Lancaster Conservancy Hosting New Trail Fest Event as More Trails Open at Wizard Ranch Nature

 On Sept. 14, 2024, Lancaster Conservancy will host its first-ever Trail Fest, a family-friendly event that celebrates the trails that connect people with nature. The event at Wizard Ranch Nature Preserve will include live music, a food truck and a beer truck, self-guided hikes, Trailside Talks, s’mores around the campfire, and the chance for attendees to test their outdoor skills.
 
“Whether you’re an experienced trail user or new to our preserves, there is something at Trail Fest for everyone,” said Lancaster Conservancy President & CEO Fritz Schroeder. “We wanted to create an event that celebrates the unique habitat of Wizard Ranch, demonstrates the restoration work underway, and allows everyone to explore miles of trails in addition to providing the unique opportunity to take in a beautiful fall afternoon while sipping a beer and listening to live music.”
 
As the Conservancy launches Trail Fest, it is also celebrating the opening of more than 3 miles of trails at Wizard Ranch Nature Preserve in addition to the 1.7 miles opened in 2023. The Wizard Ranch trail system includes multiple loop options for longer or shorter hikes. The paths traverse a variety of habitat types from meadows to forests as well as the transition zones between them for a tangible experience of natural succession. Trail users will also be able to observe the 16 active restoration project areas on the preserve, including a multifunctional riparian buffer, floodplain restoration, and the Conservancy’s first prescribed burn unit all targeting habitat improvements for wildlife like birds and bats.
 
“Wizard Ranch Nature Preserve is quickly becoming a personal favorite. On no other single preserve can we hike through, see, and directly experience the Conservancy’s single largest, multifaceted landscape restoration initiative. Each hike brings a new observation of a landscape in healing,” said Brandon Tennis, senior vice president of stewardship at the Lancaster Conservancy.
 
With over 60 miles of trails in total (including two universally accessible trails and more in the works) and over 8,000 acres of natural lands under management, the Conservancy works to provide ample opportunities for everyone to explore Lancaster and York counties’ beautiful forests, meadows, wetlands, and streams.
 
Trail Fest aims to celebrate and facilitate the variety of ways people can connect with nature. Attendees can visit the Nature Preserve Concierge to plan their next outdoor adventure or learn more about safe and responsible hiking at the First Aid, Find Your Way, and Leave No Trace Happy Hiker Village stations. Take a deep dive into ecology and birding in the Susquehanna Riverlands with a Trailside Talk or learn about the ecology and ongoing restoration work at Wizard Ranch on a self-guided hike.
 
The event will also include beer from Collusion Tap Works and food from Vampire Taco food truck. Trail Fest will culminate in a concert by regional bluegrass band Colebrook Road.
 
Lancaster Conservancy is grateful to the following sponsors for making Trail Fest possible: The Martin-Harnish Foundation, York County Trail Towns, Apex Advertising, Clark Associates, Deerin Companies, Nimblist, Pennsylvania American Water, and WellSpan Health.
 
Trail Fest will take place from 2-7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14. For a full Trail Fest schedule and to purchase tickets, visit lancasterconservancy.org/trailfest.
 
Lancaster Conservancy is a nonprofit land trust that has protected over 10,000 acres of natural lands since its founding more than 50 years ago. The Conservancy manages 50 nature preserves in Lancaster County and in York County in the Susquehanna Riverlands Conservation Landscape. Volunteer, sign up for an event, find a preserve, or donate at lancasterconservancy.org.
 
 
For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact: 
Avery Van Etten
Lancaster Conservancy Marketing & Communications Manager
avanetten@lancasterconservancy.org
(717) 392-7891 ext. 232