Explore the best rated trails in State College, PA. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Pine Creek Rail Trail and Buffalo Flat Trail. With more than 22 trails covering 283 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Part of a larger system in Western Pennsylvania known as the Trans Allegheny Trails, the Ghost Town Trail was named for the long-abandoned towns strung along the tracks of the Ebensburg & Black Lick...
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The David S. Ammerman Trail rolls through Pennsylvania coal country for nearly 11 miles between Clearfield and Grampian, skirting the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and two of its tributaries....
Serene year-round, the Bellefonte Central Rail Trail (BCRT) in central Pennsylvania runs along 1.3 miles of the old Buffalo Run, Bellefonte and Bald Eagle Railroad corridor. The original 19-mile line...
Spurred by the success of New York’s revolutionary Erie Canal, Pennsylvania started constructing its own canal system in 1826 to link Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. But the Allegheny Mountains...
Stretching 12.6 miles through south-central Pennsylvania, this rail-trail follows the route of the former Huntingdon and Broad Top Mountain Railroad, a standard--gauge railroad founded in 1852 to...
The old railroad line known as the Moshannon, or the Mills Branch, crossed the Moshannon Valley during the mid- to late 1800s. The line was the foundation of the region's late 19th- and early...
Bald Eagle Valley Trail, formerly known as the Clinton County Rail Trail, offers a pleasant crushed-stone pathway along scenic Bald Eagle Creek and the West Branch Susquehanna River. As you pedal or...
Currently, over 10 miles of the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail are complete. The trail runs between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg, and interpretive signs relate the region's history. The trail is mostly paved...
Located in beautiful Sinnemahoning State Park in Pennsylvania, the Lowlands Trail uses the former corridor of the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad. The trail and park are now part of the tour...
The Bells Gap Rail-Trail is really two trails in one-a smooth 2.1-mile southern section with crushed limestone surface, and a rougher, more difficult northern section of 4.2 miles that is best-suited...
Part of a larger system in Western Pennsylvania known as the Trans Allegheny Trails, the Ghost Town Trail was named for the long-abandoned towns strung along the tracks of the Ebensburg & Black Lick...
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The Iron Horse Trail follows two abandoned rail beds: the Path Valley Railroad and the Perry Lumber Company Railroad. Originally, the Path Valley Railroad was going to be an extension for the Newport...
Located in one of Pennsylvanias most popular State Parks, the Beaver Dam Trail follows old railroad grades at Parker Dam State Park in Clearfield County. The trail runs past streams, beaver dams,...
Spurred by the success of New York’s revolutionary Erie Canal, Pennsylvania started constructing its own canal system in 1826 to link Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. But the Allegheny Mountains...
Located in beautiful Sinnemahoning State Park in Pennsylvania, the Lowlands Trail uses the former corridor of the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad. The trail and park are now part of the tour...
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Included in the seven-mile network of trails in Little Buffalo State Park are two small sections of rail-trail. Together they are called the Newport and Sherman's Valley Railroad Trace. The...
The George B. Will Trail in Tiadaghton State Forest is named for an early 20th-century Pennsylvania forest ranger. The trail is popular with cross-country skiers and travels through a mixed-pine...
Lumber mills frequently set up tram cars running on a set of tracks to carry cut timbers from the steep hillsides. The Old Tram Trail is exactly that and has become a short bit of single track to...
The David S. Ammerman Trail rolls through Pennsylvania coal country for nearly 11 miles between Clearfield and Grampian, skirting the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and two of its tributaries....
Bald Eagle Valley Trail, formerly known as the Clinton County Rail Trail, offers a pleasant crushed-stone pathway along scenic Bald Eagle Creek and the West Branch Susquehanna River. As you pedal or...
Currently, over 10 miles of the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail are complete. The trail runs between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg, and interpretive signs relate the region's history. The trail is mostly paved...
