Latest news with #JohnHallas
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania DCNR welcomes newest class of ranger, manager trainees
NEWPORT, Pa. (WHTM) — Pennsylvania's newest class of park rangers and manager trainees graduated Thursday and will soon be serving at a state park near you. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources said 27 graduates make up the 2025 class from the ranger and park manager trainee academy. They were celebrated at Little Buffalo State Park in Perry County Thursday. 'Our rangers and park managers are key to providing positive visitor experiences, in addition to their duties as sworn law enforcement officers,' said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. 'We are proud of the Class of 2025. Their dedication and hard work during training have prepared them for long, successful careers in our state parks system, and I look forward to seeing their impact this summer and beyond.' The trainees completed a 19-week academy focused on visitor services, educational programming, equipment use, and law enforcement training. 'Completing the ranger academy is a tremendous accomplishment, and I am excited to see these graduates put their training into action as public servants across our parks,' said State Parks Director John Hallas. 'This group has shown great dedication and a strong commitment to service.' Download the abc27 News+ app on your Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and Apple TV devices Rangers must be Pennsylvania residents, be 21 years old, have a valid drivers license, first aid, and CPR certifications, and pass the Pennsylvania Civil Service Commission exam. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania state parks see rise in campsite reservations across state. Here's why
State parks and forests in Pennsylvania have experienced a nearly 30% increase overall in campsite reservations over last year which may lead to a record-breaking summer. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) has about 7,100 campsites and as of the end of March, 24% of them have already been reserved between Memorial Day and Labor Day. DCNR state parks director John Hallas said the agency is seeing an increase in people wanting to reserve a variety of campsites across the state. 'I think in general it's all types of campsites and certainly in all the parks that have been popular,' he said, including Bald Eagle and Prince Gallitzin state parks with lakes and reservoirs. 'Those parks that have a large impoundment, a resource you can be close to in an overnight status, have certainly been of interest.' The DCNR is also seeing an increased interest in campsites close to other attractions. For example, Trough Creek State Park is not right on the side of an impoundment but is relatively close to Raystown Lake where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has temporarily closed some of its campsites because of a federal hiring freeze. 'That little park, and it's a little park (541 acres), with its 189% increase, was sort of a shocking number. We've only seen numbers like that during COVID,' he said about Trough Creek. 'Because of its proximity, you can get to a Raystown launch area with your boat,' he said. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Baltimore District, which oversees operations of numerous Flood Risk Management and recreation sites throughout the Susquehanna and Potomac River Basins, has closed several campgrounds and beaches because of staffing shortages. At Raystown Lake in Hesston, Seven Points, Susquehannock, and Nancy's Boat-to-Shore Campgrounds will remain closed until further notice. At Tioga-Hammond and Cowanesque Lakes in Tioga, Tompkins Campground, including its swim beach and boat ramp, will remain closed until further notice. But in general, more people are reserving state park campsites than in previous years. 'Across the board in our other parks, it's not any one facility type, it's not full-service hookups versus electric sites versus rustic or camping cottages, or yurts. We're seeing a general increase across the board in reservations for all of those,' Hallas said. 'I certainly attribute it to great public awareness, the Pennsylvania Great American Getaway that Gov. Shapiro launched last year and the Still Open, Still Awesome campaign that we just launched this year to let our visitors know of our readiness to receive them in our overnight accommodations,' he said. In central Pennsylvania, the DCNR noted a 37% increase in state park campsite bookings in March with 4,367 reservations compared to 3,180 reservations in March 2024. That area includes the federal U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers properties that aren't scheduled to be open this summer. In eastern Pennsylvania, state park registrations in March were 4,810 compared to 3,515 in March 2024 for a similar 37% increase. 'You think about your classic Pocono parks, Hickory Run and Promise Land, I think it's a variety of factors and that sort of an acknowledgment that we're ready and that reminder that 'We're still open, and we're always awesome,'' he said about the state's campaign. 'The eastern side of the state has the heaviest population so we're drawing those in-state users to our overnight accommodations. That Philadelphia market has historically traveled to the Poconos for their public land experiences in state parks and state forests." In northcentral Pennsylvania, the DCNR recorded 3,345 registrations in state parks in March compared to 2,581 in March 2024 for a 30% increase. Hallas said parks with impoundments have been seeing the surge in interest like Hills Creek State Park in Wellsboro. Western Pennsylvania has had a 14% increase with 3,167 March state park reservations compared to 2,778 in March 2024. The good news for campers is that the parks are not fully booked. 