Hemlocks to Hellbenders

For every Pennsylvanian that grew up stomping through creeks, wandering through the woods and exploring our magnificent forests, there’s many more that are just discovering the outdoors. 

Maybe they grew up in a city. Or they mostly played sports. Or their families didn’t have an outdoor background. But now, they’ve found the beauty and splendor of our wonderful public lands. 

That’s so great to see. New people from different backgrounds finding joy in the outdoors. However, not everyone is automatically comfortable in the outdoors. Maybe they’re afraid of bears or snakes or strangers or getting lost. 

They don’t know where they can learn in a welcoming environment and how to develop community. And they don’t know where to start.

That’s where Centred Outdoors comes in. Based in Central Pennsylvania, Centered Outdoors invites everyone, of every age, background, or fitness level, to explore and enjoy outdoor recreation destinations throughout Centre and surrounding counties.

They host various programs and activities that cost nothing to participate in and are always open to the public. Whether you’re brand new or a seasoned hiker, there’s always a place for you at a Centred Outdoors event.

And their events include everything from guided hikes and yoga to campfire gatherings and art workshops. There really is something for everyone at Centred Outdoors. 

I am always jealous of the people that live in and around Centre County, because they have access to these awesome activities and programs. It’s just a little too far from me here in Cumberland County to go up every weekend. And that’s about how often I wish I could participate in their events. 

But even if you don’t live in Central Pennsylvania, the activities and programs hosted by Centred Outdoors are worth the trip. And the region will definitely keep you busy if you decided to do so. 

On this episode, I speak with Olivia Stas to the podcast. Olivia is the program coordinator for Centred Outdoors. 

Be sure to support our 2026 sponsors:
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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

The more time I’ve spent outdoors, the more I’ve learned about the threats our trees face here in Pennsylvania. It seems like every other day I’m finding out about a new disease or invasive plant or insect that’s come to our shores and is devastating our trees. 

It’s sad to see our forests choked by kudzu vines. To see our trees impacted by the emerald ash borer, spongy moth and hemlock woolly adelgid. To see the once mighty American Chestnut tree wiped out by blight. 

And lets not forget about other issues like over foresting, wildfires and climate change. All taking a bite from our forests. One tree at a time. 

We will never have the forests that our ancestors would have seen. Old growth trees are limited to a few areas in the Commonwealth. And development has sliced most of our forests into bite-sized pieces. 

But that doesn’t mean we just give up. No way. 

A dedicated group of scientists and foresters are working to address these issues, protect our forests and stay ahead of the future threats that may try to take even more trees from our landscape.  

They are testing out new methods and processes that could save the trees that we have and, hopefully, prevent more species from being taken from us. But it’s not easy work. They are constantly having to adapt to new threats present in an ever-connected world. 

It’s incredibly important work. Anyone who cares for the outdoors – whether you’re a hunter or a hiker – needs to know about what each of us can do to address these threats on our property and help these scientists protect our forests. 

On this episode, I speak with Rosa Yoo. Rosa is a Forest Health Manager with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Bureau of Forestry. 

Be sure to support our 2026 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association

Purple Lizard Maps

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation

Sisters' Sunflowers

Discover Clarion County

Go Laurel Highlands 

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

Little Buffalo State Park is the place that kicked off my love for Pennsylvania’s state parks. I’ve told this story many times, but I’ll do it quickly here right now. 

In 2020, my wife Abby and I were looking for something to do after brunch. The world was beginning to open up during the COVID 19 pandemic and we didn’t want to spend any more time cooped up in our house. 

So, we went for a drive through Perry County and happened upon Little Buffalo State Park. On this beautiful day we were treated to majestic scenery. The trees and mountains reflecting off Holman Lake. 

In a time of such uncertainty, it felt like heaven. Like – for a moment – we were the only ones being treated to this spectacular nature. My unexpected visit to Little Buffalo that afternoon would lead me onto my journey where I would run a mile in all 121 state parks in Pennsylvania in 2021. 

And after 224 days, the last park in that journey was Little Buffalo. It was only fitting. That #121In21 Challenge led me to volunteering for outdoor organizations, serving on boards and committees, speaking to groups, starting this podcast and advocating for public lands. It all started with Little Buffalo State Park. 

We’ll be going deep into the park on this episode - from its historic buildings and hiking opportunities, to its yearly events and popular community pool. 