The old railroad line known as the Moshannon, or the Mills Branch, crossed the Moshannon Valley during the mid- to late 1800s. The line was the foundation of the region's late 19th- and early...
Serene year-round, the Bellefonte Central Rail Trail (BCRT) in central Pennsylvania runs along 1.3 miles of the old Buffalo Run, Bellefonte and Bald Eagle Railroad corridor. The original 19-mile line...
Coordinated by the Snow Shoe Rails to Trails Association (SSRTA), the Snow Shoe Trail caters primarily to ATV and off-road motorcycle enthusiasts. It is open to other users as well, but the rough...
Stretching 12.6 miles through south-central Pennsylvania, this rail-trail follows the route of the former Huntingdon and Broad Top Mountain Railroad, a standard--gauge railroad founded in 1852 to...
Located in scenic Potter and Clinton Counties, the Susquehannock Hiking Trail is an 85-mile amalgamation of old Civilian Conservation Corps fire trails, logging roads and railroad grades through the...
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A renovated former railroad tunnel that features a separate entrance for bats is a highlight of the Penns Creek Path. The path is a relatively flat segment of the 328-mile Mid State Trail that runs...
The Cumberland Valley Rail Trail rolls 13.7 miles through a bucolic valley that’s hemmed in by the Blue and South Mountains in south-central Pennsylvania. Running from Shippensburg to east of...
The Bells Gap Rail-Trail is really two trails in one-a smooth 2.1-mile southern section with crushed limestone surface, and a rougher, more difficult northern section of 4.2 miles that is best-suited...
A renovated former railroad tunnel that features a separate entrance for bats is a highlight of the Penns Creek Path. The path is a relatively flat segment of the 328-mile Mid State Trail that runs...
Located in beautiful Sinnemahoning State Park in Pennsylvania, the Lowlands Trail uses the former corridor of the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad. The trail and park are now part of the tour...
Bald Eagle Valley Trail, formerly known as the Clinton County Rail Trail, offers a pleasant crushed-stone pathway along scenic Bald Eagle Creek and the West Branch Susquehanna River. As you pedal or...
Included in the seven-mile network of trails in Little Buffalo State Park are two small sections of rail-trail. Together they are called the Newport and Sherman's Valley Railroad Trace. The...
Coordinated by the Snow Shoe Rails to Trails Association (SSRTA), the Snow Shoe Trail caters primarily to ATV and off-road motorcycle enthusiasts. It is open to other users as well, but the rough...
The David S. Ammerman Trail rolls through Pennsylvania coal country for nearly 11 miles between Clearfield and Grampian, skirting the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and two of its tributaries....
The old railroad line known as the Moshannon, or the Mills Branch, crossed the Moshannon Valley during the mid- to late 1800s. The line was the foundation of the region's late 19th- and early...
The Lower Trail ranks high on the list of many Central Pennsylvania residents when they’re searching for a remote path with a woodsy feel. The Lower (rhymes with flower, and named in memory of trail...
Serene year-round, the Bellefonte Central Rail Trail (BCRT) in central Pennsylvania runs along 1.3 miles of the old Buffalo Run, Bellefonte and Bald Eagle Railroad corridor. The original 19-mile line...
Located in scenic Potter and Clinton Counties, the Susquehannock Hiking Trail is an 85-mile amalgamation of old Civilian Conservation Corps fire trails, logging roads and railroad grades through the...
Located in one of Pennsylvanias most popular State Parks, the Beaver Dam Trail follows old railroad grades at Parker Dam State Park in Clearfield County. The trail runs past streams, beaver dams,...
Lumber mills frequently set up tram cars running on a set of tracks to carry cut timbers from the steep hillsides. The Old Tram Trail is exactly that and has become a short bit of single track to...
The Iron Horse Trail follows two abandoned rail beds: the Path Valley Railroad and the Perry Lumber Company Railroad. Originally, the Path Valley Railroad was going to be an extension for the Newport...
