THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS HIKING TRAIL SHELTERS FUND
In fact, the generosity of donors was such that we surpassed our goal for the shelter restoration and the project has grown to be as grand as the Trail itself! The next project is to build firewood shelters at each area to keep wood dry for campers, updated tent platforms and fire rings in the tenting areas, and the installation of hammock supports for the minimalists among us. Visit our website for the 2018 National Trails Day dedication of the renovation shelters for a photograph of the first "firewood garage" built at Route 653. It's a beauty!
You have the opportunity to make sure these special places are available to another generation (or two) of LHHT hikers. Adopt a Shelter* through your donation of $1,250 (or choose another appropriate level of support) and put your mark on this wonderful project.
*Please note that DCNR regulations will not permit placement of a plaque or other signage upon the shelters themselves. Your donation of $1,250 will be recognized on a sign in the shelter area—and in the hearts of every Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail user. And you will receive a special "before and after" photograph of "your" shelter!" Take a moment and donate now to the LHHT Shelters Fund. You may donate online or send your check (made payable to PPFF with LHHT Shelters in the memo) along with the attached form to: Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
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For the better part of 40 years, the 40 Adirondack style shelters of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail have provided a safe and comfortable overnight for countless hikers. With use and the passage of time, however, the chimneys and fireboxes at each shelter deteriorated. Thanks to grants from REI to the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation (PPFF); funds from PPFF and the Friends of Laurel Hill; donations from private individuals, the Laurel Highlands Ultra, and many other generous people; and the hard work of our top-notch mason and DCNR staff, the chimneys and fireboxes in the eight shelter areas have been saved and are preserved for use by legions of happy hikers to come.
The LHHT Shelters are an important part of the LHHT’s history and a key reason why hiking this trail is such a significant experience. A novice backpacker’s first taste of a long-distance trek can include overnights under roof with a roaring fire while still being able to experience sleeping under the stars. They have been the introduction to a lifelong passion for many of the trail’s most ardent supporters and are often what we think of when we think of the LHHT.
Thanks to a donation from (and design by) trail aficionado Dale Yohe, all donors of $10 or more receive a limited edition LHHT sticker and $15 donors receive a patch. Donate $20 and receive both! Likewise, trail aficionado Dane Cramer has designed and