Work on a new 7.5 mile trail in the Musser Gap area of Rothrock State Forest is set to begin this year in a project that is the first part of plans for 53 miles of trails in Centre and Huntingdon counties.
Jay Ziegler, president of the Rothrock Trail Alliance that’s part of ClearWater Conservancy, said the new trail will connect Musser Gap to Pine Swamp Road.
“It’s beautiful. It’s a beautiful area up there," he said.
But many of the trails there were originally put in for activities like logging and are now eroding. The goal is to build a loop system of sustainable trails.
"To make it something that is going last for generations to come and is more enjoyable too," Ziegler said.
The Rothrock Trail Alliance has been spearheading the effort for a number of years. The project got a $365,700 state grant. Ziegler said they have bids out to hire a contractor with a timeline of beginning work this spring and finishing it in the fall or in 2025, if needed.
And they’ve already started raising money for the next segment of the project — 11 miles that will continue the trail to Whipple Dam State Park in Huntingdon County.
