Hiking in Central Pennsylvania and Around the State

Enjoying the Falls at Ricketts Glen State Park

Jul 21 |10:25

Ricketts Glen State Park is an amazing natural wonder that all residence of Pennsylvania should experience. My first visit to the glenns and falls was in May of 2007. This past June I decided that my kids should have the opportunity to experience Ricketts Glen as well. The Falls Trail is a 3.5 mile loop that showcases 18 of the 22 named falls. Located just south of Waters Meet are three more of the named falls. With an additional 0.7 miles added to our hike we were able to see all but one of the waterfalls hiking the Falls Trail.

Read more: Enjoying the Falls at Ricketts Glen State Park

 

Eating Huckleberries on the Tussey Mountain Trail

Jun 28 |10:25

Tussey Mountain Trail is a favorite of the local mountain biking scene. Because of this, it makes for a very nice hiking trail, free of obstacles, and aside for the fact that it is situatead on top of a ridge, you can follow it very easily without the need of blazes. This was the destination for our latest after work hike: a shuttle hike from Bear Meadows to the gas pipeline crossing of Treaster Kettle Road.

Read more: Eating Huckleberries on the Tussey Mountain Trail

 

Prowl the Sproul Event Coming Soon

Jun 16 |08:18

The Keystone Trails Association will host the 7th annual Prowl the Sproul hiking weekend on July 16 to July 18, 2010 in the Sproul State Forest of western Clinton County. Hikers will be able to explore new and exciting parts of the Sproul that are only seen when hiking with a DCNR guide. I've participated in the Prowl the Sproul hiking weekend for the past three years and highly recommend attending.

Read more: Prowl the Sproul Event Coming Soon

 

A Group Hike Up Mount Nittany

Jun 12 |10:25

Our typical after work hikes are usually made up with as few as two and as many as five hikers. This afterwork hike was a little different as we had eleven hikers going on this hike. The ages of the hikers ranged from little ones still in preschool to those that are counting the short years until they can retire. For this hike we decided to do something short, but not too easy, with quite a few views. We opted to do the iconic hike of Happy Valley; the hike up Mount Nittany.

Read all about our group hike up Mount Nittany.

 

Hiking Through the Natural Areas of Rothrock State Forest

Jun 06 |18:57

Just south of State College, Pennsylvania can be found the Rothrock State Forest. Located within Rothrock State Forest are a number of natural areas and wild areas. These designated areas have limits placed on them with regards to forestry and recreation. The purpose of a natural area or a wild area is to keep the woods as primitive and primeval as possible. Two such areas, the Detweiler and Alan Seeger Natural Areas were the focus of this hike.

Read all about our hike in the natural areas of Rothrock State Forest.

 

Mountain Laurel in Bloom

Jun 02 |22:14

Mountain Laurel is in bloom here in Central PA. This past Tuesday, Shari and I took a little ride through Rothrock S.F. On our way back to Boalsburg, we stopped off at the Filmore Trail trailhead, just off Bear Meadows Road. We hiked to the deer exclosure, just to the east of Filmore Trail, and entered throught the yellow swing gate. Once within the exclosure we followed the logging road up to the last staging area. Here there was another gate, though no easy way through for us bipedal humanoids was provided, but that was OK. We got to see what we came for. In front of us was the burn area of the forest fire from 2006. Amongst the few standing trees, some dead, some still sprouting green, the mountain laurel was starting to repopulate the burn area. Areas of green, white, and pink greeted us as we enjoyed the view and surveyed the land.

 

Pennsylvania Hiking Week: May 29th - June 6th

May 26 |18:57

Pennsylvania Hiking Week begins this weekend, Saturday May 29th, and runs through Sunday, June 6th. These hikes are being sponsored by DCNR and the Keystone Trails Association. They will be offering nearly 100 organized hikes and walks available throughout Pennsylvania during the nine-day event.

All of the scheduled hikes have leaders. Most hikes are on the two weekends of the event, but several weekday and evening hikes also are offered. Special hikes include night hikes; wildflower walks; hikes for people with disabilities; pet walks; geology walks and much more.

Visit the DCNR Website to learn more.

