Day 67: Head to Black Moshannon State Park Sunday

If you're itching to spend some time outdoors before the snow blankets Happy Valley, consider heading to Black Moshannon State Park on Sunday, November 20. There are three scheduled events on Sunday.

At 11:00 AM, meet at the Environmental Learning Center to get an easy to use tree guide (which is yours to take home) to learn how to identify Evergreen trees in the park. There will also be a naturalist on-site to help you design a pine cone door knob hanger. 

Meet back at the Environmental Center at 1:00PM, for a short, guided hike to see an active beaver lodge. Find out how the beavers are preparing for winter and construct a beaver lodge to take home! 

Wrap up the day by learning about the world of Coyote's. At 5:00 PM, meet at Boat Launch #3 on West Side Road for a guided hike on the bog trail. Try to call a Coyote and perhaps be awe-inspired if you're lucky enough to hear one call back. Bring a flashlight, raincoat, and dress warm!

For more information, including directions to Black Moshannon State Park, visit their website or call 814-342-5960 for more details.

Day 7: Visit Black Moshannon State Park to Kayak and Picnic

Day 7: Visit Black Moshannon State Park to Kayak and Picnic

Perched on the top of the Allegheny Plateau, Black Moshannon State Park features the Black Moshannon Bog Natural Area. Trails and a boardwalk help people explore the birds and plants of the bog and surrounding forests. Stay overnight to extend your stay so you can explore the beautiful forests on the hiking trails.

Black Moshannon State Park covers 3,394 acres of forests and wetlands that provide recreational opportunities for thousands of visitors. The park conserves unique, natural environments and is in Centre County on PA Route 504, nine miles east of Philipsburg. More than 43,000 acres of the Moshannon State Forest surround the park and help create a remote and wild setting.

According to local tradition, American Indians called this watershed "Moss-Hanne," meaning "moose stream," thus the origin of the park's name. Appropriately, the "black" in the park name describes the tea-colored waters. The 250-acre Black Moshannon Lake is fed by clear springs and small streams which flow through the bogs that stretch in most directions from its shores. As the clear water flows through sphagnum moss and other wetland plants, it becomes colored by plant tannins. In a sense, the bog vegetation acts like a giant teabag to color the water.

For directions and kayak rental information, camping information, click here.