Hemlocks to Hellbenders
Hemlocks to Hellbenders is an award-winnning podcast hosted by Christian Alexandersen highlighting Pennsylvania’s parks, forests and great outdoors.
Our episodes feature engaging conversations with park managers, forest rangers, scientists, educators, outdoor recreationalists, volunteers, officials and more that help you plan your next adventure in the Commonwealth's incredible parks and forests.
Episodes
60 episodes
Point State Park - From military stronghold to Pittsburgh's downtown gem
Point State Park stands as the crowned jewel of downtown Pittsburgh. It is a lush, 36-acre greenspace nestled at the historic confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers, where the mighty Ohio River is born.Point State Park is a f...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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45:26
Snacks solve everything and other backpacking tips with Tory Mather
Many of us find our love for the outdoors the same way – with a hike. A short jaunt into the woods that brings us in touch with nature. But soon, short hikes just won’t do. There’re too many people. Too many screaming kids. Too much car traffic...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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1:15:21
Susquehannock State Park - Breathtaking views of the Lower Susquehanna River
The best part about having 124 state parks to explore in Pennsylvania is the variety. Each park is special in its own way. Each park offers a natural feature, a trail, a view, a piece of local history, or something that makes it stand out from ...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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33:04
Grab your boots, bike and kayak! Take Huntingdon County's trails for your next adventure
In the heart of Central Pennsylvania lies a true outdoor recreation paradise. If you're looking for adventure, Huntingdon County delivers—hiking, biking, paddling, and breathtaking views at every turn. Whether you’re trekking throug...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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49:11
Canoe Creek State Park - Where endangered bats thrive and industrial ruins remain
Tucked away just outside of Hollidaysburg, Canoe Creek State Park is underrated treasure. It’s got a little bit of everything to keep visitors busy, interested and engaged. It’s location also makes it the perfect homebase for weeken...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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26:58
Rediscovering Pennsylvania's conservation legacy with author Allen Dieterich-Ward
For generations, Pennsylvanians have been at the forefront of conservation movements that have shaped the United States. Pennsylvanians like Gifford Pinchot, Joseph Rothrock, J Horace McFarland and Rachel Carson have had immeasurable impacts on...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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1:30:40
Developing future foresters with the Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps
When taking a hike, people don’t often think about everything it takes to keep trails operational. The bridge building, the trail restoration, the habitat enhancement, the invasive species management and so on. The work often goes unseen. ...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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54:42
Cook Forest State Park – Forest Cathedral of ancient trees offers peaceful retreat
It’s 1910 and Anthony Wayne Cook has just inherited his family’s land. Over the last 80 years, the Cook family had made their money off the land. It started with his grandfather John Cook - who purchased the land in 1828. He built a sawmill on ...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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48:17
Ricketts Glen State Park - Experience Pennsylvania's premiere waterfall destination
In the 1930s, a beautiful forest in northeast Pennsylvania was set to become a national park. Which made sense. The area was special, even to those that purchased the land to timber it.In a time when forests across the Commonwealth were ...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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27:49
Hemlocks to Hellbenders Season 3 Trailer
Welcome, fellow explorers. My name is Christian Alexandersen and I’m the host of Hemlocks to Hellbenders, a podcast highlighting Pennsylvania’s parks, forests and great outdoors.We have an incredible lineup of parks, forests, guests and ...
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Season 3
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1:27
A progress report on Pennsylvania's three newest state parks with Parks Director John Hallas
In September of 2022 before leaving office, then Gov. Tom Wolf announced the creation of three new state parks. Susquehanna Riverlands in York County, Big Elk Creek in Chester County and Vosburg Neck in Wyoming County. While these n...
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Season 2
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Episode 24
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49:15
Allegheny National Forest - A half-million acres of adventures
In the early 20th Century, Americans had become alarmed at the disappearing forests in the eastern United States. Whether through private land purchases, deforestation, mining or other activities, the beautiful forests of the east were vanishin...