 

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  • went hiking up to the memorial…

    20 Jul 2010 | 9:10 am

    went hiking up to the memorial where james cleveland had crashed his plane. It was a very nice hike with some rocks and steep hillclimbs.ended up starting up the trail at about 7:30 PM was getting dark once we reached[…]

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  • Hiked this dreaded trail…

    20 Jul 2010 | 7:37 am

    Hiked this dreaded trail over four days/three night trip. Parked at Mile 1 along the road and went in CCW direction. Pros: Some good to great camping areas with plenty of firewood, good, abundant water sources, blueberries were tasty. Rarely[…]

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  • Baldy was definitely a test…

    19 Jul 2010 | 12:55 pm

    Baldy was definitely a test

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Hikes in Pennsylvania

# Date of Hike Trail Location Length Difficulty
14 7/17/2010 Donut Hole Trail  ID#113 Near Hyner State Park 10 mi TBD
1 7/13/2010 Shingletown Gap  ID#112 Shingletown, PA 6.2 mi TBD
25 7/1/2010 Buck / Brush Ridge Loop  ID#111 Rothrock State Forest, by Milroy PA 6.1 mi 82
23 6/20/2010 The Falls Trail  ID#110 Ricketts Glen State Park 4.2 mi 77
25 6/17/2010 Tussey Mountain Trail  ID#109 Rothrock State Forest, by Boalsburg PA 5.8 mi 86
25 6/4/2010 Mount Nittany  ID#108 Lemont, PA 3.6 mi 71
2 5/25/2010 Detweiler and Alan Seeger Natural Areas  ID#107 Alan Seeger Natrual Area, Rothrock S.F. 4.7 mi 68
5 4/15/2010 Allegheny Front Trail - The Front  ID#106 Beaver Road to Rattlesnake Pike 6.3 mi 119
7 4/7/2010 Mid State Trail  ID#105 Little Flat to Big Flat 5.1 mi 69
7 4/1/2010 Mid State Trail  ID#104 Jo Hays Vista to Shingletown Gap 5.4 mi 77
7 3/16/2010 Mid State Trail  ID#103 Near Pennsylvania Furnace, PA 3.3 mi 54
25 2/8/2010 Galbraith Gap  ID#102 Rothrock State Forest, by Bolasburg, PA 5.4 mi 74
1 10/29/2009 Shingletown Gap  #101 Shingletown, PA 3.5 mi 54
7 10/23/2009 Mid State Trail  ID#100 Woodward Gap to route PA45 6.5 mi 94
25 9/23/2009 Jean Aron Path/Tuxedo Trail  ID#99 Bear Meadows Natural Area 3.3 mi 45
5 8/26/2009 Allegheny Front Trail - Rock Run   ID#98 Near Black Moshannon S.P. 7.1 mi 100
7 8/6/2009 Mid State Trail  ID#97 Poe Paddy S.P. to Woodward Gap 8.5 mi 145
11 7/18/2009 Shoemaker Ridge  ID#96 Sproul State Forest, near the east loop of the Chuck Keiper Trail 5.9 mi 96
25 7/16/2009 Tussey Mountain Trail  ID#95 Rothrock State Forest, by Boalsburg PA 5.4 mi 80
3 7/3/2009 Mountain View Trail  ID#94 Stone Valley Recreation Area, south of Pine Grove Mills, PA 3.6 mi 56
7 6/10/2009 Mid State Trail - Indian Steps  ID#93 Harry's Valley Road, off route PA26 4.0 mi 72
8 5/27/2009 Bohen Trail  #92 Blackwell, PA 3.5 mi 72
25 5/19/2009 Long Mountain Trail  #91 Penn Roosevelt S.P./Alan Seeger N.A. 4.6 mi 87
1 5/6/2009 Shingletown Gap  #90 Shingletown, PA 4.8 mi 94
25 4/27/2009 Old Laurel Run Trail / Spruce Gap Trail  #89 Rothrock State Forest, by Bolasburg, PA 4.4 mi 89
11 4/25/2009 Chuck Keiper Trail  ID#88 Eddy Lick Run, off route PA144 8.9 mi 128
26 3/6/2009 Penns Creek  ID#87 South of Coburn, PA 5.5 mi 57
