PHASE THREE

Phases One and Two had a primary goal of encouraging more people to utilize the Musser Gap trailhead thereby reducing congestion and issues of overuse at Shingletown Gap and Galbraith Gap trailheads. Phase Two, specifically, allows users to ride, run, or hike from State College to Whipple Dam State Park via trails or to start their adventures from Whipple Dam and the amenities it provides. 

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Phase Three moves to a different portion of Rothrock State Forest, the area in and adjacent to Greenwood Furnace State Park, that offers a lake and ample camping opportunities. In addition, the soil type, fewer rocks, and more moderate elevation changes mean the trails will have a different character and style. Not to mention, Greenwood Furnace allows easier access to the forest from the south and east for those coming from Huntingdon and Mifflin Counties. 

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Again, the fundamentals of sustainable singletrack trail design will be utilized but this time it is largely to improve the trail quality by realigning some seldom used or unsustainable trails of old. To go along with improved trail experiences, DCNR will be undertaking improvements at the park which will help to truly create a destination experience with the ability to camp at a primary access point to the forest. When completed, there will be nearly an additional 11 miles of sustainable trail to enjoy. That will bring the total length of new trails to roughly 40 miles through the first three phases.