Friends of Kings Gap

04/08/2026

Hi, everyone.

In spite of our recent cold spell, the Park is gearing up for another great year of warm-weather programs and events. Here is the Park’s April-May 2026 Program and Events Calendar.

There are volunteer workdays; bird box monitoring learning sessions; the Friends’ Annual Native Plant Sale; Mansion Sunday Open Houses; and Docent Orientation for those of you who may be interested in greeting visitors during the Mansion Open Houses, sharing information about the Mansion and the Park, and answering questions they may have about the Park and other nearby points of interest.

Come on up and visit us soon. It’s going to be another great year of exploration, learning, work, yoga, music, hiking, and more!

We look forward to seeing you at our programs!

01/02/2026

Good to know…

Stargazing isn’t just a summer activity ✨

Thanks to early darkness and low humidity, winter’s crystal-clear nights make for prime stargazing weather in PA. Camp out and discover some of the darkest skies on the Eastern Seaboard. You’ll realize you never *really* knew what stars looked like before.

⭐ Cherry Springs State Park, Coudersport
⭐ Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Gardners
⭐ Laurel Hill State Park, Somerset
⭐ Sproul State Forest, Renovo
⭐ Michaux State Forest, Fayetteville

👉 For more stargazing in Pennsylvania, check out the link below!

https://bit.ly/3KZQhue

📸: via Instagram

01/02/2026

Can’t think of a better way to usher in the New Year! Kudos to them.
👍❄️🔥

12/31/2025

LET KINGS GAP HELP YOU START OFF 2026 ON THE RIGHT FOOT!

Happy New Year! 🎉

Have fun tonight; but, please use a little restraint 'cause we'd love to have you start 2026 off strong by participating in the Park's First Day Hike!

***** Please remember to wear your Bright Orange! *****

First Day Hike is almost here! 8 am at Kings Gap Hollow...Who's in???

12/25/2025

Happy Holidays! Wishing you all a year ahead of peace, good health, and adventure.

We are looking forward to you visiting with us in 2026 - perhaps as early as our 1st Day Hike! Both we and the Park staff have many events and activities planned for you in the new year. Can’t wait to see you!

11/18/2025

Let's Help Make Telling People to "Take A Hike!" Always Be Interpreted As A Positive, Encouraging, Healthful Recommendation

In this time where words with previously positive connotations are being appropriated to imply something negative, now is our chance to take ownership of a phrase that's had a negative, but undeserving, connotation : "Take A Hike!". Take a look at SNL's Kevin Nealon's humorous PSA -link below- as he makes a case for the change.

This National Take a Hike Day on Monday, November 17 the Appalachian Trail Conservancy is redefining the phrase "take a hike" - literally! Right now, the dictionary defines it as a rude way to tell someone to leave. But we know that telling someone to “take a hike” is actually one of the kindest things you could say. Hiking, whether on the ~2,200 mile Appalachian Trail or in your local park, has countless benefits to mental and physical health. Join the movement to redefine Take a Hike in the dictionary and sign the petition at takeahikepetition.org. Even SNL alum Kevin Nealon is in on the fun! Check out his video with the ATC: youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=BxQIKKX2suM&list=PLUtubPrCAycOqOYFiEYMF9pwOAY1oRYFP

11/18/2025

Sharing ...

In Response to SNAP Benefits:

Soon, thousands of our neighbors in the greater Carlisle community will—or have already—received their November SNAP benefits, ending the disruption prompted by the federal government shutdown. We're relieved that our families are finally getting the support they've been waiting for. But restored benefits cannot undo the strain of the past few weeks, or the daily reality for the tens of thousand of Cumberland County residents who were experiencing food insecurity before this began.

During the pause, we saw need surge. Many visited our pantry and Farmstand for the first time, or for the first time in years. Many were worried that we wouldn't be here. But we were, because of your support.

For every individual, every congregation, every businesses who reached out to us during this uncertain time—thank you. We have been overwhelmed by the amount of support we've received. We're grateful for every monetary gift, food drive and volunteer who stepped up. You helped families during an extremely difficult time, but this crisis also showed how thin the margin is for so many of our neighbors. Ten percent of Cumberland County relies on SNAP. One in 9 people here are food insecure—and we're not just watching that number grow, we're experiencing it firsthand.

