PA Grand Canyon shop’s last open day for season is October 31

WELLSBORO, PA – The PA Wilds Conservation Shop at the edge of the PA Grand Canyon at Leonard Harrison State Park will temporarily close for the winter season, with its last day open for 2025 being Friday, October 31. The shop, which offers locally made products for travelers who come to the park to admire the breathtaking view, is anticipated to reopen in April 2026.

The weather conditions at Leonard Harrison State Park, located in Tioga County near the northern border of Pennsylvania, can become dangerous during winter conditions. While the park itself is open year-round, the visitor center that houses the PA Wilds Conservation Shop is managed by the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and is open seasonally.

Operated by the nonprofit PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship (PA Wilds Center), the PA Wilds Conservation Shops are mission-driven gift shops that help improve market access for rural entrepreneurs by sourcing 90 percent of their inventory from rural makers and businesses in the 13-county Pennsylvania Wilds region.

Libby Bloomquist, Sustainable Commerce Director at PA Wilds Center, said there is still time to check out the shop before it closes for the season. “Visitors are usually pleased to have the chance to buy something that authentically represents their experience in the PA Wilds and comes from an artisan who truly lives in the region,” she said. “Plenty of our products feature the picturesque overlook of Pine Creek Valley, and folks appreciate being able to commemorate that view with a unique souvenir.”

Some of the products in the store that are created especially to appeal to the thousands of travelers who visit the PA Grand Canyon each year:

• PA Grand Canyon t-shirts, designed by a local artist and printed in the PA Wilds region
• 3D wooden cut magnets show the Pine Creek Valley in full fall foliage
• Photo prints and art show the gorgeous dark skies and rolling hills
• Locally made maple syrup gives families a sweet taste of the Pine Creek Valley
• “Tree stump” chocolates (a big hit with kids!) are made just a few miles away in Wellsboro
• Locally made metal replicas of Wellsboro’s famous gas street lights
• Funny “elk on a bike” t-shirts are a fan-favorite for cyclists
• A Pine Creek Rail Trail guidebook enhances any journey on the nearby 63-mile PCRT
• PA State Parks and State Forests Passport book, allowing visitors to track their adventures with stamps

“Although we do have some products that are available each year at the shop, we try to keep our inventory fresh and interesting,” said Bloomquist. “Expect to see a few new products or designs when the shop reopens in spring 2026.”

The PA Wilds Conservation Shop at Leonard Harrison State Park is one of three shop locations operated by the PA Wilds Center. The flagship store at Kinzua Bridge State Park (McKean County) opened in 2016, and it continues to operate during the three-year Skywalk renovations. There is also a shop located in the historic former train depot building along the Knox and Kane Rail Trail in Marienville (Forest County), which opened in 2024.

DCNR completed renovations at the Leonard Harrison State Park visitor center in 2024. The PA Wilds Conservation Shop, which began as a seasonal mobile unit at the park, relocated inside the new building in June 2024.

Each PA Wilds Conservation Shop aims to be a part of the community where it is located, carrying items that authentically reflect each unique location. While there are some products that can be found in all three of the shops, the shop at Kinzua Bridge State Park has many items that celebrate the Skywalk and the Kinzua Valley’s rich history. Likewise, the shop in Marienville carries plenty of train-themed items that showcase the shop’s location on the Knox and Kane Rail Trail and the history of the former train depot building.

The PA Wilds Conservation Shop at Leonard Harrison State Park is currently open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The shop will close for the season starting November 2025. It will tentatively reopen in April 2026, depending on weather. Learn more at Shop.PAWilds.com/pa-wilds-conservation-shops.

The PA Wilds Center invests thousands of dollars a year buying inventory and value-added products directly from local businesses for its gift shops. The shops also intentionally pass foot traffic to other area businesses, visitor bureaus, and attractions. Each PA Wilds Conservation Shop employs a full-time store manager and a store keyholder position, as well as part-time jobs.

There are currently more than 40 vendors supplying products for the Conservation Shops, a vast majority of whom are located in the PA Wilds and participate in the free PA Wilds Cooperative network. The Wilds Cooperative seeks to connect and promote local businesses and is the entry point for those looking to tap into and leverage PA Wilds branding, marketing and commerce opportunities. Rural artisans interested in learning more about how to get their products into the shops are encouraged to visit www.PAWildsCenter.org/programs-and-services/wildscopa and fill out an interest form.

ABOUT THE PA WILDS

The Pennsylvania Wilds is a 13-county region that includes the counties of Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Warren, and northern Centre. The PA Wilds is home to the greatest concentration of public lands in the Commonwealth. The PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc., is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to integrate conservation and economic development in a way that inspires the communities of the Pennsylvania Wilds. Based in the region, the Center is the lead nonprofit for the PA Wilds Conservation Landscape effort, a 15+year collaborative effort by local, state and federal partners to establish the region as a premier outdoor recreation destination as a way to diversify local economies, attract investment, inspire stewardship, improve quality of life and attract and retain the region’s working-age population. PA Wilds Center works closely with PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, PA Department of Community and Economic Development, the region’s county governments, and other investors in the regional strategy.

For more information on the PA Wilds Center and the Wilds Cooperative, visit www.PAWildsCenter.org. Explore the PA Wilds and find locally made products at www.PAWilds.com.