Pennsylvania's advocacy group for hiking trails needs volunteers in the Carbon County area to help maintain a section of the Appalachian Trail.

The Keystone Trails Association, based in Harrisburg, is seeking to become the designated caretaker for a 10-mile section of the Appalachian Trail in the Palmerton area that includes the Lehigh Gap.For decades, the 10-mile section of trail had been maintained a Philadelphia-based trail club. KTA said in a recent press release that the club reluctantly gave up their status as the section's maintaining club last year because of declining membership.In order to take over as the maintaining club, KTA needs local volunteers to assist them.They have planned two hikes later this month with the goal of meeting with people who may be interested in volunteering along the trail. Both hikes are 5 miles long and begin at the Lehigh Gap Nature Center.The first hike, scheduled for 10 a.m. Jan. 17. It will travel north to Lehigh Gap. The second hike, on Jan. 23, will go south to the Lehigh Furnace Gap.Preregistration is not necessary, However hikers are welcome to join the trail association's meetup group at

http://www.meetup.com/Keystone-Trails-Association-The-Voice-of-PAs-Hikers.For more information, visit the trails association's website at

http://www.kta-hike.org.