On this episode, I speak with Jim Eckert and Mindy Wilt. Jim is the manager and Mindy is the educator at Little Buffalo State Park. 

Be sure to support our 2026 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

What does it mean for a place to be truly quiet? It’s a question I’ve been pondering over the last several months following a webinar from the Keystone Trails Association and Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation. 

They had a discussion with Quiet Parks International – a nonprofit committed to saving quiet for the benefit of all life. Saving the quiet. What does that mean? 

Quiet’s not something I’ve ever thought much about. Growing up with my loud family, noisy traffic, ringing cell phones and roaring air conditioning, quiet was never an option. 

But, I’ve certainly experienced quiet on hiking trails. Right? Wrong. There’s always some sort of noise. If it’s not airplanes above or nearby cars and trucks, it’s a speaker from a selfish hiker or the hum of a factory or data center. 

Man, I don’t think I’ve ever experienced real quiet. But what does it matter? How bad can a little noise be. Actually, it can be really bad. 

It can lead to hearing loss, stress, anxiety, sleep disturbance, cardiovascular damage and more. But not only does noise affect us, it can affect the wildlife around us. Noise can disrupt wildlife behavior, migration patterns and communication. 

So what can we do and where can we go to experience quiet? Is it even possible? 

That’s what this episode’s guest is trying to find out. 

On this episode, I speak with Matthew Mikkelsen. Matt is an award-winning sound designer, field recordist, filmmaker, conservationist and chairperson for Quiet Parks International’s Board of Directors. 

Be sure to support our 2026 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association

Purple Lizard Maps

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation

Sisters' Sunflowers

Discover Clarion County

Go Laurel Highlands 

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

There’s a lot of thoughts that float through our minds when we’re out on the trails hiking. Am I in the right career? Is that snake poisonous? Look at that beautiful view! Did I leave the oven on? I need a bathroom, quick! 

Whatever we’re thinking about – whether it’s the joy we feel on a hike or working through some of our problems – it tends to center on ourselves. Our problems. Our joy. Our experience. Our views. 

The very thing below our feet – the trail – tends to be forgotten almost entirely. Little if any attention is paid to the magnificent pathway under our boots that’s allowing us to have these thoughts and experiences.

 We don’t think about how it was built, who built it, when it was built or who paid for it. The trail is there, so we hike it. The end. But, that’s nowhere near the end. 

The story of any trail is fascinating. From conception to completion it takes years even decades to finish. First, comes the idea - typically from a dedicated group of Pennsylvanians that want a trail in their community. That idea is followed by countless public hearings, community discussions and planning meetings. All the while they’re working to get approvals from everyone from the railroad to the bureau of forests. 

It’s a long, long process. And expensive. Groups spend years trying to raise money through donations and grants. And even if the money is raised and the approvals are given, then you gotta build the bloody thing.

It’s honestly amazing that we even have trails. The amount of work it takes for everyone – from the organizing group to the hands-on builder – is spectacular. It’s mind boggling. 

So much so, that I wanted to learn how trails are built here in Pennsylvania. How does one shape an unbroken forest into a beautiful trail? How long does it take? How much does it cost? 

Luckily, I got to see first-hand how natural surface trails are made as a member of the PA Trails Advisory Committee. I met this episode’s guest riding a machine, cutting a brand new trail in Rothrock State Forest. It was an experience that reshaped my thinking on trails and made me appreciate how much work goes into the trails we hike.

On this episode, I speak with Zachary Adams. Zach is the founder of Appalachian Dirt. 

Be sure to support our 2026 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association

Purple Lizard Maps

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation

Sisters' Sunflowers

Discover Clarion County

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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

Driving down Route 44 from Lycoming County to Montgomery County, you may be able to spot a brief break in the trees and rhododendrons. It’s so quick that if you blink, you’ll miss it. 

But if you slow down, you’ll see that it’s one of the smallest state parks in all of Pennsylvania. As you pull into the gravel parking lot, you’ll notice a few things. You’ll see a couple picnic tables, a few signs and a quiet stream. Look all the way to the left and then all the way to the right. That’s it. That is Upper Pine Bottom State Park.

