If you’re looking for the best hiking trails near State College, you’re in the right place!
The mountains, valleys, and forests around Centre County are home to hundreds of miles of hiking trails.
What follows is a list of some of the best hiking trails near State College, complete with a map to each trailhead.
For each hiking trail mentioned below, click on the blue text links to view more in-depth information about that hike.
1. Hobie’s Trail at Colyer Lake
Hobie’s Trail is a scenic 2.6 mile hike that loops around Colyer Lake in Centre County.
The trail is named in honor of Hobart “Hobie” Kistler, who originally conceived and built a trail around Colyer Lake as his Eagle Scout service project in 2006.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
2. The White Trail on Mount Nittany
There are 7 named overlooks along the 8 miles of maintained trails on Mount Nittany, but it’s the White Trail that leads 0.6 miles to the most famous of those overlooks.
The Mike Lynch Overlook on Mount Nittany offers a panoramic view of downtown State College, Beaver Stadium, and the Penn State campus.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
3. The Alan Seeger Trail
The Alan Seeger Trail is a 0.8 mile loop hike through the Alan Seeger Natural Area near State College.
The Alan Seeger Natural Area is famous for its old-growth hemlock, white pine, and yellow birch.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
4. Shingletown Gap Trails
Shingletown Gap outside State College is home to a maze of hiking trails extending into the Rothrock State Forest.
This Rothrock State Forest map is a great free resource for helping you combine these trails into loops of varying degrees of difficulty, including some that lead to the Mid State Trail which runs across the top of Tussey Mountain.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
5. The Allegheny Front Trail
The Allegheny Front Trail is a 41.8 mile loop trail in Centre County, but two of the best vistas along the entire trail can be seen on a simple 1.4 mile out-and-back hike.
Ralph’s Majestic Vista and nearby Ralph’s Pretty Good View are both exceptional vistas, and the section of the Allegheny Front Trail used to access them is well-blazed and easy-to-follow.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
6. The Chuck Keiper Trail
Yost Run Falls is the tallest waterfall in Centre County, and the Chuck Keiper Trail will take you right to it!
More specifically, a 1.26 mile hike (one-way) along the Chuck Keiper Trail will take you through a beautiful portion of the Sproul State Forest and right to the top of Yost Run Falls, a great hike in any season.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
7. The Jackson Trail
A 0.75 mile hike along the flat but rocky Jackson Trail brings you to the magnificent David’s Vista overlooking the Rothrock State Forest.
This is a great all-seasons hike, as the trailhead (which is a vista in its own right) is right along Route 26, just outside State College.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
8. The John Snyder Trail
The John L. Snyder Trail is a 0.5 mile hike along the banks of Penns Creek at Poe Paddy State Park.
This is a great hike for kids that like to play in the water, and the trailhead is located near the confluence of Big Poe Creek and Penns Creek.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
9. The Lake Loop Trail
The 0.7 mile Lake Loop Trail is an easy, flat trail around the lower portion of the Black Moshannon Lake, close to the beach at Black Moshannon State Park.
A great hike in any season, the Lake Loop Trail is just one of many excellent hikes at Black Moshannon State Park.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
10. The Lakeview Trail
This quarter-mile loop trail takes you around the lake at Greenwood Furnace State Park.
Kids in particular will enjoy the Lakeview Trail as it gives them an opportunity to explore the lake up-close.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
11. The Mid State Trail
The fantastic Indian Wells Overlook can be reached via a short hike along the Mid State Trail.
A one mile out-and-back hike described HERE will take you to this scenic overlook high above the Bear Meadows Natural Area.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
12. The Bear Meadows Loop Trail
No list of great hikes near State College would be complete without mentioning the Bear Meadows Loop Trail, a 3.5 mile hike around a fen wetland that is classified as a National Natural Landmark.
This hike can be muddy in spots (it is a wetlands, after all), so waterproof hiking boots are a good idea.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
13. The Musser Gap Trail
The most strenuous hike on this list, a 1.5 mile hike (with 900 feet of elevation gain) along the Musser Gap Trail leads to the spectacular Hubler Gap Vista.
The views to the south over the unbroken Rothrock State Forest make the demanding climb up the Musser Gap Trail well worth the effort.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
14. The Nature Trail
The Nature Trail is a one-mile loop hike at Poe Valley State Park.
There are also a number of other trails at the Poe Valley State Park, including one that crosses the breast of the dam on Poe Lake.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
15. The Penns Creek Rail Trail
The Penns Creek Rail Trail is a 2.7 mile, crushed stone rail trail that passes through the historic and refurbished Poe Paddy Tunnel.
Beyond the tunnel, the trail continues for a little over 2 miles through the Penns Creek Wild Area.
Sign pointing to Poe Paddy Tunnel.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
16. The Whipple Lake Trail
The Whipple Lake Trail is a 3 mile loop hike at Whipple Dam State Park.
This is a relatively flat hike that takes you on a trip around Whipple Lake and upstream on Laurel Run.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
17. The Shaver’s Creek Trails
Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center is home to approximately 6 miles of trails, with the Lake Trail being the longest at 2.9 miles.
You can download a free PDF guide to the trails at Shaver’s Creek HERE.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
18. The Jean Aron Path
The Jean Aron Path is a 1.2 mile out and back hike along the eastern edge of the Bear Meadows Natural Area.
This is a flat hike through a mix of mountain laurel and towering hemlocks, with several great views of the Bear Meadows wetland along the route.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
19. The John Wert Path
The John Wert Path is a 5 mile out and back hike through the Thickhead Wild Area near Boalsburg.
This hike features very little elevation change as it follows the banks of Sinking Creek deep into the Rothrock State Forest.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
20. The Standing Stone Trail
The Standing Stone Trail (SST) is an 85 mile-long, orange-blazed footpath connecting the Mid State Trail in northern PA with the Tuscarora Trail in southern PA.
The hike to Stone Valley Vista is a relatively straight forward 4. 4 mile out-and-back hike near State College utilizing a small portion of the Standing Stone Trail.
Click the button below to open a Google Map to the trailhead for this hike.
Related Attractions
The 6 Best State Parks Near State College is your guide to some of the best outdoor recreational areas in Happy Valley.
29 Must-See Attractions in Centre County is your guide to even more great things to see and do in Happy Valley!
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