Mountain Bikers: These Trails Are Worth The Trek.
Credit: Pat McCloskey
One of the smoothest, most buttery trail systems in the east is situated in the middle of rural Pennsylvania near a beautiful body of water—Raystown Lake. The Alligrippis Trails were IMBA( International Mountain Bike Association) designed in conjunction with the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Huntington County Visitors Bureau.
Credit: Pat McCloskey
These trails are a must for anyone who appreciates flow on a mountain bike with berms and rollers galore. There is some climbing but for the most part very gradual rollers with perfectly manicured conditions maintained by a robust volunteer system of local mountain bikers. The Raystown Mountain Bike Association helps to keep these trails in tip, top condition, and if you are looking for a great day on the trails in the central mountains of Pennsylvania, this is your place.
There are 24 trails each stacked to provide loops that can be intertwined and lots of available bail out points. Thirty miles of trails are available with hours of non-repetitive riding available. Lots of riders make this a day trip when visiting State College to ride Rothrock State Forest trails which are another type of riding with more rocky challenging terrain. The combo of each type of riding can provide a visitor to the central mountains of Pennsylvania enough variety to satisfy any level of rider.
Access to the trail system:
- Seven Points Road Entrance in Raystown Lake Recreation Area
- Bakers Hollow Road
- Susquehanna Campground Entrance
- Bicycle Shop Support- equipment, clothing, rentals, guide services and maps
Gear, Repairs, Supplies
- Rothrock Outfitters (Huntingdon and Hesston, PA)
Don’t miss eats:
- Smitty’s Eats and Treats (Hesston, PA) Smitty’s pork bar-b-que is not to be missed prepared with meats from a local farm. Delicious!!!!!
Credit: Pat McCloskey