When I first visited the park in 2021, while I was running a mile in all then 121 state parks, a park ranger at Little Pine State Park asked if I was visiting Upper Pine Bottom next. “You’re going to run a mile at Upper Pine Bottom?” he asked with a smile. I answered, “Yeah, why?” And he just laughed and said “good luck.”

When I got to the park a few minutes later, I got the joke. This park is tiny. Not small. Tiny. A gentleman was fishing when I first arrived to run my mile. As it was 90-plus degrees, I took off my shirt and started running laps in the small parking lot to get my necessary mile. 

The older man, seeing some crazy un-shirted man jogging laps, just packed up his gear and left. Leaving with a story he may still be telling to this day. I know I do.

So, why do an episode on this park if it’s so small. Because I firmly believe that all of our state parks matter. They may not all be great. But they all matter. Also, what better park to feature for our April Fools episode. I wanted to make this episode as short as the park is small.

On this episode, I speak with Haley Redmond. Haley is the manager of the Little Pine State Park Complex.  

Be sure to support our 2025 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association

Purple Lizard Maps

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation

Sisters' Sunflowers

Discover Clarion County

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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

If you’ve ever stood beside a cold mountain stream at first light — mist rising off the water, hemlocks towering overhead and the gentle sound of moving water— then you already understand the magic of Little Pine State Park.

Tucked deep in the rugged country of north-central Pennsylvania, this park is where brook trout still thrive, where the mountains become majestic green waves and where a simple weekend can feel like a full reset. Don’t we all deserve that?

At its heart flows Little Pine Creek, which eventually winds its way toward the legendary waters of Pine Creek and the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. The warm and coldwaters of Little Pine Creek and Little Pine Lake make the park the perfect place to catch trout, smallmouth bass, pickerel, sunfishes, catfishes and perch.

But Little Pine is more than just a fishing destination. It’s a story of conservation, of Civilian Conservation Corps craftsmanship, of reclaimed forests and carefully managed waters.

It’s a place where families pitch tents beneath the stars, where kayaks glide across the lake and where generations return year after year to reconnect with something slower, steadier and deeply Pennsylvanian. 

Heading into the valley, there’s just so much for visitors to explore. You can delve into the area’s fascinating history of native cultures, discover how conservation efforts rebuilt ancient forests, find out about the vast network of trails in and outside of the park and learn about the ways you can enjoy a day on the water. 

Little Pine State Park is a quiet treasure. A special place. Completely surrounded by Tiadaghton State Forest, Little Pine offers the escape many of us crave. 

If you ignored the modern roads, buildings and signs, it’s easy to see what this place looked like 200 years ago. A big, beautiful tract of forest that gets more wonderful every minute you spend in it.

Where your nostrils are filled with the sweet smell of the woods and not with car exhausts. Where your ears are filled with songbirds and not honking horns. Where you can get away but still feel right at home. 

On this episode, I speak with Haley Redmond to the podcast. Haley is the manager of the Little Pine State Park Complex. 

Be sure to support our 2025 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association

Purple Lizard Maps

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation

Sisters' Sunflowers

Discover Clarion County

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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

It’s December 26th, 1776. Gen. George Washington has just successfully gotten 2,400 men from the Continental Army across the Delaware River from Pennsylvania into New Jersey. 

The first year of the American Revolution has been a difficult one. The young United States has had few victories battling the highly skilled British army and their paid German mercenaries, the Hessians. 

Washington has retreated from New York after sustaining significant losses during the Battle of Long Island. Morale is low. Supplies even lower. Men are deserting. And it seems like the American Experiment is doomed before it’s really gotten started.

It is bitterly cold. In fact, the other detachments of 3,000 American troops never make it across the freezing river. Washington’s troops that did make it across the dangerous river crossing arrived several hours later than planned. The element of surprise might be lost.

But none of that matters at this moment. At this moment, Washington is in Trenton leading his troops on a surprise attack. Then, the first shots ring out as the Americans caught the Hessians off guard.

The Battle of Trenton was not a grand, orderly clash of polished armies. It was desperate, freezing, chaotic and brutally human.

While the battle itself lasted less than an hour, the victory at Trenton revived the Revolution. It proved the Continental Army could beat professional soldiers. It convinced many whose enlistments were about to expire to stay.

More than a battle, it was a turning point — a moment when a failing rebellion felt, for the first time in months, like it might survive. 

