There’s no doubt that European settlers in Pennsylvania used, and in many cases, expanded upon existing Native American trails, often incorporating them in their push for expansion, and in troop movement during conflicts with the British, the French, and the Indians. Braddock’s Road, Forbes Road, and Warriors Path relied on existing Native American paths. There are two well-known and established trail maintaining organizations in Pennsylvania that serve multiple trail systems, Pennsylvania Parks and Forest Foundation and the Keystone Trails Association. There are many other trail specific groups, as well. For an in-depth history of hiking, hiking clubs, and their history, I recommend Silas Chamberlin’s excellent book, “On the Trail”. Here is a short excerpt of Silas on PPFF’s Think Outside Podcast where he discusses his book and the ever evolving history of volunteerism on the trail.