Currently, over 10 miles of the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail are complete. The trail runs between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg, and interpretive signs relate the region's history. The trail is mostly paved...
The Bells Gap Rail-Trail is really two trails in one-a smooth 2.1-mile southern section with crushed limestone surface, and a rougher, more difficult northern section of 4.2 miles that is best-suited...
Part of a larger system in Western Pennsylvania known as the Trans Allegheny Trails, the Ghost Town Trail was named for the long-abandoned towns strung along the tracks of the Ebensburg & Black Lick...
The Pine Creek Rail Trail is one of Pennsylvania’s destination trails, and for good reason. The 62-mile well--maintained trail runs at the bottom of überscenic Pine Creek Gorge, commonly called the...
The Cumberland Valley Rail Trail rolls 13.7 miles through a bucolic valley that’s hemmed in by the Blue and South Mountains in south-central Pennsylvania. Running from Shippensburg to east of...
Spurred by the success of New York’s revolutionary Erie Canal, Pennsylvania started constructing its own canal system in 1826 to link Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. But the Allegheny Mountains...
We started at the trail head just outside Vintondale where the C&I Spur splits off. It was a beautiful sunny day. The first 4-5 miles of the C&I spur is in great shape and a very nice ride along the creek. At Vic Miller Road there is a short on-road segment to what looks like a very new or refurbished section of the C&I extension. This section is very nice. It travels over some bridges and forested lands. The trail is in perfect condition. There were a lot of other bikers, walkers, and ebikers on the trail. Very friendly.
After another 8 miles the trail dead ends on a residential street. (North St.). A little bit of on-road riding gets you to Expedite St and then Cardiff Rd. Cardiff Rd is all downhill into Nanty Glo. Cardiff Rd. has a bit more traffic. But going this way, it is all downhill and you are in Nanty Glo in 5-10 minutes. We had a beer and a very nice meal in town, then took the the mainline trail back to Vintondale. This is a great trail. I hope to return and ride into Ebensburg.
I almost skipped it. 1.7 almost not worth loading and unloading. True the official trail ends at 1.7, but the next 2.5 was easily rideable on my hybrid with 38mm wide tires. A couple soft spots but not bad. I’ve ridden hall-of-fame trails that were worse. Worst spot was about 100ft from end at Montauk Circle. Felt like pretty much gradual uphill grade form State College until about 1 mile from end. Be careful at Toftrees Ave. Cars seemed to come down that hill and around the curve pretty fast.
Nice views of Toftrees golf course. Trail even shared the paved cart path for a short section. Some road noise from 322 in the middle of the ride. I enjoyed the west end the most. On the way back, I veered off in the Arboretum to Big Hollow Road and some riding through campus and the old historic neighborhood.
Pretty steep hill right at the start at the park. Glad it was short. Nice going down, wasn’t looking forward to coming up it. Avoided it by coming back on Big Hollow, but it had hills too.
Ended up doing 10.5 very enjoyable miles. If you’re in town, be sure to ride this one……bikin-Mike
Lewisburg end start at the Miller Center/YMCA. First mile in Lewisburg is confusing and crossing Highway 15 is not at a crosswalk and the trail is not well marked. Mifflinburg end is just beyond the Rusty Rail restaurant. Lots of parking in that area. Lewisburg end first 2 miles are asphalt, many road crossings. Mifflinburg end is 1.5 miles asphalt. Middle is through cornfields and farm fields with several farm access road crossings. Could be a 5 star except for Lewisburg end and a couple of Highway crossings should be more visibly marked - cars don’t stop for bikes.
My husband and I biked the larger section of this trail this weekend and had a great time. Beautiful rolling farmland, nice facilities and friendly people. Looking ahead to them completing this to Carlisle. We will definitely be back to check it out.