In October alone, more than 1,000 families used our Distribution services like our Your Choice Pantry, and our Farmstand served an average of 500 families each week. The need is here and real, and it isn't easing.

For 40 years, Project SHARE served our neighbors in times of need, and we will continue to do so. But we can't do it alone. If you're able, we ask that you continue to support us. Food insecurity is not just a momentary crisis, it's a year-round struggle for far too many. Your support keeps our shelves stocked, our equipment running and, in turn, our families more secure.

Thank you—for your compassion, for your trust and for staying by our side now and as we move forward.

Continue to help your community today. Give now: projectsharepa.org/donate

11/18/2025

Sharing ...

Common Milkweed is the plant that most people associate with the word “milkweed”. Read more here: butterfly-lady.com/an-ode-to-a-beloved-plantcommon-milkweed/

11/18/2025

Deer aren't the only animals we need to be aware of to avoid vehicle collisions with this time of year. Hungry bears are out there, too; so, please take care and be aware ...

Eat more. Sleep less.

But in about a month or so, it could be sleep more, eat less.

Hyperphagia is in full swing, meaning bears are experiencing a drastically increased appetite and the inability to feel full. So midnight snacks, second lunches, and definitely dessert after dinner! There’s no such thing as a “too fat” bear!

Bears aren’t necessarily driven by a calendar but generally by the availability of food, weather conditions, and general health.

In poor food years, sows (female bears) may den up much earlier, in late October to early November, while larger boars (male bears) will stay out of their dens in search for food until January, with some not denning at all.

We aren’t just talking acorns and berries either. If a bear has found a human-provided food source like garbage or feeders, they may no longer den. This is why it’s so important to remove all potential food sources for bears and wildlife.

Another negative side effect of the midnight munchies is vehicle collision.

Late fall is the deadliest time for bears. The days are getting shorter, but bears are still actively searching for food sources. They’re typically active at dawn and dusk, and as those times approach some of the busiest times on the road, accidents happen. Slow down, pay attention, and watch for wildlife!

11/18/2025

Although it's Fall and the focus has been on our hardwoods, you might not want to miss an opportunity to learn about PA's evergreens through this virtual presentation. It's free; but, registration is required.

Pennsylvania’s forests include a variety of evergreen species, including trees and shrubs like Eastern white pine, Eastern hemlock, mountain laurel and juniper. You may even have an evergreen tree in your home!

Join Andrew Rohrbaugh, forest health supervisor with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry to learn about the ecological importance of evergreens in Pennsylvania and some concerns for their future.

Presentations begin at 12:15 PM and are followed by a question-and-answer session. Registration is required - https://statemuseumpa.org/event/virtual-evergreens/

11/18/2025

Knowledge is ... well, knowledge ... can't get enough ...

It's GARDEN TRIVIA TUESDAY!! "As summer yields to fall, deciduous trees throughout the mid-Atlantic states lose their leaves in an often-spectacular display of color. However, not all hardwood trees participate in this pageantry, and decide to hang onto their leaves until spring. The brown and withered leaves may be difficult to spot among an otherwise dull and brown landscape, but when winter snows blanket the woodland, these surviving leaves are easier to spot.

Sometimes these are young trees. Other times, these are older, taller trees that have kept their leaves on lower limbs. These trees are practicing “marcescence” (pronounced “mar-CESS-enss”). The word comes from the Latin marcescere (“to fade”). In our area, this occurs on oaks, American beech, hornbeam, Eastern hophornbeam, and witchhazels. In most deciduous trees, leaf drop occurs in autumn when cells between the twig and the end of the leaf stem create an abscission layer. The cells separate from each other, leading to the leaf falling. But in marcescence, this doesn’t occur until spring.

While scientists have named the process, they are unsure why it exists..."

Keep reading: https://extension.umd.edu/resource/mystery-marcescence

Photo credit: NC Museum of Natural Sciences