HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania is expanding accessible recreation infrastructure and directing nearly $82 million to hundreds of local conservation projects as the state seeks to broaden participation in an outdoor economy that generated $20.4 billion in 2024, an effort the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources highlighted Saturday during its third annual Outdoors for All Day in Harrisburg.
More than 15 regional organizations and community groups participated in the free event at Italian Lake Park, offering environmental education, games, music, yoga, dance and rowing. The gathering was part of a statewide initiative focused on expanding access to parks, forests, trails and water recreation.
“Today’s event and the Outdoors for All celebrations are about connecting DCNR to the energy and community spirit that happens when people and organizations come together to celebrate the simple joy of being outside,” DCNR Deputy Secretary Mike Walsh stated. He pointed to both a sense of belonging and the mental and physical benefits associated with connecting with nature.
Outdoors for All began as a single Pittsburgh event in 2024 and has expanded to four events across Pennsylvania. The Harrisburg celebration, traditionally held on the third Saturday in July, was postponed this year because of poor air quality and inclement weather.
This year’s program emphasizes water access and opportunities for water recreation. The final event in the series is scheduled for Aug. 15 at Allegheny Commons Park in Pittsburgh, where Spanish and American Sign Language interpretation will be available.
The initiative comes as DCNR expands accessibility across Pennsylvania’s public lands. The agency has developed online resources detailing accessibility features at more than 100 state park and forest locations, including a search tool intended to help visitors identify facilities that meet their needs.
DCNR has also added communication boards, colorblind glasses and communication cards at recreation sites while investing in accessible trails, boat launches, playgrounds, wildlife viewing areas and hunting areas. Pennsylvania has more than 120 miles of ADA-accessible trails in state parks and 82 miles in state forests, with additional projects underway.
The accessibility push is backed by broader state investment in recreation infrastructure. Pennsylvania awarded nearly $82 million this year through DCNR’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program for more than 295 recreation and conservation projects.
The grants support projects including park development and rehabilitation, trail construction, land and water conservation and regional planning. Since 1995, DCNR has invested nearly $1.5 billion in more than 10,000 outdoor-related projects statewide.
Projects funded in 2025 resulted in the development or rehabilitation of more than 165 parks, protection of 7,155 acres for recreation and habitat and construction or rehabilitation of nearly 70 miles of trails. More than 440,000 acres have been permanently protected since the grant program began, and DCNR reported that more than 90% of Pennsylvanians live in a municipality with at least one project supported by the program.
The investment also carries an economic component. Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation industry contributed $20.4 billion to the state economy in 2024, equal to about 2% of gross domestic product, while supporting more than 177,000 jobs and $9.5 billion in wages, according to U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis figures cited by DCNR.
Pennsylvania’s recreation network includes more than 14,000 miles of trails, 6,500 local parks, 125 state parks and 2.2 million acres of state forestland. The state parks and forests managed by DCNR are free and open to the public every day.
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