After years in the works, 7.5 miles of trail in Rothrock State Forest in Centre County, the first part of a larger project, has been completed and is open to the public.
The project began in 2018, when the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, along with Penn State, collaborated to assess the trail systems in Rothrock State Forest.
The Rothrock Trail Alliance was formed as a result to develop new trails throughout the forest. It's in keeping with the Shapiro Administration’s goal of having every Pennsylvanian live within 10 minutes of a trail.
Jay Ziegler, president of the Rothrock Trail Alliance, said having more trails in the forest will make outdoor recreation more accessible for people in Centre and Huntington counties and boost their economies.
“People will choose an area to live and work if they have recreation close by," Ziegler said. "And plus, it gets people outside and being in the forest — enjoy it and understand it, to help preserve it for the future.”
Phase one of the project was completed earlier this month. It involved adding 7.5 miles of trail to connect Musser Gap Trail to Pine Swamp Road in two segments, which were named by the community: Fern Winder Trail and Up and Over Trail.
Phase two is adding 11 miles of trail, connecting Pine Swamp Road to Whipple Dam State Park in Huntington County. It's expected to be finished by the end of the year.
And phase three will add more trails west of Greenwood Furnace State Park in Huntington County. Funding for that part of the project is still underway. The entire project will be 47 miles of trails.
Potter said recreation brings in billions of dollars a year in Pennsylvania.
”Whether it’s, you know, lodging ... buying recreational equipment, mountain bikes, e-bikes, whatever their type of activity is, there’s a lot of economics that are driven by outdoor recreation," Potter said.
Fern Winder and Up and Over are natural surface trails, which means they were put in using mechanized equipment instead of by hand.
This gives the trails a better tread surface — the trail is stable, firm, free from obstacles, and drains water well. This will prevent erosion, make the trails last longer and make them easier to maintain.
Ziegler said this is the beginning of a new default for trails in Rothrock State Forest.
“Our goal is to build a sustainable trail, something that’s going to last for generations down the road," Ziegler said.
While Ziegler and Potter were talking about the trail project, two hikers passed by and expressed their excitement for the new trail.
“That’s what’s satisfying," Ziegler said. "That’s when you realize what you did and the group did for seven years, it was worth it."
Ziegler and Potter hope the project spurs construction of more trails like it throughout the Commonwealth’s other state forests.
