comes from podcast sticker and magnet purchases listeners have made over the last couple of years. So please, do what you can. 

On this episode I speak with Stephanie Stronsick. Stephanie is the founder and director of Pennsylvania Bat Conservation and Rehabilitation. 

Be sure to support our 2025 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association
Purple Lizard Maps
Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
Sisters' Sunflowers

Support the show

Visit our website to learn more about the podcast, to purchase merch and to find out about our incredible sponsors. Follow us on Instagram and Meta to stay connected.

Hosting, production and editing: Christian Alexandersen
Music: Jon Sauer
Graphics: Matt Davis