Now, while there’s plenty of state parks in Pennsylvania that highlight important history, people, communities, industries, resources, flora, fauna, animals and more. There aren’t many that highlight one specific event.

Washington Crossing Historic Park does just that. This episode will go into detail about this all-important surprise attack, but we’ll also delve into much more than just that one moment in time. 

As much as this park is meant to celebrate the brave actions of the Continental Army during the American Revolution, it also serves as a wonderful river-side escape for those looking to spend time outside. 

On this episode, I speak with Kimberly McCarty. Kim is the museum curator at Washington Crossing Historic Park.

Be sure to support our 2025 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association

Purple Lizard Maps

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation

Sisters' Sunflowers

Discover Clarion County

Go Laurel Highlands 

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 I was on my journey of running one mile in all-then 121 Pennsylvania state parks in 2021, I took notes after every run. It was an effort to make sure I would remember my experiences. I’d take notes like, I spotted a fox here. Or I fell there. Or I want to hike the full trail here. 

But one of the most important pieces of information I recorded was my overall feeling of the park. It’s difficult to get a sense of a natural landscape in just one mile, often running half a mile one way and then running half a mile back the same way. But some places just stand out and beg to be explored some more. 

Here’s what I wrote about Trough Creek State Park on March 13, 2021. “Well, this place is incredible. I have to come back.” It only takes a few seconds at Trough Creek to realize it’s special. And that it deserves more time to be explored. 

You even get that sense by just driving through the park. Traveling through the scenic gorge along the Great Trough Creek you see signs for Balanced Rock, Rainbow Falls, Ice Mine, Copperas Rocks, Paradise Furnace Cemetery and the suspension bridge.

Your mind can’t help but get excited by the idea of what the heck all these things are and how you can go see them. For outdoors people it feels like entering a theme park. What ride do I go on first? 

And with so many of these wonderful features, you’d expect it to be huge. Some place you’d need a week to explore. But that isn’t the case. At less than 600 acres with only 12 miles of hiking trails, you can see most if not all of it in a weekend. 

But this isn’t a one and done sort of park. Once you visit Trough Creek, it sinks its hooks into you. Its trails, its views, it’s features beckon you for many more visits. 

Despite the fact that Trough Creek is more than two hours from me, I’ve been there multiple times while passing other great state parks along the way. It is just that damn cool. And no matter how many times I’ve been there, I want to keep going back.

And that’s about the biggest complement I can give to a state park. 

On this episode, I speak with Michael Garbinsky. Michael is the environmental education specialist at Trough Creek State Park. 

Be sure to support our 2025 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association

Purple Lizard Maps

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation

Sisters' Sunflowers

Discover Clarion County

Go Laurel Highlands 

Support the show

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

Pymatuning State Park is big in every sense of the word. It is the largest state park in Pennsylvania. Its Pymatuning Reservoir is the largest lake in Pennsylvania. And it’s one of the most visited state parks with more than three and a half million visitors a year.

But just because it has these big qualities does not mean you’ll be unable to find your own peaceful spot at Pymatuning. For every space taken up by a family BBQing, there are nooks and crannies that allow you to explore the park that straddles the Ohio and Pennsylvania state lines.

And while there are plenty of great ways to discover the park on land, like by hiking or biking or even playing disc golf, this park needs to be explored by the water. The park’s crowning jewel is it’s 17,088-acre reservoir. 

 The Reservoir plays the perfect host for sailboats, motorboats, kayaks, canoes and paddleboards. The park has three marinas and three concession areas where you can rent a boat for the day. There’re also numerous boat launches located in both Ohio and Pennsylvania to get you on to the water safely. 

While in the water, you have the opportunity to explore the stunning beauty that this park has to offer. You can cast out lines and fish all day or simply paddle between the numerous islands. 

I can just imagine waking up early, and getting my kayak on the water. Silently paddling between islands as I take in the sounds of the birds and swaying trees around me. A perfect peaceful paddle. 

And you may be thinking at this point, “Christian, why haven’t you talked about the most well-known feature of Pymatuning State Park? Where the ducks walk on the backs of fish.” Don’t worry, we’re getting there. 

On this episode, I speak with Jared McGary. Jared is the environmental education specialist at Pymatuning State Park.

Be sure to support our 2025 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association

Purple Lizard Maps

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation

Sisters' Sunflowers

Discover Clarion County

Go Laurel Highlands 

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