'We still have room for more. Over weekends and especially holiday weekends we probably are getting very tight, but certainly during the weekdays, for people planning week-long vacations or multi-day vacations that they can take the time and be on a park or state forest during the week, there's greater availability certainly during the weekdays than the weekend at this juncture,' he said. A state park campground host camper isn't surprised by the increase in people wanting to stay overnight at a park. Terry Sellers of Hopewell, Bedford County, serves with his wife, Linda, as the Kooser State Park hosts in Somerset County for two months of the camping season. 'We're retired and it gives us something to do and we enjoy being around people,' he said. They've been camping for about 30 years and have been helping others as hosts for the past four years. He likes the rustic nature that comes with staying in a state park. 'We just like to get away, we're not big touristy people. We just get outside and enjoy it,' he said about relaxing. Camping is a great way to reconnect with family members. Randy and Jessica Baker of Ligonier enjoy camping with her parents and children at Kooser. 'We've been camping since I was born,' she said about camping for roughly 50 years. 'We like the quietness, the calmness. There isn't a lot of activity and it's not loud. It's more outdoorsy,' she said. They also go to other state parks like Keystone and some other federal sites like Loyalhanna Lake and Youghiogheny River Lake and spend time fishing. Her mother, Donna O'Brocto of Acme said they enjoy state parks. 'They are all clean,' she said. 'We've been camping here for 51 years.' They also enjoy family meals with the food being made over a fire including chicken, barbecued ribs, steaks, chili and fish. She isn't surprised the DCNR is seeing more interest in campsites. 'We've seen it since COVID,' she said. Her daughter agreed. 'I think a lot more people are discovering it, too, because of social media, RV sites, TikTok. I think people are discovering they (state parks) are quieter than other campgrounds and the price is great,' Baker said. Her husband Randy, added, 'When you come out of this, you don't need a vacation from the vacation. You feel like you rested.' The agency is looking to expand its camping facilities where possible. Susquehanna Riverlands in York County became a state park in 2022 and work is underway to make overnight accommodations. 'Everything from walk-in sites to full service hook up RV sites,' he said. 'We hope to have that campground under construction in the 2026 timeframe,' he said with campsites and more trails being open in the following two years. The DCNR is also looking at creating about half of a dozen Great Gatherings campsites over the next three years where small groups or several family members could set up camps near each other. The first one just opened at Shawnee State Park in Bedford County. 'Those are large multi-generational, multi-family sites that can accommodate up to 15 folks. We recognize that growing trend of people wanting to travel together and be on the same site and not have to traverse between campsites between grandma and grandpa, the parents and the kids, you can have three generations camping in that one campground. For them all to be on the same Great Gathering site, is important and we recognize that,' Halls said. Reservations for state park campsites can be made online at or by calling 888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757). Hallas reminds campers not to wait too long to make a reservation. 'Once you're there, I'm sure they will have a great time making memories with friends and family and gaining the experiences they want to get out of their time in Pennsylvania's state parks,' he said. Brian Whipkey is the outdoors columnist for USA TODAY Network sites in Pennsylvania. Contact him at bwhipkey@ and sign up for our weekly Go Outdoors PA newsletter email on this website's homepage under your login name. Follow him on Facebook @whipkeyoutdoors. This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Pa. state park state forests see rising interest in campsites
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
‘Still Open, Still Awesome': DCNR highlights open state campgrounds
(WTAJ) — Some campgrounds could remain closed this summer due to the federal hiring freeze, including three sites at Raystown Lake. But in response, Pennsylvania has launched a new campaign letting campers know the state-run parks remain ready for reservations. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is behind the 'Still Open, Still Awesome' campaign. It highlights the 124 state parks and over 2-million acres of state forest that are free to the public all year-round. The DCNR said for the upcoming summer, they've already seen reservations at state park campsites increase by 30%. Raystown campgrounds could open if federal hiring freeze ends Some of the increase could come from other campsite closures, but John Hallas, State Parks Director for DCNR, said it could also be because of a change in how people want to spend their free time. 'Across the board, we went up in total visitation 27% between 2019 and 2020. But as I stated earlier, I think a lot of people that weren't maybe typical or regular park users or campers, during COVID discovered us and followed us and that that trend line has been rising as far as visitation and use ever since COVID,' Hallas said. State campsites can be booked up to 11 months in advance and some weekends and holidays this summer are already nearly full. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
