Regal Fritillary Butterfly Habitat at Fort Indiantown Gap

You have probably heard of our famous butterfly…now is your chance to see it up close and personal. The public is invited to tour Regal Fritillary habitat in an area normally closed to the public and learn how we balance the conservation efforts for this species of concern with military training.

ATTENTION: Due to COVID-19, the butterfly walk at Fort Indiantown Gap
in Lebanon County will not be held in 2021.

Tour Information

Fort Indiantown Gap announces free guided 2019 tours of rare regal fritillary butterfly habitat (Official Press Release)

Reservations are not required, and the tour is FREE. No rain dates will be made. The event is rain or shine…with the caveat that butterflies typically hide in vegetation and are not as active while it is raining!

Please, arrive no later than 9:30 am to fill out required paperwork. The orientation and safety brief begin at 9:45 a.m. and the tour group leaves promptly at 10 a.m. The tour will be approximately 3 hours long; attendees can leave the field tour earlier if needed.

If you are referencing information on the internet, PLEASE, make sure that you have the information for THIS YEAR (2019) as press releases and web postings from previous years are still floating around in cyberspace.

Upon arrival, attendees will be instructed to park their vehicles in a caravan style. If you have requirements related to parking, walking, accessibility accommodations, or a large group, then let us know (email or phone beforehand or advise parking attendants) and we will make accommodations as best as we are able.

Prior to the tour, attendees must fill out necessary paperwork (be prepared to provide vehicle make, model, year, and color, license plate number, state, and insurance carrier). If possible, please fill out the attached General Release Statement prior to your arrival.

After the brief orientation, tour attendees will caravan/convoy to the grassland habitat. All participants must be escorted by Wildlife or Training Center staff as the grassland habitat areas are restricted areas. While the focus of the tour is the regal fritillary butterfly, we will draw attention to other insects, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and native plants found in the grassland habitat areas. This walking tour (100 feet to 1.5 miles) is for all ages, abilities, levels of butterfly identification skills, and will follow gravel trails and field mowed grass trails. We provide educational activities, entertainment, and special features for children. Feel free to bring your cameras, biting insect repellent, sunscreen, and other personal comfort items. Drinking water will be provided, but we recommend bringing a refillable water bottle as well.

If you have additional questions, please feel free to send us an email (preferred method) or call the information line below. We will try to respond as quickly as possible; however, the adult regals will soon be flying so we are in the field most of the day.

We look forward to seeing you, your family, and friends this summer.

Questions?

Bureau of Environmental Management
Wildlife Office
Bldg. 26-151, Fort Indiantown Gap
Annville, PA 17003-5002
Information Line: 717-861-3299
Email: RA-DMVA-Wildlife@pa.gov

To contact the Public Affairs Office, call SGT. Shane Smith at 717-861-8352

Directions and Parking

To navigate to parking turn onto Asher Miner Road at the Intersection of AsherMiner Road and Fisher Ave (GPS coordinates in decimal degrees: North 40.4214, West 76.577), just north of the entrance to the National Cemetery. There will be “Wildlife Events” signs with arrows and staff and volunteers directing traffic as you near the parking area.

In 2019, pre-tour parking will be at Strickler Field (GPS coordinates: North 40.4296, West 76.5948) directly southeast of Asher Miner Road, Clement Avenue, and State Route 443.

If you are traveling using Interstate 81, please use the Fort Indiantown Gap exit (# 85 or 85B depending on your direction of travel), which will put you on Fisher Ave. There is a map attached to this email with directions and parking location.