August 11 -- arrived at Saylor Park as a morning rain subsided and the humidity rose with temps in the 80s F. The trailhead to Dilltown, near the vault toilet, was not immediately obvious. Be careful not to take the Hoodlebug trail by mistake. Spotting a large black snake was the highlight of our day. Saylor Park has a nice picnic pavilion where we ate lunch after our easy, somewhat downhill return ride from Dilltown. Rain started soon after lunch.
Considering the amount of rain in the days prior to and the morning of our ride, the trail was in excellent condition, even for our road bikes. No serious washouts or mud. Kudos to the trail crews who maintain this section!! A lot of shade made this a great trail to ride on hot summer days.
August 13 -- more rain last night and another day in the 80s F. A moment of confusion when we tried to find trailhead parking at Vintondale/Eliza Station. Trailhead parking is down the street and around the corner from the Eliza Furnace site. Again we were impressed by the excellent trail conditions (more kudos to the trail crews). The Hwy 422 underpass at MM4 (the confluence of the north branch of Blacklick Creek and Elk Creek) is the only tricky portion of the trail. Pay attention to the "Slow Down" signs or you could end up in the creek. The almost 26-mile return ride was our longest so far this year. Our legs were relieved to have a mostly downhill return ride back to Vintondale. There was plenty of shade, great creek views and lots of late summer flowers to add to the joy of riding.
After riding this trail I'm not sure why it has so many 5 star ratings. I did ride it just after Hurricane Ida and there were some washouts but that did not affect my rating as I suspect those will be quickly repaired. We started from Tatesville and the section to the bridge over the Raystown Branch Juanita River was decent. It had a fairly good trail bed and was in the woods. No outstanding scenery until the bridge which was very nice. Not too far after the bridge the trail becomes a shared use gravel roadway for 2.3 miles. This is easy enough to ride and the river (flooded when we were there) is alongside all the time at this point. However, it is a gravel road. At the end of the road you ride some paved roads through Hopewell for a bit then back on to a decent portion of trail until Riddlesburg where you ride pavement again for a bit before turning back onto the trail which is a coarser gravel at this point - certainly rideable but not as much fun. (This section is actually beyond where the TrailLink map indicates that the trail stops). The trail dead ends at Red Cut with a gate. As a positive there were numerous benches along the way and some picnic tables. I did not see any tire pump or repair stations as mentioned by another poster though there may have been one in Riddlesburg where we pulled away from the trail just a bit. Amenities were basically non-existent. There was a small gas station in Riddlesburg which might have something and the post office advertised food but appeared closed. Hopewell may also have had a small business but it wasn't along the trail.
I would not drive any distance to ride this trail and will likely never ride it again. There is just nothing outstanding to warrant it and the gravel road ride probably sealed the deal on this review. In short, there are much better trails - and some worse.
Nicely maintained. It has bike repair and pump stations . Pretty trail
Well maintained , has park benches to stop and have lunch
Took my 5 year old to this trail for the first time and he absolutely loved it. Has just enough hills to make it a workout for beginners and to help build stamina.
We looked for a bike trail that also had geocaching. This was it! Plus an earthcache was a bonus. Would recommend. Kudos to all who maintain this jewel!!
I drove 75 miles to try the trail and it was a good experience and worth the drive. I parked in Tatesville and rode to the end in Riddlesburg and back to Tatesville. There are a few miles of trail before Hopewell that is a public roadway. It is some kind of camping and recreational area. This stretch of trail is like driving in an alley or gravel driveway which is why it is best to have a mountain bike. Skinnier tires could easily get a flat tire in this area. I heard of this in advance so I took my mountain bike with me for the ride. The trail winds through the streets of Hopewell before becoming a trail again. There is also some street riding in Riddlesburg before coming to the end of the trail. I hope someday the trail can continue past Riddlesburg. I would return to this trail, but I would never ride through the recreational area again. Park in Tatesville and ride out about 6 miles to where the recreational area begins and then back to Tatesville for a 12 mile ride. Or park in Hopewell or Riddlesburg and just ride between Hopewell and Riddlesburg.
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