Outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and abilities can enjoy a long weekend of guided programming set against the backdrop of the Susquehanna River when Keystone Trails Association (KTA) hosts its annual Hiking & Outdoor Weekend. The main event will run from Friday, Oct. 23, through Sunday, Oct. 25, with an optional extended weekend add-on beginning Thursday, Oct. 22.

Base camp for the weekend will be the Columbia Crossing River Trails Center, 41 Walnut St., Columbia, where KTA will be set up at the outside pavilion.

"We welcome folks to stop by, whether they're registered for the weekend activities or not, to meet us and hear about the work we do throughout the commonwealth," said Kate Prisby, manager of events and programs for KTA. "Each year we work with volunteers to maintain hundreds of miles of PA hiking trails, offer skills-based training to prepare hikers for safe adventures outdoors, and we provide single-day and weekend events open to the public."

As Prisby explained, the weekend will feature more than 50 events throughout the region.

"In the Columbia area, there are walking tours discussing the region's Underground Railroad history, a film screening, a wildlife animal rehab program to inform folks on what to do if they find an injured animal, rail trail bike rides and lots of hikes," she said.

Additional activities include river paddling and boat tours, overnight backpacking trips, nature journaling and field sketching workshops, yoga and a mushroom identification walk.

Evening programming includes a keynote dinner on Friday at John Wright Restaurant and a Saturday social at Columbia Kettle Works, which is brewing a special beer for the weekend, with proceeds benefiting KTA.

"Keystone Hiking & Outdoor Weekend invites folks to get outside and explore the Susquehanna Riverlands Conservation Landscape in Lancaster and York counties," Prisby said. "The Susquehanna is one of the oldest rivers in the world, and it has played a key role in shaping the region's history, identity and landscape."

KTA has held a fall hiking weekend since its inception in 1956. This is the third year the organization has organized a weekend of activities beyond hiking in an effort to welcome more people outdoors.

Prisby explained that Pennsylvania has eight designated Conservation Landscapes, including lands owned by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The Susquehanna Riverlands Conservation Landscape is roughly the five miles on either side of the Susquehanna River in Lancaster and York counties.

"This is our second time in the Susquehanna Riverlands Conservation Landscape, and the decision to return largely was based on enthusiasm from program partners we worked with in 2024, asking to bring the event back to the region," Prisby remarked. "When the event was here in 2024, there were great reviews from attendees and those that offered activities during the weekend."

Based in Harrisburg, KTA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building, maintaining and protecting hiking trails across Pennsylvania while promoting responsible use of the state's natural resources.

"If you've been hiking for a while, there's a good chance you've walked down a trail that Keystone Trails Association has helped maintain," Prisby said. "If you're new to hiking, we love welcoming folks out on trails with us and helping people find others to get outside with."

Adding a fourth day to the event this year offers participants an opportunity to come early and take part in hands-on stewardship events or spend a night backpacking on the Mason-Dixon Trail.

People are invited to come for one or all four days of the festivities, and about half of the activities are appropriate for families with children. Details of each activity note if the event is good for children, accessible or dog friendly, Prisby said.

Registration is required for all events, and she noted that events fill up quickly, so early registration is encouraged. Registration will close on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 8 a.m.

For a full list of activities, registration information and more, visit http://www.kta-hike.org/khow2026.html.