Have a Pennsylvania trail you love? Nominate it for this 2027 statewide honor.

The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is accepting nominations for the 2027 Trail of the Year through July 31.

Pennsylvanians can submit nominations and supporting documentation through the DCNR website at pa.gov.

The commonwealth maintains more than 14,000 miles of trails that help to anchor Pennsylvania’s $20.4 billion outdoor recreation economy.

“The competition to be Pennsylvania’s 2027 Trail of the Year has officially begun, and we are hopeful to receive nominations from rural and urban communities alike for this important designation,” DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said. “Stewards of our trails can visit DCNR’s website and make the case for being the top trail today.”

The 20-member Pennsylvania Trails Advisory Committee will select the winner, which will be announced in early 2027.

The committee represents both motorized and non-motorized trail users and advises the state on using federal and state funding to develop a land and water trail network.

The winning trail management organization will receive a commemorative poster for statewide distribution, a trailhead marker and a grant for educational programs focused on safety and environmental protection. The annual award aims to build enthusiasm for the trail network and raise public awareness of its economic and recreational value.

The Pine Creek Rail Trail holds the 2026 designation. The 62-mile trail connecting Lycoming and Tioga counties attracts more than 44,000 visitors annually and generates more than $5 million in local economic impact.

Pennsylvania’s outdoor recreation industry supports approximately 177,000 jobs and generates $9.5 billion in wages, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

The DCNR says that under Gov. Josh Shapiro with Legislature support, it has completed $228 million in infrastructure improvements across the state’s 2.2 million acres of forestlands and 125 state parks since 2023.

“We are excited for this year’s competition and look forward to seeing which trail prevails,” Dunn said.

Past Pennsylvania Trail of the Year Awardees

2025: Path of the Flood Trail

2024: Trails at Jakes Rocks

2023: Mount Jewett to Kinzua Bridge Trail

2022: Delaware Canal State Park Towpath

2021: D&H Rail Trail

2020: Ghost Town Trail

2019: Mid State Trail

2018: Forbidden Drive

2017: Montour Trail

2016: Standing Stone Trail