Hiking at Black Moshannon State Park
20 miles of trails
The trails pass though all of the varied habitats of the park.
Seneca, Indian, Bog, and Hay Road trails and a short section of the Moss-Hanne Trail are connected, making them suitable for loop hikes.
Black Moshannon State Park Trail Map (PDF)
Trail Definitions
Difficulty Ratings
Easiest -- For beginner trail users. Grade is gentle with few obstacles.
More Difficult -- For the majority of trail users. Grade is steeper and trails narrower with embedded rocks or roots on the trail surface.
Most Difficult -- For trail users with advanced skills. Grade is steep and provides a definite physical challenge. Routes may not be well marked. Elevation gain or loss is severe.
Trail Route Type
Loop -- Start and end at the same location and follow a single trail to form a loop.
Out-and-back -- Start and end at a trailhead and follow a single trail to an endpoint or specific point of interest, then return along the same route.
Point-to-point -- Trails are generally longer in distance and parks may often contain only a portion of the trail within their boundary. Hiker starts and ends in different locations, often requiring a shuttle.
Connector -- Begin and end in connection with another trail or trails but do not terminate at a trailhead.
Allegheny Front Trail
3.38 miles in the park, 41.5 miles total | Most difficult hiking | Point-to-point trail | Yellow blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, backpacking, cross-country skiing recommended, snowshoeing recommended
Trailhead amenities: none
This trail encircles the park, traversing 41.5 miles of the Allegheny Plateau, some rocky and rugged, on the way to five mountain trout streams and eleven vistas in Moshannon State Forest. The Allegheny Front Trail is ideal for backpacking or a day hike on any segment.
Blueberry Trail
0.35 mile in the park, 1 mile total | Easiest hiking | Loop trail | Yellow blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking
Trailhead amenities: picnic tables, benches
Get a taste of the Black Moshannon Bog Natural Area on this short loop. Parking is available at the Mid-State Airport and the entire loop trail is 1 mile. The trail's abundant berries attract a variety of wildlife and bird species.
Bog Trail
0.3 mile | Easiest hiking | Out-and-back trail | Yellow blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking
Trailhead amenities: picnic tables, benches
Take the ADA accessible boardwalk to explore a wetland dominated by sphagnum moss and leatherleaf and accented by sedges, rushes, carnivorous plants, and lilies. Observe waterfowl and other wildlife along the trail. Wayside panels tell the surprising story of bogs and other park wetlands. To make the trail a loop, walk Westside Road back to the trailhead (0.5miles).
This activity or structure is ADA accessible. Access for people with disabilities is at Boating Area 3.
Hay Road Trail
1.1 miles | Easiest hiking | Out-and-back trail | Yellow blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, cross-country skiing recommended, snowshoeing recommended
Trailhead amenities: none
Once used by farmers who harvested marsh grasses, this grassy, old road eases through a mature, mixed oak forest with a black cherry understory.
Indian Trail
1.0 mile | More difficult hiking | Out-and-back trail | Yellow blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, cross-country skiing recommended, snowshoeing recommended
Trailhead amenities: none
This trail leads travelers through changing scenery of open oak woods, pines, clearings, and an unusual grove of hawthorns.
Lake Loop Trail
0.7 mile | Easiest hiking | Loop trail | Yellow blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking
Trailhead amenities: modern restrooms, potable water, picnic tables, benches
This flat loop connects two bridges for an easy walk along the lake’s northern shoreline. The trail offers a visit to the dam and the beach.
Moss-Hanne Trail
7.7 miles | More difficult hiking | Out-and-back trail | Yellow blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, cross-country skiing recommended, snowshoeing recommended
Trailhead amenities: none
On its way through the Black Moshannon Bog Natural Area, this trail travels through pine plantations, hemlock bottomlands, wetland edges, hardwood forests, grassy openings, blueberry patches (ripens between mid-June and mid-August), and beaver ponds. Two boardwalk sections allow exploration of a big marsh and an alder swamp. Waterproof footwear is recommended since some sections of trail are often wet.
Seneca Trail
0.8 mile | Easiest hiking | Connector trail | Yellow blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, cross-country skiing recommended, snowshoeing recommended
Trailhead amenities: none
This trail weaves through a typical second growth forest of oak and cherry, which shades stumps of pine that were logged out over a century ago.
Shingle Mill Trail
2.0 miles in the park, 3.67 miles total | More difficult hiking | Out-and-back trail | Yellow blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking
Trailhead amenities: none
This 3.67-mile trail ventures from the parking area near the dam into Moshannin State Forest, following beautiful Black Moshannon Creek. The trail continues north of the Huckleberry Road bridge and connects to the Allegheny Front Trail.
Ski Slope Trail
3.1 miles | Most difficult hiking | Loop trail | Red blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, mountain biking, snowmobiling
Trailhead amenities: modern restrooms, potable water, picnic tables, benches
Begin at the beach parking lot for a trek up the mountain. Enjoy the views from the highest point in the park, including an old ski slope. At the PA 504 crossing, try to decipher the old Philadelphia-Erie Turnpike mile marker.
Sleepy Hollow Trail
1.2 miles | More difficult hiking | Loop trail | Yellow blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, mountain biking
Trailhead amenities: modern restrooms, picnic tables, benches
Explore a hemlock-birch forest and woodlands of cherry and oak. This trail is recommended for spring wildflowers. Look for evidence of a 1984 selective timber cut. Harvested trees were killed by years of gypsy moth defoliation. New growth provides good food and cover for turkey, deer, and songbirds.
Snowmobile Trail
1.1 miles | Easiest hiking | Out-and-back trail | Red blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, mountain biking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing recommended, snowshoeing recommended
Trailhead amenities: modern restrooms, potable water, picnic tables, benches
This trail connects to gravel roads and trails open to snowmobiles, horses, and mountain bikes on surrounding
Moshannon State Forest land. This grassy, old road travels through an oak woods with an open understory. The trail begins at the Beach Parking Lot, which is plowed in the winter.
Star Mill Trail
2.1 miles | Easiest hiking | Loop trail | Red blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing recommended, snowshoeing recommended
Trailhead amenities: picnic tables
With fine views of the lake and opportunities to see wildlife, this trail travels through pines, a climax forest of beech and hemlock, and an uncommon stand of balsam fir.
Tent Hill Trail
0.2 mile | More difficult hiking | Connector trail | Yellow blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking
Trailhead amenities: none
Begin near Campsite 22. This trail drops down to the lake shoreline and connects the campground with Lake Loop Trail.