MSTA Vision Statement

"Why do large numbers of hikers venture into the wet, wild woods with biting insects and stinging nettles, on trails lined with roots and studded with rocks? There is something different and deeply appealing about hiking in the out-of-doors. The wilder and more beautiful the land, the better the hiking. Clearly, these experiences are spiritual. It is the deep, but bright, secret of hiking. Spiritual experience is essential to our well being, so hiking remains popular.''

--- Tom Thwaites

Today's urban society disconnects us from nature. Glass, steel, asphalt, concrete; they all distance us from nature. All too easily we cling to the false hope that we have mastered nature, rather than standing in respect and stewardship of all things within nature, around us. Restoring our connection to nature, actually our place within nature, requires of us that we get back to nature, removing all those obstacles put between us and nature by our urban society.

Primitive nature experiences restore one's sense of inner peace and strengthen one's soul. Foot travel over a remote primitive trail brings an exhilaration, an aliveness that cleanses us of our worldly woes and restores our spirit.

The Mid State Trail was created to foster these simple, natural, spiritual experiences, so that we may all enjoy a greater respect for nature and therefore protect nature for all future generations. The foot path's length offers an extended unity with nature to long-distance walkers.

The Mid State Trail Association seeks out remote, quiet natural corridors for placing the Mid State Trail, constructs and maintains only foot paths, and acts to protect the quiet, wild and scenic, natural and cultural resources of the corridor through which the trail passes. Within a natural setting, hikers enjoy a diversity of experiences. We recognize the importance of those areas with significant historic, cultural, geological, or other features of interest to hikers, and work to have the foot path visit those features, where feasible. At times, sections of the foot path may be, unnecessarily, in non-natural areas or on non-natural surfaces. Our goal is to re-locate these sections to remote, primitive natural places.