7 2/11/2009 Mid State Trail  ID#86 Muttersbaugh Gap, off route US322 5.8 mi 108
1 10/15/2008 Shingletown Gap  ID#85 Shingletown, PA 3.8 mi 70
21 10/11 - 10/12/2008 Loyalsock Trail  ID#84 World's End State Park 13 mi 105
16 9/28/2008 Laurel Highlands Trail  ID#83 South of Seward, PA, Route PA56 5.4 mi 102
2 9/23/2008 Mount Nittany  ID#82 Lemont, PA 5.1 mi 91
25 8/4/2008 Alan Seeger Natural Area  ID#81 Alan Seeger Natural Area, Rothrock S.F. 0.8 mi 10
27 7/19/2008 Reeder/Little Boyer Trail Loop  ID#80 North of Haneyville PA, along Route PA44 5.2 mi 76
17 5/11/2008 Golden Eagle Trail  ID#79 North of Cammal, PA 9.2 mi 179
10 4/22/2008 Standing Stone Trail  ID#78 Near Mount Union PA, off Route US22 3.5 mi 84
1 4/10/2008 Shingletown Gap   ID#77 Shingletown, PA 2.3 mi 55
5 4/8/2008 Shingle Mill Trail  ID#76 Black Moshannon S.P. 3.7 mi 42
7 3/15 - 3/16 /2008 Mid State Trail - Greenwood Spur   ID#75 Galbraith Gap to Greenwood Furnace S.P. 14.1 mi 129
7 3/12/2008 Mid State Trail  ID#74 Near Jo Hays Vista, off Route PA26 6.4 mi 100
10 1/7/2008 Standing Stone Trail  ID#73 Greenwood Furnace S.P. 4.4 mi 82
26 12/19/2007 Woodward Gap  ID#72 Woodward, PA, off route PA45 1.0 mi 22
20 11/10 - 11/11/2007 Old Loggers Path  ID#71 Masten Ghost Town, Lycoming County 12.5 mi 105
25 10/14/2007 Musser Gap  ID#70 Near Shingletown, PA, on Route PA45 4.9 mi 80
15 9/16/2007 John P. Saylor Trail   ID#69 Near Windber, PA, on Route PA56 6.3 mi 88
6 8/4/2007 Mid State Trail  ID#68 Friend's Cove, south of Everett PA 3.9 mi 71
14 7/21/2007 Kettle Creek Loop Trail  ID#67 Kettle Creek S.P. 7.3 mi 138
23 5/25/2007 The Falls Trail  ID#66 Ricketts Glen State Park 3.2 mi 59
22 5/23 - 5/24/2007 Pinchot Trail - South Loop  ID#65 Lackawanna County 14.2 mi 87
11 5/12/2007 Chuck Keiper Trail  ID#64 Pete's Run Road to Fish Dam Run Overlook 6.5 mi 123
7 5/9/2007 Mid State Trail  ID#63 Little Flat to Indian Wells Vista 4.4 mi 44
11 4/26 - 4/27/2007 Chuck Keiper Trail - West Loop  ID#62 Clinton County, south of Renovo PA 14.5 mi 142
4 4/3/2007 The Barrens  ID#61 Near Circle Ville, west of State College PA 5 mi 65
2 3/13/2007 Mount Nittany  ID#60 Lemont, PA 4.9 mi 86
25 2/15/2007 Galbraith Gap  ID#59 Rothrock State Forest, by Bolasburg, PA 2.5 mi 35
26 1/20/2007 Hook Natural Area  ID#58 South of R.B. Winter State Park 7.9 mi 135
26 1/7/2007 Thick Mountain/Swift Run Trail  ID#57 Near Troxelville , PA 3.5 mi 66
8 12/10/2006 Mid State Trail  ID#56 Ramsey, PA 5.4 mi 108
7 11/21/2006 Mid State Trail  ID#55 Poe Paddy & Poe Valley S.P. 7.4 mi 99
5 9/27 - 10/1/2006 Allegheny Front Trail  ID#54 Black Moshannon S.P. 40.2 mi 124
5 9/11/2006 Allegheny Front Trail - Rock Run  ID#53 Near Black Moshannon S.P. 5.4 mi 74
3 9/4/2006 Stone Valley Recreation Area  ID#52 South of Pine Grove Mills, PA 5.4 mi 71
1 8/16/2006 Shingletown Gap   ID#51 Shingletown, PA 5.2 mi 84
9 8/5 - 8/6/2006 Mid State Trail   ID#50 Blackwell, PA to route PA287 15.7 mi 144
15 7/23/2006 John P. Saylor Trail   ID#48 Near Windber, PA, on Route PA56 12.1 mi 162
5 7/9 - 7/10/2006 Allegheny Front Trail - Rock Run   ID#47 Near Black Moshannon S.P. 5.2 mi 35
20 7/7 - 7/8/2006 Old Loggers Path   ID#46 Masten Ghost Town, Lycoming County 15.1 mi 117