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Season 2
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Episode 23
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49:36
Things that go bump in Penn's Woods with the Ghost Furnace Podcast
On this – the Halloween episode – of the podcast, we’re going to be exploring the many tales of ghosts, creatures, hauntings, cryptid sightings, unexplained phenomenon, legends and folk tales that have a history in Pennsylvania’s parks and fore...
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Season 2
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Episode 22
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1:37:22
Hickory Run State Park - Journey through prehistoric geology in the Poconos
Those visiting Hickory Run State Park in the Pocono Mountains should expect to see something they’ve never see before. In the northeast corner of the park, formed by millions of years of glacial movement is the Boulder Field. At 400...
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Season 2
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Episode 21
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51:53
Discover the wonderful world of mushrooms with the Philadelphia Mycology Club
There’s just something about mushrooms that so are cool. I can’t really explain it. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, often looking like they belong in a fairy tale or another planet.They transform any landscape with their mys...
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Season 2
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Episode 20
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55:54
Breaking trails and building community with the Keystone Trails Association
This episode is sponsored by the Keystone Trails Association.Most people never know how much volunteer work goes into their favorite hiking trail. Countless hours are spent breaking trails, cutting back brush, moving rock...
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Season 2
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Episode 19
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59:20
Timber! Harvesting history at the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum
For thousands of years, the land that would become Pennsylvania was dominated by dense, ancient forests that stretched as far as the eye could see. Towering trees such as white oaks, chestnuts and hemlocks formed a vast green canopy that covere...
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Season 2
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Episode 18
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1:17:54
Poe Paddy and Poe Valley State Parks - Uncover rugged wilderness in Happy Valley
The vast majority of Pennsylvania’s state parks are easy to drive to. That’s one of the reasons our parks are so accessible to residents and visitors. They’re located on paved roads and can often be found just a few minutes from a highway. ...
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Season 2
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Episode 17
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31:34
Forbes State Forest - Endless outdoor adventures in the Laurel Highlands
To list all of the features of Forbes State Forest would be pointless. That’s because it has so much to offer so many people. You want trails, it’s got it. You want overlooks, its got it. You want waterfalls, it’s got it. Forbes State Forest ha...
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Season 2
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Episode 16
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58:52
Moraine State Park - From ruined to reclaimed in less than 100 years
Standing on the shore of Lake Arthur in Moraine State Park, you’d never think the area was the site of massive deforestation, coal mining and gas drilling practices that scarred the landscape for decades. But it is. In the 1800s, fa...
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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35:49
Beltzville State Park - Beach, boating and beyond in the Poconos
There are few sights I enjoy as much as people having fun in Pennsylvania state parks. Children playing tag and hide-and-go-seek. Adults telling stories around a picnic table. Friends catching up while grilling. And never have I see so ...
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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56:26
How fireflies light up Pennsylvania's night skies with Dr. Sarah Lower
The arrival of fireflies has always represented summer to me. They've meant barbeques. They meant fireworks. They meant being a kid. I’ve heard from so many people about the memories they have connected to lightening bugs. Exploring the...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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37:39
Presque Isle State Park - Pennsylvania's Great Lake Getaway
Last year, nearly four million people visited Presque Isle State Park in Erie- making it the most visited state park in Pennsylvania. And anyone whose ever visited this wonderful park understands why. There’s no other park like Pres...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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48:11
Michaux State Forest - Exploring Pennsylvania’s 'cradle of forestry' in the Appalachian Mountains
Spanning 85,000 acres across three Central Pennsylvania counties, Michaux State Forest is a sanctuary of lush woodlands, crystal-clear streams and a rich tapestry of history and wildlife. Considered Pennsylvania’s “cradle of forestry,” Michaux ...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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22:29
Benjamin Rush State Park - Cultivating community through gardening
The definition of a garden is a small piece of ground used to grow vegetables, fruit, herbs or flowers. But it’s much more than that. It’s a community meeting place. It’s an outdoor classroom. It’s an organic food market. It’s a sustainable hob...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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33:43