It’s December 26th, 1776. Gen. George Washington has just successfully gotten 2,400 men from the Continental Army across the Delaware River from Pennsylvania into New Jersey.

The first year of the American Revolution has been a difficult one. The young United States has had few victories battling the highly skilled British army and their paid German mercenaries, the Hessians.

Washington has retreated from New York after sustaining significant losses during the Battle of Long Island. Morale is low. Supplies even lower. Men are deserting. And it seems like the American Experiment is doomed before it’s really gotten started.

It is bitterly cold. In fact, the other detachments of 3,000 American troops never make it across the freezing river. Washington’s troops that did make it across the dangerous river crossing arrived several hours later than planned. The element of surprise might be lost.

But none of that matters at this moment. At this moment, Washington is in Trenton leading his troops on a surprise attack. Then, the first shots ring out as the Americans caught the Hessians off guard.

The Battle of Trenton was not a grand, orderly clash of polished armies. It was desperate, freezing, chaotic and brutally human.

While the battle itself lasted less than an hour, the victory at Trenton revived the Revolution. It proved the Continental Army could beat professional soldiers. It convinced many whose enlistments were about to expire to stay.

More than a battle, it was a turning point — a moment when a failing rebellion felt, for the first time in months, like it might survive.

Now, while there’s plenty of state parks in Pennsylvania that highlight important history, people, communities, industries, resources, flora, fauna, animals and more. There aren’t many that highlight one specific event.

Washington Crossing Historic Park does just that. This episode will go into detail about this all-important surprise attack, but we’ll also delve into much more than just that one moment in time.

As much as this park is meant to celebrate the brave actions of the Continental Army during the American Revolution, it also serves as a wonderful river-side escape for those looking to spend time outside.

On this episode, I speak with Kimberly McCarty. Kim is the museum curator at Washington Crossing Historic Park.

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Hosting, production and editing: Christian Alexandersen
Music: Jon Sauer
Graphics: Matt Davis

When I was on my journey of running one mile in all-then 121 Pennsylvania state parks in 2021, I took notes after every run. It was an effort to make sure I would remember my experiences. I’d take notes like, I spotted a fox here. Or I fell there. Or I want to hike the full trail here.

But one of the most important pieces of information I recorded was my overall feeling of the park. It’s difficult to get a sense of a natural landscape in just one mile, often running half a mile one way and then running half a mile back the same way. But some places just stand out and beg to be explored some more.

Here’s what I wrote about Trough Creek State Park on March 13, 2021. “Well, this place is incredible. I have to come back.” It only takes a few seconds at Trough Creek to realize it’s special. And that it deserves more time to be explored.

You even get that sense by just driving through the park. Traveling through the scenic gorge along the Great Trough Creek you see signs for Balanced Rock, Rainbow Falls, Ice Mine, Copperas Rocks, Paradise Furnace Cemetery and the suspension bridge.

Your mind can’t help but get excited by the idea of what the heck all these things are and how you can go see them. For outdoors people it feels like entering a theme park. What ride do I go on first?

And with so many of these wonderful features, you’d expect it to be huge. Some place you’d need a week to explore. But that isn’t the case. At less than 600 acres with only 12 miles of hiking trails, you can see most if not all of it in a weekend.

But this isn’t a one and done sort of park. Once you visit Trough Creek, it sinks its hooks into you. Its trails, its views, it’s features beckon you for many more visits.

Despite the fact that Trough Creek is more than two hours from me, I’ve been there multiple times while passing other great state parks along the way. It is just that damn cool. And no matter how many times I’ve been there, I want to keep going back.

And that’s about the biggest complement I can give to a state park.

On this episode, I speak with Michael Garbinsky. Michael is the environmental education specialist at Trough Creek State Park.

Be sure to support our 2025 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association

Purple Lizard Maps

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation

Sisters' Sunflowers

Discover Clarion County

Go Laurel Highlands

Support the show

Support the show

Visit our website to learn more about the podcast, to purchase merch and to find out about our incredible sponsors. Follow us on Instagram and Meta to stay connected.

Hosting, production and editing: Christian Alexandersen
Music: Jon Sauer
Graphics: Matt Davis

Pymatuning State Park is big in every sense of the word. It is the largest state park in Pennsylvania. Its Pymatuning Reservoir is the largest lake in Pennsylvania. And it’s one of the most visited state parks with more than three and a half million visitors a year.

But just because it has these big qualities does not mean you’ll be unable to find your own peaceful spot at Pymatuning. For every space taken up by a family BBQing, there are nooks and crannies that allow you to explore the park that straddles the Ohio and Pennsylvania state lines.

And while there are plenty of great ways to discover the park on land, like by hiking or biking or even playing disc golf, this park needs to be explored by the water. The park’s crowning jewel is it’s 17,088-acre reservoir.

The Reservoir plays the perfect host for sailboats, motorboats, kayaks, canoes and paddleboards. The park has three marinas and three concession areas where you can rent a boat for the day. There’re also numerous boat launches located in both Ohio and Pennsylvania to get you on to the water safely.

While in the water, you have the opportunity to explore the stunning beauty that this park has to offer. You can cast out lines and fish all day or simply paddle between the numerous islands.

I can just imagine waking up early, and getting my kayak on the water. Silently paddling between islands as I take in the sounds of the birds and swaying trees around me. A perfect peaceful paddle.

And you may be thinking at this point, “Christian, why haven’t you talked about the most well-known feature of Pymatuning State Park? Where the ducks walk on the backs of fish.” Don’t worry, we’re getting there.

On this episode, I speak with Jared McGary. Jared is the environmental education specialist at Pymatuning State Park.

Be sure to support our 2025 sponsors:
Keystone Trails Association

Purple Lizard Maps

Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation

Sisters' Sunflowers

Discover Clarion County

Go Laurel Highlands

Support the show

Visit our website to learn more about the podcast, to purchase merch and to find out about our incredible sponsors. Follow us on Instagram and Meta to stay connected.

Hosting, production and editing: Christian Alexandersen
Music: Jon Sauer
Graphics: Matt Davis