When your Adventure Buddy makes one request..."Can we hike Mount Nittany?" The answer is obviously…read moreyes. Neither of us had ever hiked Mount Nittany before, but after a little research, a mid-July Sunday morning seemed like the perfect time to explore one of central Pennsylvania's most iconic mountains. About an hour and a half later, we pulled into the trailhead parking lot just before 8:00 a.m. Parking was plentiful, GPS brought us right to the trailhead and, before we even started hiking, I encountered what may have been the biggest surprise of the morning: the trailhead porta john. It was...spotless. Seriously. I've encountered plenty of questionable trailhead restrooms over the years, so finding one that clean in the middle of July honestly deserved its own shoutout. After getting ourselves organized, we hit the trail. During my pre-hike research, I'd read quite a few reviews recommending the short white-blazed trail to the famous Mike Lynch Overlook. The only problem? That route climbs roughly 600 feet in about half a mile. Since my Adventure Buddy was a brand-new hiker, I decided we'd take the one-mile blue-blazed trail to the Nittany Mall Overlook instead before completing most of the loop in a clockwise direction. Past me made an excellent decision! The blue trail was definitely a workout, but it was manageable and gave us a chance to ease into the climb instead of immediately tackling the steepest section of the mountain. Once we reached the top, the hike transformed into a beautiful walk through the woods with overlook after overlook waiting to be discovered. Some of the scenic overlooks were partially hidden behind the thick summer foliage. But, honestly...that's a pretty wonderful problem to have! The forest was lush, green and absolutely thriving. As we worked our way around the loop, I kept checking in with my Adventure Buddy, who was having an absolute blast! Watching someone discover a love of hiking is almost as rewarding as the hike itself. We intentionally saved the Mike Lynch Overlook for last. And I'm so glad we did! Standing there looking out over Happy Valley felt like the perfect grand finale to an already fantastic morning. Instead of retracing our steps, we took the shorter white-blazed trail back down to the parking lot. Now that we'd actually experienced both routes, I would absolutely make the same decision again. Descending that steep section was challenging enough. If we'd climbed it first thing in the morning, I don't think we would've had the energy to complete the nearly 5.9-mile adventure we enjoyed that day. One thing that really stood out throughout the entire hike was how well people care for Mount Nittany. The trails were remarkably clean. I saw virtually no trash, no graffiti and very little evidence of careless visitors. It's obvious this mountain means a lot to the community, and it shows. Timing also worked in our favor. We finished around 11:30am, just as the trails were becoming noticeably busier. By the time we returned to the parking lot, it had filled considerably compared to when we arrived. PRO TIP: Start early. You'll enjoy cooler temperatures, quieter trails and much better opportunities to soak in the overlooks without crowds. I'd also recommend downloading or printing a trail map before you go. While the trails are well-marked overall, there were a couple of intersections where we appreciated having the map to confirm we were headed the right direction. Mount Nittany turned out to be everything I'd hoped it would be! Beautiful views. Peaceful forests. A great workout. Wonderful memories with a friend. And, perhaps most importantly...proof that sometimes the best hiking decision you make happens before you ever take your first step.

This trail is very well marked and maintained. I'm a big hiker and love to explore trails when…read morevisiting new places. The white and blue trails are marked with signs noting stations, distance, and steepness (topography maps show lines close together for steep areas and farther away for more flat) I stuck to the white trail for the energy I had in me that day, but like that you could go in and out of each to see overlooks or get more exercise depending on what you want. Very 'choose your own adventure'! The beginning part is a big steep, but not long or unbearable. Overall great place!

Most amazing view! You don't even have to walk to see it either but the walk isn't very long and…read moreit's satisfying seeing the view

Musser Gap Trail is a beautiful and very well maintained entry tail to Rothrock State Forrest in…read morethe State College Area. It is only a few minutes outside of town, has a huge parking lot, and a gravelled trail, making it very easy for older or feeble folks to enjoy some of beautiful Rothrock. The trail very slightly slopes uphill for the first part and isn't too difficult. After it crosses the powerlines, however, it gets quite steep so the less adventurous should turn back at that point!

A great neighborhood park with a basketball court, tennis court, volleyball court, and sledding…read morehill. It's also a nice place to watch the 4th of July Fireworks Show.

I took my grandson here last week and can't describe how disappointed I was…read more EVERYTHING looked like it was 50 years old. The astro-turf was ripped in a lot of places, there were weeds growing everywhere, the areas between the holes looked post-apocalyptic.... seriously, take a little time and clean this place up. I won't be back, it was disgusting.

i really like the course a lot but the day i went with my staff there was a birthday party there…read moreand the kids were running all over the course unsupervised and climbing on the rocks and stuff when there is signs saying that here is no climbing on the rocks and the kids were cutting in front of us and there was one kid that was at least then six inches behind me and i could of hit her with the metal part of my golf club and make sure when you do go don't go on Sundays for sure unless u want to get rushed though the course and also we reported it and they told us to have a nice rest of our day

So awesome. We've been here several times these past two years. Service is great and the boats are…read moreeven better! Fun and affordable way to spend sunny days.

