11 miles of new trails to be constructed next year in Rothrock State Forest. What to know
Hikers, cyclists and equestrians should soon have even more to look forward to at Rothrock State Forest around Centre and Huntingdon counties.
About 11 additional miles of trails will be constructed starting this summer, and they will connect Hubler Gap with Whipple Dam State Park, according to a news release issued Tuesday by Rothrock Trail Alliance, a committee within local nonprofit ClearWater Conservancy.
That 11-mile expansion will also add a new loop encircling Rudy Ridge, the area found between Pine Swamp and Laurel Run Roads. The trails will be natural surface, single-track and shared-use. And they’re expected to open by fall 2026.
“Improved access deep into Rothrock is a huge gift to our community,” Elizabeth Crisfield, executive director of ClearWater Conservancy, said in a news release. “Rothrock Trail Alliance created these ambitious proposals to improve trails deep into the forest so all of us can find that peace of mind that comes from fresh air and exertion.”
Plans for the 11-mile trail expansion have been known for a while, but they only recently took a significant step forward. On Tuesday, the Rothrock Trail Alliance announced it had received a $500,000 grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program administered by the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Thanks to that grant — along with funds from individual donors, Happy Valley Adventure Bureau and Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County — the organization could afford the estimated $625,000 project.
The next step will be to start the bidding process and hire a contractor, who will then start constructing the trails this summer. More than 300 miles of Rothrock trails are currently open to the public.
But that still shouldn’t be the end of new trails in Rothrock.
The Rothrock Trail Alliance (RTA) began a different project earlier this year, one that focused on constructing 53 new miles of trails between Musser Gap and Shingletown Road. That was considered Phase One, this most recent project is considered Phase Two — and the organization anticipates announcing details for Phase Three in January, RTA President Jay Ziegler told the CDT.
For more information on the state forest’s trails, visit rothrocktrails.org.
