Running through the trees, you see the colors of orange, yellow and green. 

The flowers are gone, the pools are closing. Summer has come to an end, school is back in session. Halloween has passed and we are now officially in fall. What fun things can you do with your time?

Go to Rocky Ridge County Park. The park is an amazing spot to go hiking. The park provides many different trails for you to hike on with a map to show where you are and how long each hiking trail is. When hiking each path you are met with beautiful scenery of nature and even the wildlife all around you.

The park has recently issued some areas of the park as temporary hunting grounds, as they do occasionally. As you drive into the park you’ll notice to your right there are a bunch of warning signs showing that most of the right side of the park is issued for hunting this year.

Mr. Eric Webb, the ecology teacher at Central York High school, talks about his favorite fall activity, hunting.

“I love to archery hunt white-tailed deer,” said Mr. Webb. 

This is his favorite fall activity other than taking care of his kids at home. If you have the patience to sit in a tree for hours, then this may be an activity for you to try out before the season ends.

The archery hunting season for whitetail deer, statewide, is Oct. 3 to Nov. 14, Sunday, Nov. 15, Nov. 16-20 and Dec. 26-Jan.18, 2021, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission website. Generally, Sunday’s are a no hunting day unless otherwise stated by the Commission.

On their website, you can find more information on other animals you can hunt, their specific hunting season dates, bag limits and even how to go through the process of getting licensed.

Forest bathing studies have shown that walking in the woods reduces stress levels in individuals who spend more time outside. This is how Mr. Webb distressed from all of his daily activities during the week.

“Well trees provide all sorts of ecosystem services, forests do as well. For me, being in the woods is my rest pit from the daily grind of job, family, it is my time to recharge,” said Mr. Webb.

Do you know what else trees are good for? Bonfires and s’ mores. Bonfires are a classic to the annual fall tradition of being outside. Isn’t it one of the best feelings when you are gathered around a bonfire with friends, singing campfire songs while making s’mores?

If you have never sung campfire songs around the bonfire here are some classics you can sing to the next time you have a bonfire! Some common ones: “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond, “American Pie” by Don McLean, “Campfire Song Song” from Spongebob Squarepants, and many others!

Is the original s’ more recipe too boring for you? Well, try replacing the chocolate with a peanut butter cup, or adding salted caramel to the s’ more. You could also try replacing the graham crackers with chocolate chip cookies, then adding Nutella in place of the chocolate.

There are so many different activities you can do that bring back that feeling of warmth this chilly fall season. Don’t let the bitterness of 2020 take away the season we all enjoy. Let fall be a reminder of how beautiful the world can be, and go have some fun before the season comes to an end.