Centre County township has country’s only all-water cavern tour, good eats & more

Gregg Township at a glance

Population: 2,121 (as of 2023, according to data from the Census reporter)

Landmarks: Old Gregg School Community Center, Penn’s Cave & Wildlife Park, the Hummingbird Room, the Frosty Hook, the Potter-Allison Farm

Where to eat: The Frosty Hook, The Hummingbird Room, Valley Wok, The StillHouse Eatery & Craft Beverages, Jodon’s Country Place, Old Gregg School Coffee Shop

What to do: Visit Penn’s Cave & Wildlife Park, fish for trout in Sinking or Penn’s creeks, take a bike ride along Sinking Creek Road, go for a hike in Bald Eagle State Forest

More info: www.greggtownship.org

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Gregg Township is a 47-square-mile rural Centre County municipality that spans both the Penns and Brush valleys and offers an abundance of outdoor recreation opportunities, some underrated restaurants and enough small-town charm for any visitor to enjoy.

Incorporated in 1826, the township was named after Andrew Gregg, a former resident of the municipality who served as a member of Congress from 1791 to 1813 and went on to serve as the Centre Bank’s first president. Eventually, Gregg was made the Secretary of the Commonwealth in 1820 and ran for governor in 1823, but retired from politics after he was soundly defeated.

Since its founding, the township has cultivated a rich agricultural history. Those driving through it along both Brush Valley and Penns Valley roads are likely to see fields upon fields of crops and livestock.

But don’t be mistaken — Gregg Township has a lot more than just farmland. The country’s only all-water cavern tour can be found at the northern end of the municipality, with Bald Eagle State Forest at the southern end. And in between? Spring Mills, a quaint village that the locals say is fit for just about anyone.

“Gregg Township, Spring Mills — this area is an excellent place to raise a family, start a business or even just visit,” said lifelong resident Donna Miller. “Whether you live here or you’re just visiting, the sense of community that you get when you actually spend some time in the area is just unmatched.”

Tom Titus, who’s served as the senior pastor for the Penns Valley Community Church in Spring Mills since 2014, pointed to the Old Gregg Community School, now a community and recreation center, as a perfect example of how the community can come together.

“When the Old Gregg School closed in the early 2000s, a bunch of people came together to turn it into a community center, and now look at it — there are tons of things in here,” Titus said. “It’s a testament to what the people here are able to accomplish when everyone puts their heads together.”

The transformation of the school started in 2007, and it now includes athletic facilities, offices, outdoor play areas, businesses, a community library, coffee shop, a commercial kitchen and gym to rent out and more.

Visiting Penn’s Cave & Wildlife Park

The great outdoors is one of Gregg Township’s best selling points, regardless of the activity you’re interested in, but perhaps the township’s most well-known outdoor attractions is Penn’s Cave & Wildlife Park. That’s thanks, in part, to the seemingly endless number of signs for it that can be seen all around central Pennsylvania’s roads and highways.

The attraction’s main claim to fame is its all-underwater cavern tour, which is the only one of its kind in the county. The half-mile, 40-50 minute guided tour is completed entirely by boat, and shows visitors many of the cave’s unique rock formations and large, open rooms.

First discovered centuries ago by the members of the Seneca Native American tribe, the cave was opened up as a commercial show cavern in 1885, and tours have been given there ever since.

“Penn’s Cave is something that I’ve always been fascinated with, and I think it’s something that I’ll always be fascinated with — from my first day, all the way up until now,” said Marty Brumbaugh, who’s been working as a tour guide at the cave for around 30 years. “When you’re up on the surface in the light, everything is known and can be seen, but down here? It’s dark, we have to use our own lights and there are a lot more unknowns and mysteries.”

Also located at Penn’s Cave is an hour-long wildlife park bus tour, where a guide drives visitors around the park’s 1,500 acres to see North American animals like white-tailed deer, elk, wolves, a bear, a bobcat, a mountain lion, foxes, horses, bison, Texas longhorn cattle, donkeys and bighorn sheep.

Jeep tours around the grounds of the property are now offered at the attraction again after being paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The tours must be reserved at least two weeks in advance.

Information on pricing for the tours can be found on Penn’s Cave’s website, and the cave is located at 222 Penn’s Cave Road.

Other outdoor activities in Gregg Township

Aside from Penn’s Cave, Gregg Township is home to several other outdoor activities, with one starting at its southernmost border with Mifflin County — hiking in Bald Eagle State Forest.

The forest is home to more than 300 miles of trails that allow access to views like Bell’s Majestic View, the Big Valley Vista and Penn’s Scenic Overlook, although none of those views are within township lines. Poe Paddy and Poe Valley state parks can also be accessed from the township’s portion of the state forest.

Back in Spring Mills, fishing is also in the cards, with one local sharing that both of the streams that run through town are rife with trout.

“You can enter the Sinking or Penn [creeks] from just about anywhere in town, as long as you aren’t trespassing, of course,” said Wes Miller, Donna Miller’s husband and township resident since 1972. “It’s always fun seeing the kids in town grow up fishing in our streams, or seeing a visitor come, catch a few and then grab a meal over at the [Frosty] Hook.”

If fishing and hiking aren’t for you though, then perhaps a bike ride or walk down Sinking Creek Road is. That’s where the Millers say many residents gathered during the COVID-19 pandemic to come together and chat, all while adhering to social distancing rules.

“Instead of being pent up inside, a lot of [township residents] would end up walking down Sinking Creek [road] to get some fresh air and maintain that sense of community,” Wes Miller said. “Aside from that though, that road makes for a great workout on a bike — it’s not really that flat, but there aren’t any crazy hills either, and it’s a really scenic road too.”

Hidden gems on Centre County’s restaurant scene

At first glance, Gregg Township may not appear to have many food options, but if you take a closer look at Spring Mills and the area surrounding it, you’ll find half a dozen restaurants that can appease the appetites of many.

The Frosty Hook — or just “the Hook,” as residents tend to call it, is located at 113 Firehall Road. It’s a local favorite and won the honor of CDT readers’ best hidden gem poll in 2023 by a landslide vote.

Wings are always on the menu there, with Wes Miller calling them “some of the best wings you can find in the area,” although you can order fries, pizza, salads, sandwiches and more there too.

Visitors can also enjoy a wide selection of Chinese food at the Valley Wok, a burger and brew at the StillHouse, a coffee and baked good at the Old Gregg School Coffee Shop and a hoagie at Jodon’s Country Place, an old-fashioned general store that’s stood the test of time for decades.

The four eateries are located at 135 Railroad St., 137 Streamside Place, 106 School St. and 112 Firehall Road, respectively.

Located just outside of Spring Mills at 4188 Penns Valley Road is the Hummingbird Room, a fine dining restaurant that serves up dishes that a bit more elegant than a dozen wings.

The restaurant was opened in 1993 by Chef Eric Sarnow, who uses ingredients gathered locally in the Penns and Brush valleys to craft meals that some may mistake for artwork — although a reservation is required to eat there, and food is only served on certain days.