Featured Project: Ghost Town Trail Completes 32-Mile Loop, Second-Longest in U.S. |
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After years of hard work, the Ghost Town Trail loop is officially complete.
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) staff recently joined officials from Cambria County Conservation and Recreation Authority to celebrate the loop’s opening.
At 32 miles, it’s the second-longest looped rail trail in the United States.
The Ghost Town Trail started in the early 1990’s as a 12-mile stretch between Dilltown (Indiana County) and Nanty Glo (Cambria County). Today, the trail stretches 54 miles through southwestern Pennsylvania.
DCNR has supported the trail with multiple grants over the years totaling more than $2 million. The most recent grant finished the loop trail by building more than a mile of trail, two bridges, and a pedestrian box culvert under a road.
A federally designated National Recreation Trail, the Ghost Town Trail has benefited from many partners at the local, state, and federal level. The final DCNR grant to close the trail loop came from federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
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Featured Project: South Mountain Partnership Holds Spring Meeting |
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Last month, the South Mountain Partnership, one of Pennsylvania’s eight conservation landscapes, convened in Dillsburg, York County for their annual spring meeting and trail coalition gathering.
The South Mountain Conservation Landscape includes portions of Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, and York counties in southcentral Pennsylvania.
More than 80 people attended the gathering from across the region, including multiple state and local elected officials.
A spirit of collaboration was evident in each speaker's comments. There was a shared understanding of how the conservation landscape’s work local communities and economies grow and prosper.
“Our meetings bring people together to build upon conversations about protecting our shared home,” said Katie Hess, external lead for the South Mountain Conservation Landscape. “We left inspired by the speakers who all have shared values when it comes to balancing quality of life, conservation, and development for generations to come.”
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A big part of South Mountain Partnership’s—and the Conservation Landscapes Program’s—mission is advancing social, economic, and environmental work through collaboration with a wide range of partners. The model is designed to build trust and ensure work endures for future generations.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources supports the conservation landscapes with funding from the Environmental Stewardship Fund.
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Funding Opportunity: Healing the Planet Grants |
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Pennsylvania River Sojourn Grants Announced |
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The Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR) recently announced recipients of this year’s Pennsylvania River Sojourn grants.
POWR administers the Pennsylvania Sojourn Program in partnership with the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Funding comes from the Environmental Stewardship Fund.
The grants support between 10 and 15 paddling events each year. Together, the events cover more than 500 river miles, 50 on-the-water days, and 100 educational programs.
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Sojourns are more than outdoor activities. They provide a tool for raising awareness about Pennsylvania’s rivers and the issues affecting them.
To find a sojourn to join this year, visit the 2026 River Sojourn Story Map.
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Mary Hundt Promoted to Rivers Program Specialist |
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| The Bureau of Recreation and Conservation congratulates Mary Hundt on her recent promotion to Rivers Program Specialist.
Mary joined the bureau in 2023 as a grant manager specializing in river-related projects. Since then, she has led colleagues in updating the Waterway Recreation and Conservation Plan scope of work. She is also part of several committees related to the Chesapeake Bay and climate resilience.
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