Given that opportunities for entertainment are limited this summer, I’ve been trying to keep myself from sitting at home when I’m not at the library. One way I’ve done this is to get out to try out the Go York program. So far I’ve done 13 hikes (including 2 for Go Adams) with my wife, a teacher at a nearby school district. While the Get Outdoors programs are geared primarily for kids and families, adults can enjoy great benefits from them as well.
So what exactly is the GO York program? It is a series of hikes that one can do. You go to parks through York County and follow a set of clues to find a post with a plate to do a rubbing. This year each post also has a 4-digit code to log in Beanstack. While there are booklets and rubbing sheets available at libraries for children and families, we ask that adults use the website to access the digital version of the booklet since supplies are limited. Any prizes are only available for children.
The first and foremost benefit from doing any of the GO hikes is the exercise that I get, both for body and mind. I’ve tried to find interesting and new places to hike anyway, so the GO York program makes it easy. While the clues aren’t intended to be hard, it does make the walking more interesting when you aren’t sure where you are going until you get there.
I’ve done a couple of hikes here and there in the past, but this is the first year I’ve really tried to get out do them on multiple occasions. I’ve been to several new parks, including Kiwanis Lake and the Horn Farm. We’ve also been to some parks I haven’t hiked at in years, like Joseph Raab County Park. I’ve been at the Dillsburg Area Public Library for over three years now and I’ve never had a reason to stop at Dillsburg Community Park until now. It’s a nice little park with lots of potential.
In addition to exploring new places, I’ve seen plenty of interesting things. From historic sites like the old mines at Raab County Park to wildlife like an egret rookery at Kiwanis Lake, there is much to see at each location.
There is an excellent GO York Facebook group that is an excellent resource. I had a question about one clue on a hike, so I asked the FB group while at the park. Within a couple of minutes I had several responses to help keep me on the right path. It’s also neat to see the progress that everyone is making. It is a private group, so you must be approved to join.
GO Programs are a partnership between WellSpan Health and local libraries. GO programs are currently available in York, Franklin, Adams, Lebanon, and Lancaster counties.
The GO York program runs through the end of August. Happy hiking!
Keith Greenawalt, Library Director