Thanks to the Keystone Fund, this route is a beautiful destination for outdoor enthusiasts and boasts one of the most impressive rail-trails in Pennsylvania. The 165-mile trail cuts through 4,500 acres of river gorge parkland along the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers, weaving past stunning landscapes, historic towns, dramatic waterfalls, and the remnants of the Lehigh and Delaware canals.
Read
The 21-acre Island Park, nestled between the Schuylkill River and the Reading and Blue Mountain Railroads, is Schuylkill Haven’s only remaining open recreational space. Before the flood, the area accommodated a few softball and soccer fields. The community had considered improvements to the park over the years. But the flood damage forced them to start from scratch.
Read
Although Columbia has always been technically on the map, the community is now a destination. Instead of stumbling upon it, visitors seek out its recreational opportunities. These visitors are not just spending their time in the borough–they’re spending their money.
Read
The Center is a pioneer in connecting children to the outdoors. It offers public programs for all ages, engages schools in diverse nature education, and runs a popular summer camp. In the fall of 2013, the Center opened the Schuylkill Center Nature Preschool, Pennsylvania’s first nature-based preschool, immersing toddlers in nature and the outdoors.
Read
For three decades, Montgomery County Parks and Heritage Services had ranked the 78-acre property as a high priority for land conservation. The property contains prime agricultural soils, wildlife-rich woodland habitat, and the confluence of Montgomery County’s only two high-quality streams, Unami Creek and Ridge Valley Creek.
Read
Not long ago, the neglected 80-acre property at Wingfield Pines offered nothing to the community except the thousands of gallons of abandoned mine drainage (AMD) it poured into Chartiers Creek every day. The land had been strip mined in the 1940s, and was later home to a failed golf and swim club. However, Allegheny Land Trust (ALT) saw potential in the site and took steps to acquire the land.
Read
Standing on the white rocky cliffs along the Appalachian Trail, one is rewarded for the uphill hike with a breathtaking panoramic view of farms and forest. Once threatened by development, 850 acres of forested ridgeline are now permanently protected. Their preservation safeguards an unbroken forest habitat, amazing geological formations, and a place to take in stunning views.
Read
Within six years, the first section of the Pine Creek Rail Trail–a 17-mile stretch–was opened to the public, connecting Ansonia to Blackwell. Since then, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and its partners have added dozens of miles and numerous amenities to the rail trail. With the money from the Keystone Fund, DCNR has rehabilitated bridges to enhance beauty and safety and built parking lots and public restrooms that offer modern conveniences to this rustic path.
Read
Fortunately, ClearWater Conservancy worked with numerous partners and received a Keystone Fund grant to fund the acquisition of the land. In preserving Musser Gap, ClearWater not only protected an important habitat for golden eagles and other wildlife, but also helped to safeguard the drinking water for more than 40,000 residents in the State College region.
Read
With support from the Keystone Fund, volunteers from Muncy Historical Society and Museum of History led community members and other partners in an effort to turn the the donated open land into a public park complete with a trail system, picnic pavilion, educational exhibits, and a model of the lock system once employed by the canal.
Read
But spring isn’t the only time to enjoy the area. The wilderness delights visitors year-round who come to hike, boat, fish, and view wildlife. Hiking trails lead visitors though the largest forest corridor in central and eastern Pennsylvania, offering spectacular views of the Minsi Valley and glimpses of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and more.
Read
Long Swamp, a relic of the last ice age, is now a permanently protected haven that provides a unique outdoor experience for children from all around the world. 15,000 years ago Pennsylvania was covered in glaciers. As the climate warmed and the glaciers receded, massive melting formed a boreal bog. Over time this bog became […]
Read
With a grant from the Keystone Fund and support from the local community, the Authority renovated the pool, adding water slides, a diving board, a fountain where children can play, and separate pools for babies and toddlers.
Read
In addition to reconnecting people to the beautiful Brodhead Creek, the trail system provides easy connections to 14 public parks, three playgrounds, two skate parks, a dozen ball fields, two swimming pools, two fishing ponds, a disc golf course, a regular golf course, nine schools, a university, a community center, and two downtown historic districts. An ADA accessible trailhead provides trail access to the trail as well as to a wide overlook area at the top of the levee with park benches and an informational kiosk.
Read
Once an unsightly and polluted lot in an economically depressed neighborhood, John O. Green Memorial Park is now a lively public park and vital community resource. It is also the only park in the Borough of West Chester that offers a water play feature. When the weather gets warm, people from all over the borough gather at the park to keep their children cool.
Read
Planning for the Hanover Trolley Trail began in earnest in 2009 when Keystone Fund grants helped bring together the York County Rail Trail Authority and local officials to examine the opportunities and challenges associated with the development of the trail on the former trolley line.
Read
The sweeping meadows are planted with drought-resistant native species to manage stormwater. The greenway and its amenities, including a paved riverfront esplanade, seating areas, and interpretive signs detailing the history and ecology of the area, are ADA accessible.
Read
When the canal system became obsolete in the late 1850s, the canal basin was deserted, and eventually a portion was drained and filled with cinders. Later it became a utility company’s junkyard, littered with creosote-soaked poles. Support from the Keystone Fund enabled officials, community members, and local organizations to join forces to restore the canal basin, reclaiming the historical asset and turning it into a popular park. The Hollidaysburg Women’s Club played an integral role in the project.
Read
Once a prison camp during the Revolutionary War, Camp Security is now an oasis of natural beauty located in the rapidly developing landscape around the city of York.
Read
Come summer, there’s nothing to compare to the relief afforded by a dip in the water – be it a stream, a lake, or a swimming pool. Thanks to the Keystone Fund, improved beach and pool access for swimmers of all abilities is now possible in locations as diverse as the lakefront at Poe Valley and the swimming pool at Ryerson Station.
Read
