Musser Gap Trail Parking Area - State College, PA
Musser Gap Trail Parking Area in State College, PA, offers a fantastic dog park experience with pet-friendly trails perfect for dog owners looking for outdoor adventures. This location features convenient and ample parking, making it easy to access the well-marked hiking trails that welcome dogs both on and off leash. The trails vary in difficulty, from easy paths suitable for kids and casual walkers to more challenging routes like the Frog Hollow Trail, ideal for those seeking a more vigorous dog-friendly hike.
What makes this dog park unique is its scenic views and natural beauty, including colorful fall foliage and wild black raspberries along the trail. The area is popular for hiking, with a combination of trails such as Musser Trail, Jackson Trail, and Mid-State Trail offering diverse terrain and beautiful vista points. While enjoying your dog-friendly hiking experience, be mindful of local wildlife and trail conditions, ensuring a safe and enjoyable visit for both you and your pets.
FAQ for Musser Gap Trail Parking Area in State College Pennsylvania:
- Are dogs allowed off-leash at this park? No, dogs should not be off-leash as the trail has signs marking rattler dens and it is advised not to let dogs off the leash.
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? Yes, Musser Gap Trail Parking Area connects to several trails including Musser Gap Trail, Frog Hollow Trail, Jackson Trail, and Mid-State Trail, with trails ranging from easy to challenging difficulty.
- Are restrooms available for owners? Yes, restrooms are available, though they may have some mosquitos or bugs during the summer months.
- Is there a playground or activities for kids nearby? The park is kid-friendly and good for kids, featuring kid-friendly hikes and outdoor activities like hiking.
- Where is the best place to park? There is a relatively large parking area at Musser Gap Trail Parking Area with plenty of parking spots, and it’s never full.
- Are ticks or other pests common in the area? Yes, there are signs marking rattler dens along the trails, and mosquitoes or bugs can be present near the restrooms in summer.
Reviews
Convenient parking for a popular local hike. Depending on direction of travel along US45 this can be an awkward entrance; specifically it is a sharp and uphill turn if heading from Boalsburg towards Pine Grove Mills (i.e., a left turn across oncoming traffic, and as there is no real turning lane the traffic behind can be going 55+ mph). If driving towards Boalsburg it is a simpler right exit. Once there, parking is easy (relatively large parking area). Musser Gap Trail is quite good and easy to follow (out-and-back). It is straight and uphill at the beginning. At higher elevations (and depending on season) the main and side trails best experienced with hiking shoes.
Plenty of parking, never full. Restrooms have mosquitos/bugs in them (at least in July/August) but no big deal. The trail itself is easy up to the bridge, then is easy-to-moderate on the Musser Gap trail and moderate-to-challenging on the Frog Hollow Trail, depending on which way you go. Note, bikes are not allowed on Frog Hollow, and for good reasons — it’s about a 30% slope with lots of loose rocks. Be careful.
We did a loop that is kinda combination of three point to point trails, Musser Trail, Jackson trail, and Mid-State Trail . Musser trail starts with a small water stream which you have to cross and go further up for a while to reach the first view point. During fall it looks very colorful and pretty. The trails are well marked. Beautiful vista points where we sat and had lunch. Most of the places are easy to walk. However, when walking on the ridge some places are rocky.
Wide gravel trail, well traveled. Lots of wild black raspberries on the lower end on either side of the trail. Don’t wander off the trail or let dogs off the leash. Signs marking rattler dens, and then we ran into a huge melanistic Timber Rattlesnake about half mile up the trail, just off the gravel. We went just up and back, very hot day.
This is one of my wife an my favorite places to hike. We have plotted a 7 plus route through All Trails that we do. They also have a new part they built that is really nice, job well done to the path makers!