ClearWater Conservancy Celebrates Musser Gap Trail Phase One Opening

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. July 16, 2025 - Last week, community members, trail enthusiasts, and local officials gathered at the Musser Gap Trailhead to celebrate a milestone years in the making — the first 7.5 mile stretch of new multi-use trails connecting the Musser Gap area to Pine Swamp Road in Rothrock State Forest, Centre County. 

This event marked the completion of Phase One of Rothrock Trail Alliance’s (RTA) visionary project: a 50-mile loop system of sustainable, natural-surface trails designed for biking, hiking, and equestrian use. These trails are carefully built to minimize environmental impact while maximizing accessibility and adventure. 

For Elizabeth Crisfield, ClearWater Conservancy’s executive director and longtime advocate for conservation and access, the moment carried historical weight.

“The very existence of this trail, you could say, started in 2007 when ClearWater conveyed this property to DCNR,” Crisfield shared during the celebration. “This established a point of entry to the forest that we didn’t have and it also made it possible for that greenway to extend to State College.”

The ribbon-cutting ceremony, hosted by RTA, also included remarks from Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), who emphasized the importance of outdoor access and sustainable recreation. 

ClearWater Conservancy has a deep connection to the site and the surrounding landscape. “Though we have only been RTA’s nonprofit sponsor for about two years,” Crisfield said, “we have been invested in

this site, and this work for a long time. It is an honor to support RTA and the community in this project.”

“Rothrock Trail Alliance really is showing the rest of the state how this work gets done,” Crisfield added.

“Everything ClearWater does is through partnership, and we feel this work is such a good example of that.” This project is the result of years of cooperation between state agencies, private donors, Penn State, local governments, The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, and countless trail volunteers.

Phase Two of the trail system is already underway, with Appalachian Dirt beginning construction on an additional 11-mile segment that will connect Hubler Gap to Whipple Dam State Park. As the trail expands, it continues to weave together communities across Centre and Huntingdon Counties, offering safe, sustainable outdoor experiences for generations to come.