Tory Talks Trails

07/10/2025

Get you a partner who looks at you the way I look at this pickle (➡️ to see)

Summer is time to get outside anyway you can and this weekend in Pittsburgh that means eating some pickles.

In case you decide to go, here are my ratings of what I ate last year.

Rating Things I ate at Picklesburgh (as someone who only kind of likes pickles)

🥒 Pickle lemonade - 7/10 refreshing but a little weird
🥒 Pickle boba - 3/10 for taste, 12/10 for marketing (they gave me a lei! And a light up ice cube! And they rang a bell when I bought it! Marketing works! I’d probably fall for it again!)
🥒 Pepperoni roll with pickles - 6/10 I think this is mostly cuz idk how I feel about pepperoni rolls
🥒 Fries with pickles - 8/10 I love fries
🥒 Spicy pickle on a stick - 12/10 this was insanely good

All the photo cred goes to who loves pickles more than anyone I’ve ever met and convinced me to go to this festival even tho I don’t really even like pickles that much (and I’m so glad! It was great!)

Are you team pickle or team take my pickle!?

07/01/2025

SAVE to add to your plans this weekend!

We’ve rounded up some of our favorite area trails to show you that you don’t have to go that far from home to find a great trail.

Best Trails Near Pittsburgh
🚙Within 30 Min
📍Fall Run
📍Southside Trail
📍Meeks Run and Oil Well Trail

🚙Within 45 Min
📍Frankfort Mineral Springs Loop
📍Montour Trail
📍Duff Park Outer Loop

🚙Within 60 Min
📍Multi Trail Loop at Jennings State Park
📍Great Allegheny Passage
📍Wolf Creek Narrows

🚙Within 90 Min
📍Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail
📍Allegheny River Trail
📍Hemlock Trail

⚠️ Remember to ALWAYS leave it better than you found it and follow all principles of Leave No Trace - especially on a busy holiday weekend! ⚠️

Which are you adding to your list this weekend?! Did we miss any of your favorites?

06/23/2025

The last one can take FOREVER (IYKYK) 👀

Jokes aside, our public lands are once again in danger as Senator Mike Lee (Utah) is spearheading a movement to sell off BLM and USFS land as part of the budget reconciliation bill.

What to Know
🗣️If included in the bill, these lands have to be sold off in five years.
🗣️National parks are not included but land surrounding national parks could be (and let’s be real, national parks aren’t the only important public land!)
🗣️Zero public input and minimal public notice is required on which lands get sold
🗣️There are no guardrails protecting the land sell off from becoming golf courses, luxury resorts, or a rich person’s fifth home.

‼️‼️‼️The bill wipes out ANY requirement that the government weigh the potential benefits of a land sale against lost recreation, clean water, wildlife, cultural resources, and other values. ‼️‼️‼️

What can YOU do?!
✅ Call your senator - this is super important as they track calls from constituents. You can use the script above or use one from
✅ Sign a petition or send a form letter from a trusted organization - and have great resources
✅ Comment on your senator’s social media explaining what these spaces mean to you and why it’s critical to protect them - a staff member has to read these and your words and stories can help educate others as well
✅ Share and amplify posts about the public lands sell off - you never know who in your community might not be aware of it or who may be looking to learn more from someone they trust

This is a call in to all outdoorsy folks - whether you’re hitting a brewery after your hike, fishing your local streams, reading a book under your favorite shade tree, or disappearing off the grid for months, our public lands need your help!

Tag a friend who has five minutes to make a call today!

Together we CAN make a difference 🤝

06/20/2025

We need your help! ⬇️

Public lands are once again in danger as Senator Mike Lee from Utah is spearheading a movement to sell off BLM and USFS land as part of the budget reconciliation bill.

What to Know
🗣️If included in the bill, these lands have to be sold off in five years.
🗣️National parks are not included but land surrounding national parks could be (and let’s be real, national parks aren’t the only important public land!)
🗣️Zero public input and minimal public notice is required on which lands get sold
🗣️There are no guardrails protecting the land sell off from becoming golf courses, luxury resorts, or a rich person’s fifth home.