12 7/3/2006 Eagleton Mine Camp Trail   ID#45 North of Lock Haven, Route PA120 9.1 mi 134
7 6/29/2006 Mid State Trail - Greenwood Spur   ID#44 Near Alan Seeger Natural Area 4.7 mi 68
5 6/6/2006 Allegheny Front Trail - Six Mile Run   ID#43 Black Moshannon S.P., Route PA504 5.9 mi 75
25 6/3/2006 Old Laurel Run Trail / Spruce Gap Trail  ID#42 Rothrock State Forest, by Bolasburg, PA 3.7 mi 81
7 5/27 - 5/28/2006 Mid State Trail  ID#41 Stillhouse Hollow to Poe Valley S.P. 8.7 mi 58
5 5/24/2006 Allegheny Front Trail - Rock Run  ID#40 Near Black Moshannon S.P. 4.9 mi 71
11 4/29 - 5/1/2006 Chuck Keiper Trail - East Loop  ID#39 Clinton County, south of Renovo PA 22.5 mi 135
1 4/18/2006 Shingletown Gap  ID#38 Shingletown, PA 3.5 mi 54
16 4/16/2006 Charles Lewis Natural Area  ID#37 South of Cramer, PA, Route PA403 4.9 mi 97
1 4/6/2006 Shingletown Gap  ID#36 Shingletown, PA 3.8 mi 70
7 4/2/2006 Mid State Trail  ID#35 Jo Hays Vista to Laurel Run Road 7.0 mi 85
7 3/30/2006 Mid State Trail  ID#34 Pennsylvania Furnace to Jo Hays Vista 4.7 mi 56
11 3/19/2006 Cranberry Swamp Loop - CKT  ID#33 Northern Centre County 3.3 mi 43
7 3/17/2006 Mid State Trail  ID#32 Near Pennsylvania Furnace, PA 3.8 mi 43
25 3/5/2006 Buck / Brush Ridge Loop  ID#30 Rothrock State Forest, by Milroy PA 6.7 mi 103
7 1/20/2006 James Cleveland Trail  ID#29 Pleasant Gap, PA 2 mi 44
1 1/20/2006 Shingletown Gap  ID#28 Shingletown, PA 5.6 mi 94
8 1/8/2006 Sand Spring Flat Circuit  ID#27 Behind Ravensburg State Park 5.4 mi 78
25 12/11/2005 Tussey Mountain Trail  ID#26 Rothrock State Forest, by Boalsburg PA 6.1 mi 85
25 11/27/2005 Bear Meadows Trail  ID#25 Bear Meadows Natural Area 3.5 mi 40
7 11/12/2005 Jackson Trail  ID#24 Jo Hays Vista, Route PA26 5.6 mi 65
8 11/4/2005 Gillespie Point  ID#23 Blackwell, PA 4.2 mi 81
2 10/25/2005 Mount Nittany  ID#22 Lemont, PA 1 mi 30
19 10/13 - 10/16/2005 West Rim Trail  ID#21 Blackwell, PA 30.2 mi 131
1 9/24/2005 Shingletown Gap  ID#19 Shingletown, PA 6.2 mi 99
7 9/17/2005 Jackson Trail  ID#18 Jo Hays Vista, Route PA26 5.6 mi 65
18 9/2 - 9/3/2005 Black Forest Trail  ID#17 Slate Run, PA 10.6 mi 84
7 8/26 - 8/27/2005 Mid State Trail  ID#16 Big Flat to Penn Roosevelt 6.8 mi 131
3 8/21/2005 Stone Valley Recreation Area  ID#15 South of Pine Grove Mills, PA 1.4 mi 18
7 8/18/2005 Mid State Trail  ID#14 Little Flat to Big Flat 4.6 mi 56
24 8/6/2005 Yellow Creek State Park  ID#13 Strongstown, PA 6 mi 84
2 8/1/2005 Mount Nittany  ID#12 Lemont, PA 3.7 mi 71
13 7/23 - 7/24/2005 Quehanna Trail  ID#11 East of Penfield , PA 19.5 mi 155
18 6/10 - 6/12/2005 Black Forest Trail  ID#10 Slate Run, PA 20.1 mi 127
7 5/23/2005 James Cleveland Trail  ID#9 Pleasant Gap, PA 2 mi 44
8 5/1/2005 Gillespie Point  ID#8 Blackwell, PA 4.6 mi 91
1 4/16/2005 Shingletown Gap  ID#7 Shingletown, PA 4 mi 56
17 4/8/2005 Golden Eagle Trail  ID#6 North of Cammal, PA 9.7 mi 192
2 4/5/2005 Mount Nittany  ID#5 Lemont, PA 2.6 mi 55
18 9/4 - 9/5/2004 Black Forest Trail  ID#4 Slate Run, PA 10.5 mi 103
11 6/12/2004 Yost Run  ID#3 Northern Centre County 6.7 mi 116
7 4/17 - 4/18/2004 Mid State Trail  ID#2 Penn Roosevelt to Poe Valley 8.4 mi 139
18 9/6/2003 Black Forest Trail  ID#1 Slate Run, PA 8.5 mi 175