Welcome!
We are so glad that you joined us for the 17th year of Get Outdoors (GO) York!, an exciting program of activities that encourages children and their families to get outdoors and get moving this summer. You’ll search for thirty “portals” — wooden posts, each with an etching plate — that are hidden in local and state parks around York County. This year, you can GO and Choose an Adventure! as you follow clues to find portals featuring equipment you might use, fun places to visit, and transportation you could hop on to get there. See below to find out how to get started on your adventure!
In addition to finding portals outdoors this summer, you’ll discover that Adventure Begins at Your Library! Visit any York County Library to check out and read books about any of the portals. You’ll improve your reading and learning skills, and you can earn rewards from the library for recording your reading minutes in the Beanstack app. GO York! and York County Libraries events count as 20 minutes each, so be sure to log them to earn amazing prizes. Learn more about the hundreds of free library programs planned just for you at yorklibraries.org/summerquest
Most of all, we want you to Get Outdoors, have fun, and Choose an Adventure!
How to Get Started
1. Choose an Adventure!
Look through the Itinerary (program guide) or the Portals/Keys to Adventure page and choose one of the portals you want to find. All the information you need to know about each portal hike can be found on the outside column of each page or on the individual Portal web pages.
2. Find Your Route!
Find the park location for your portal hike (page 34 in the Itinerary or on the Directions to Parks web page). The driving directions will take you right to the parking area for your hike. (Please note: not all parks have a specific street address to enter into a map or GPS app, so it is important to follow the directions carefully.)
3. Ready, Set, Hike!
The “Keys to Your Adventure” will tell you where to start the hike and give you step-by-step directions to find the hidden portal. Take the Itinerary and Rubbing Sheet with you on your hike.
4. Know the Code!
If you want to use your rubbing sheet to capture the image on the portal (post), place it on top of the embossed plate and rub over it with a colored pencil or crayon to make the image appear. If the 4-digit code isn’t clear on your rubbing, make sure to write it down — you’ll need it later.
5. Calling All Cars!
Each hike includes directions to return to your vehicle to complete the hike. Before you leave the area of your hike, make sure to take any trash along with you to keep things neat and tidy. There might be a playground or other fun places nearby, too!
6. Go Online!
Since the program is digital, you can use a computer (or a phone) to access the Beanstack app (see page 44) and follow the directions to enter the 4-digit codes from your portal hikes. Don’t forget to log your reading minutes there as well.
7. Repeat as Needed!
Keep finding those portals and their codes to enter into Beanstack. You’ll be registered for participation prizes and receive entries into the drawing for one of five prizes. See how many hikes you can complete before the program ends on August 18. Have fun on your adventures!
Proudly sponsored by:
WellSpan Health, York County Library System, and York County Parks would like to thank the following municipalities, organizations, and park systems for allowing GO and Choose an Adventure! portal posts to be located at their respective sites:
Carroll Township
Conewago Township
Conservation Society of York County
Dover Township
East Manchester Township
Heidelberg Township
Lower Chanceford Township
Lower Windsor Township
New Freedom Borough
North Codorus Township
North Hopewell Township
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR)
Red Lion Borough
Spring Grove Borough
Springettsbury Township
Springfield Township
Susquehanna National Heritage Area
West Manchester Township
York City
York County Rail Trail Authority
York Township
Lastly, thanks for joining us for another summer of exploring parks and trails throughout York County. We hope that you and your family find new locations to visit throughout the year and learn more about the world around you. There is a lot to do outdoors, so we encourage you to GO and Choose an Adventure! this summer.