‼️‼️‼️The bill wipes out ANY requirement that the government weigh the potential benefits of a land sale against lost recreation, clean water, wildlife, cultural resources, and other values. ‼️‼️‼️

Read that again.

So stop your scroll, use the script above or one from to make that phone call to urge your senator to get this provision removed and then send it to a friend who might not be as informed as you.

Other great accounts to follow and learn more from:




We CAN make a difference 🤝

06/17/2025

Watch til the end to see what it looks like…👀

Archbald Pothole near Scranton PA is the world’s LARGEST naturally occurring pothole.

While the pothole itself was uh…slightly underwhelming, learning how it was created was super cool ⬇️

🪨 Geologists theorize that a stream flowing on top of the glacier tumbled through a crevasse.
🪨 The force of the falling water cracked small rock fragments, whirling them around a small depression.
🪨 As the rock fragments swirled, they cracked off new fragments creating a larger and larger hole in the rock.

While I wouldn’t go out of my way to plan a trip here unless you’re a giant geology nerd, I do recommend visiting if you’re in the area.

⚠️ Reminder to NOT throw trash in the pothole or anywhere around it because you’re a responsible adult not a jagoff ⚠️

Were our reactions warranted?!

05/31/2025

The outdoors is for everyone 🌈

05/30/2025

I guess the lesson is that if you come on a trip with me…

Pack the rain gear (and the parka and the beanies and probably also rain pants but maybe some layers in case it clears up)

Getting outside makes me so happy no matter what the conditions. Obviously be safe in your adventures - one of the main principles of leave no trace is plan ahead and prepare. That includes weather!

What’s your bad weather adventure story?! Do I just have bad luck? 🤣🤣

05/29/2025

If you’re going to give car camping a try this summer, check out my guide to car camping for beginners.

I started car camping when I moved across the country in 2020 and it is my favorite way to save money while traveling & experience new places

Check out this beginners guide to car camping to learn what to pack, how to start, and safety tips for your first time car camping.

05/21/2025

I’ve struggled with anxiety my entire life.

While I am finally figuring out how to manage it better (humor, cuddling my dog, getting outside, moving my body, noise cancelling headphones, etc), it never really goes away.

I wanted to share this because things have been overwhelming for me lately. Yes, nature is a place that helps me and I love sharing about being outside but managing my anxiety sometimes feels like a full time job.

I love this picture AND…the day I took it I sat on this dock and cried for an hour because I was so overwhelmed by my feelings.

I want you to know that if you are going through something, you are not alone. Please don’t use social media as a measuring tape for your life. I am very real in this space but it is also a highlight reel of the fun things I do (frankly, most of the time I am working).

If you are feeling the weight of the world lately, I see you 🫶

05/14/2025

It was so hard to pick just one!

These hikes are some of my favorite hikes in Pennsylvania and they’re great for summer months!

June - Black Moshannon Bog Trail
July - Mount Nittany
August - Dingmans Falls

⚠️ Remember to stay on trail, leave wildlife alone, and pack out all trash to leave our beautiful state better than you found it ⚠️

Would you agree with me? What are your favorite hikes for summer?

02/14/2025

I had a funny Valentine’s Day post planned but nothing about what’s happening with our National Park Service, Forest Service, and public lands is funny.

Our administration is putting our national parks and public lands at risk by not properly staffing our national parks and forests heading into their busiest season and considering privatization of protected public lands.

If you love the outdoors and want to preserve these beautiful places for future generations, here are some actions to take:

🌳 follow organizations who are working to protect our public lands and donate or volunteer with them if you can
🌳 contact your elected officials and companies in the outdoor industry who can lobby against this
🌳 be an informed consumer and work to buy from ethical companies who don’t support this
🌳 stay informed with reliable news sources
🌳 if you have a platform, share resources and how to help

Feel free to drop other resources in the chat for me to share!

Who’s calling with me today? 👀

02/03/2025

SEND to your favorite outdoorsy valentine!

I used to love the tradition of giving fun Valentine’s in school so here’s my take 😘

Make sure to send to your Valentine or share to your story and tag them 💌 then drop me your best outdoor themed pickup line in the comments!