Bald Knob, Rothrock State Forest

Bald Knob

By Michael Hermann; Lizard Tracks, Centre Daily Times, Oct. 7, 1999

The top of Bald Knob has no trees and I suspect that characteristic influenced the name. This 2300 foot high peak sits directly south of Mount Nittany next to Tussey Mountain Ski Area. In the 1950’s Bald Knob was to be developed as a ski area but the business plan never matured. Today several trails reach the summit which is part of Rothrock State Forest land.

The hike is not easy. Regardless of which direction you choose the summit remains 500 feet above the base trails. You can hike a gentle approach along the mountainside or choose to march straight up a jeep trail. Both will lead to the rocky mountain top called Bald Knob.

You can approach this hike from several directions using several trails. I’ll simplify things and suggest one loop from Laurel Run Road. We’ll walk down into Shingletown Gap and old jeep trail to reach Bald Knob. We’ll follow another trail off the summit along gentler contours to descend.

Begin by parking near the yellow gate that marks the upper entrance to Shingletown Gap. The small parking area can accommodate several cars. Behind the yellow gate a wooden sign marks the trail.

As you walk along the trail you soon reach a fenced area on the right. This is an electric fence so use caution. You’ll find a wooden staircase that climbs safely over the fence. This meets an old jeep trail that goes straight up the hillside in a most direct way.
The fenced area protects young seedlings that are the next generation of forest. This area was recently harvested for timber and is now in a regeneration phase. The electric fence keeps out deer which eat the vulnerable seedlings. (Authors Note: most of this fence has been removed as of 2002, but logging operations continue, so things may not be the same).

Looking up the jeep trail you can almost see the summit of Bald Knob. The challenge of the next 20 minutes are painfully simple: keep hiking up the jeep trail. It appears so steep at times that a staircase could be built in place of this trail.

I stop frequently to catch my breath and think about history of this simple road. I hike it for fun and fitness, yet it was all in a days work a hundred years ago for loggers and colliers who were harvesting the mountain. Harvesting is a polite word, those workers were not exactly environmental visionaries, they were happy to have paying jobs and the forest was the paycheck.

Until the leaves drop you won’t see it, but Mount Nittany stands proudly to the north of Bald Knob and the eastern view encompasses Penns Valley while the west includes the city of State College. Tussey Mountain is visible to the south with foliage.

The top of Bald Knob is, well, bald. Loose rock and scrub vegetation are all that enjoy full time residency; exposed mercilessly to wind and weather. Various rock walls and mounds have been built by energetic humans. Make your mark by adding another rock to one the piles.

For the experienced hiker this summit can be explored during challenging weather. Deep snow makes the jeep trail approach more difficult, although a full moon rising over snowcapped trees allows night hikes with no need for flashlights. Thunderstorms and high winds are spectacular when experienced from the top of Bald Knob. On warm summer eves you can find comfortable sleeping areas on the edge of the forest and fall asleep under star filled skies. Sunrise from Bald Knob is equally enjoyable.

From the top of Bald Knob you’ll find a blue blazed trail following the ridge. The trail runs right and left. Left will take you down into Shingletown Gap, right leads to Laurel Run Road. I prefer to follow the right hand trail, heading east and exploring the less visited side of the hill.

This trail descends gently off the ridge and cuts back to Laurel Run Road. Soon you’re back in the thick forest surrounded by an explosion of colorful leaves. This is an excellent time to so this hike because the leaves are changing early. The hike down is considerably easier than the climb up and you’ll soon reach Laurel Run Road. Turn right and walk up Laurel Run Road to your car.
If you’re familiar with this area, or have a good map, you can easily see other options to the summit. I like the directness of the jeep trail, but Sand Springs Trail will also reach Bald Knob, although it makes for a longer hike. Either way, I recommend you do it now, because fall colors are in full bloom on Bald Knob.

When you go: From State College take Rt. 322 East to Tussey Mountain Ski Area. Follow Bear Meadows Road into Rothrock State Forest to the first intersection. Turn right on Laurel Run Road (dirt) and continue to the entrance to Shingletown Gap. Park by the yellow gate.

Postscript: Try it on a mountain bike if you really like a challenge. Can you bike up the jeep trail? The answer is yes, at least some people can on a good day. And on at least one winter day people have snowboarded down it. I've hiked it on full moon nights with a few inches of snow on the ground, just enough to make things interesting.

Michael Hermann is the founder of Purple Lizard Maps and has been exploring Centre County since 1979.