Located in Bald Eagle State Park, Boats and Bikes is a simple shop with one goal in mind: helping…read moreyou enjoy a day on the water. Specifically, the shop is there to help you enjoy Joseph Sayers Lake, the scenic lake in Bald Eagle. This place rents out a variety of boats to park goers, from canoes and kayaks to pontoon boats and jet skis. Also, you can rent for short and long periods of time alike - anywhere from an hour to all day, according to their website. The website also mentions that they offer an on-lake fuel dock with non-ethanol fuel, fishing and boating supplies, live bait, snacks, drinks, ice, and camping supplies. Like I said: they're here to help you enjoy your time on the water! Reservations aren't required, but are recommended - but also aren't available for each type of boat. I know this because prior to my visit, I learned that canoes and kayaks are first come, first serve. Not a big deal, but still something to be aware of, and admittedly weird since you can reserve a paddle board...just, not canoes or kayaks? When I visited, a relative and I opted to enjoy three hours of kayaking on the water. A few other groups went for the pontoon boats, and we also shared the water with folks who clearly owned their own boats and were using approved launch points to join in the fun. Our visit was pretty straight-forward; we paid, got outfitted with life vests and paddles, and got some help launching ourselves after we asked for it. Coming back in was admittedly less fun since the very busy staff didn't come help to pull in our kayaks; we managed by ourselves but it took a bit of coordination and teamwork since a kayak that's half in, half out of the water isn't particularly stable. We also admittedly dodged some groups of people on land because not every other guest remembered that masks are necessary outdoors in 2020, too; still, the good news about being outside is that it's at least easier to keep your distance. And the staff did mask up at all times, so at least being inside when checking in and out wasn't overly stressful. Boats & Bikes is exactly what it sounds like and I definitely appreciate their set-up, which made it easy to enjoy time on the lake in this beautiful state park. I would definitely come here again and take advantage of the different boat rental options during future visits to the area.

The Jackson Trail has some of the best views you can get anywhere around State College. It can be…read moremost easily accessed via Musser Gap, Shingletown Gap, or right off of 26 where the highway crests the ridge. Every half a mile or so along this trail opens up to a fantastic view on either side of the ridge. The only downside of this trail is since it follows the ridge, that means you are nearly constantly walking on lose rocks and boulders. This both makes it difficult to find the trail sometimes and also is very physical strenuous. The less adventurous simply walk along the trail to one or two of the overlooks and return to Musser or Shingletown Gap. The more adventurous can make a big loop by going along the Jackson Trail until coming to the Mid-State Trail, then following the Mid-State until coming back to Musser or Shingletown Gap.

I don't really think of Pennsylvania as swamp land but this Natural Area has a 320 acre bog high up…read morein the mountains of Rothrock State Forest. It's popular with bears who like the wild blueberries that grow here and with birders. It's fairly remote; surrounded by ridges so the lights from State College and other smaller towns are mostly blocked out and there are open areas where the trees don't get in the way. You can see the milky way on any clear night.

I came all the way from Texas to visit Wildfire Ranch Spiritual Retreat and my stay was exactly…read morewhat I needed. I thoroughly read all the info on the website and even spoke with the owner, prior to booking so that I knew what to expect. I booked the 6 day, 5 night Heartland Week-Long Retreat and I selected the following activities: equine therapy sessions, riding lessons, an all about horses clinic and a trail ride. Even with all these activities, I had plenty of time to venture out on my own and explore near by attractions. I stayed in the Whispering Winds Guest room which included my own private bathroom and views of the horses & the barn. Both Cynthia, the owner, and Andrew, the ranch hand, were very kind, knowledgeable and helpful throughout my stay. It is very evident that they both have a great passion for ALL the horses on the ranch. The scenery and the atmosphere with the horses is absolutely breathtaking. Keep in mind, this is a ranch stay, so if you're expecting 5 star hotel accommodations, then go stay at a hotel but if you're looking for peace from the busy city life and the beauty of nature, then this will fit those needs. There's a lot of work that goes into maintaining a ranch and for the caring of horses, so I appreciate everything both Cynthia & Andrew do here @ Wildfire Ranch. Keep up the good work and I hope to visit again!

I was back again this year after I had a fantastic time last year for my 50th birthday. Thank you…read moreCynthia! Thank you Bobby! I couldn't ask for a better weekend of being with my spiritual loves - horses (especially my Valiant) and enjoying wonderful (literally full of wonder) rides with you and amazing opportunities to connect with myself in the solitude of your peaceful retreat!