The Centre County Driving Tour

By Michael Hermann; Lizard Tracks, Centre Daily Times, March 4, 1999

Bald Eagle, Moshannon, Rothrock and Sproul state forests all spill into Centre county. These huge parcels of public land offer diverse recreational opportunities and all are accessible from paved highways. I’ve compiled a short list of daytrip driving excursions that are perfect for those restless weekends.

I love traveling off the beaten path by following small highways that predate our expressways and interstates. These simple blacktop roads follow the contours of the land dipping through low spots and switchbacking up mountainsides. They were built in a time when taking the path of least resistance meant working with the land; not bulldozing through Earth’s natural features.

Back roads are best driven slowly when you’re in the mood to absorb the landscape and enjoy the views. Centre county has some of the best landscapes imaginable - pristine mountainsides thick with laurel and rhododendron; sprawling valleys filled with a patchwork of farms and ridgetop views that span county lines and political borders.

I’ve spent most of my life traveling to strange and beautiful places, only to return to Centre county and realize equally impressive places exist in my backyard. It has always been my nature to poke around on back roads and steal glimpses of earlier times in small towns and outposts. As a geographer I’ve been trained to see things other folks miss by identifying transportation corridors and locational links that make the community landscapes unique. The junkyards that dot rural Pennsylvania are like an archeological dig for me; they tell the story of the people and cultures of a region.

As soon as you leave the urban sprawl of the State College Metropolis you can step back in time. Rural Pennsylvania is as distinctive as any other culture, as curious as any other place and full of interesting artifacts if you can see past your own ideas of place and progress.
If you’re the type that passes a side road and wonders where it leads, the following trips will only be a beginning. I prefer to travel without an itinerary to allow the luxury of unplanned events and new discoveries. I assume everyone knows where Interstate 80 goes, but how many people have traveled the length of a simple state route out of curiosity? To me, that’s the heart of adventure travel. The same sense of discovery that motivated Lewis and Clark exists in all of us.

These drives can take a couple hours or make a long day depending on what you choose to do. On any Saturday many of the small towns have local eateries and antique shops that add to the adventure. The state forests have lakes, trails and a maze of side roads - enough to occupy several lifetimes of exploration.

Western Centre County

Rt. 504 connects Philipsburg and Unionville in the northwestern edge of Centre County. In between is a beautiful stretch of topography that includes state game lands No. 103 and the Moshannon State Forest. Locally known as Rattlesnake Road, this twisty mountain route traverses valleys and ridgetops offering classic views of central Pennsylvania landscapes. From State College, take Rt. 322 to Philipsburg and follow signs for Rt. 504 and Black Moshannon State Park. Continue to Unionville and return on Rt. 220.

Eastern Centre County

Route 45 traverses Centre County between Spruce Creek and Lewisburg. This easy driving road follows the valley floor through traditional farmland and Amish communities. One of my favorite routes is to take Rt. 45 to Woodward and return by following Penn’s Creek. You’ll wind along state roads that follow the twist of the river and at times almost touch the water itself. From Woodward you’ll wind back to Coburn, a gateway into Bald Eagle State Forest. Stick with Penn’s Creek and you’ll reach Spring Mills. Take either Upper or Lower George’s Valley Road to Potters Mills and Rt. 322. From State College, take Rt. 45 to Woodward and follow signs to Coburn, Spring Mills and Potters Mills. Return on Rt. 322.

Northern Centre County

Route 144 begins in Potters Mills and heads north through Centre County to Sproul State Forest and Renovo. It connects Potters Mills, Centre Hall, Pleasant Gap, Axeman, Bellefonte, Milesburg, Snow Shoe, Renovo and continues almost to the New York state line. My favorite stretch is between Rt. 220 and Renovo. This twisty road snakes across I-80 into Snow Shoe and then heads through Sproul State Forest. Sproul SF was the very first land purchase that marked the start of the Pennsylvania State Forest system in 1898. A drive through on Rt. 144 will make you hungry to return to explore its many side roads and trails. From State College, take Rt. 26 to Bellefonte and Rt. 144. Continue to Snow Shoe and Renovo, return the same way.

You should get a roadmap and plan your trip beyond the information I’m providing. Any Pennsylvania map should be sufficient - these are small, but important, roads and state highways. Bring a camera and some snacks, you may take longer than planned. The best trips always do.

Michael Hermann is the founder of Purple Lizard Maps and has been exploring Centre County since 1979. He can be reached at purplizard@aol.com.