My favorite kind of hike in Central PA these days is a mellow three-mile loop around a lake. All I need is a two-hour window for this mini-adventure. I like to pack a light backpack with snacks, water, a notebook and watercolors. I put the harness on my dog, remember to pack a towel for that post-hike wet/muddy dog and in less than thirty minutes, we can be at our location.

There is something so gratifying about loop trails, especially when lakes are involved. Often it’s not possible to see the whole lake without going all the way around. It’s nice to set out on a mission and finish with a sense of accomplishment.

Recently my 15year-old son has been really into fishing, so I hike while he throws in a line. When my daughter was little and wasn’t napping well, I would tuck her into the Ergo carrier and take a hike during nap time. I would call these our “lake naps.” There were days hiking with kids when we wouldn’t make it all the way around the lake.

And it’s OK if you make it out to the lake and decide you don’t want to hike. Sometimes just being near the boundary of these big bodies of water is all the soothing I need. I like to take some time to soak in the lake’s beauty, watching the sky reflected on the surface of the lake when the light is right. I like listening to the water sounds, the bird sounds and the hushed voices that travel over the lake. I often stretch near the edge a little while, readying my legs for the trail.

Three great options for lake loop hikes that are just a short drive from downtown State College are Hobie’s Trail around Colyer Lake, the loop trail around Whipple Lake in Whipple Dam State Park, and the Lake Trail around Lake Perez in Huntingdon County, near Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center. Parking is easy at all of these places and the trails are clearly marked.

Here’s a little more on each of these lake loop hikes: 

Hobie’s Trail around Colyer Lake

Hobie’s Trail around Colyer Lake in Centre County is about 2.6 miles long. It’s an easy hike with some gentle elevation changes and multiple stream crossings. The trail can be accessed at trailheads at Lingle Road and Lake Road parking areas. The views from the trail are stunning – I often have to stop and look around. I especially like this hike in the fall and find it a beautiful spot to bask in the fall foliage.

This is a family friendly trail and the shortest of the three loops. It can get muddy in places, especially after storms. This is also a popular lake for fishing and some boating. No swimming is permitted here.

Plus, if you’re not ready to explore on your own, Centred Outdoors, a series of free guided outings organized by staff at ClearWater Conservancy, is leading activities here the week of July 13. Check out the whole schedule at centredoutdoors.org.

Whipple Dam loop trail

The loop trail around Whipple Lake in Whipple Dam State Park, is closer to 3 miles long. The trail edges Whipple Lake and then follows along Laurel Run that feeds into the lake. This is my favorite section of the trail with bridges and patches of rhododendron. The water in Laurel Run is often crystal clear and on my most recent visit I was looking for trout (I didn’t see any but the lake and streams here are stocked by the Pennsylvania Boat and Fish Commission).

My son loves to fish here because there are so many places to throw in a line – down by the spillway, from the new-ish fishing dock and up in the Laurel Run area.

I would also consider this a family friendly trail with some gentle ups and downs and rocky paths. There are parts of this trail where you can’t see the lake, and you weave through deep wooded areas. And then there are several little side trails down to the lake that can lead you to private grassy areas and shores.

Whipple Dam has a big sandy beach area and swimming! This is the only lake of the three here where swimming is allowed. A post-hike dip can feel really nice. Especially in the summer. Kayaks, paddleboards and canoes are also welcome and available to rent right beside the lake.

Lake Trail around Lake Perez

The Lake Trail around Lake Perez in Huntingdon County is approximately 2.9 miles long. If you have been to Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, you may have ventured down to the boardwalk area of this lake or glimpsed its shimmering surface through the trees near the center.

You can access the lake trail from Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center or from the boat launch side of the lake where there are several picnic areas. There is no swimming here, but lots of boating and fishing.

When my kids were in camp at Shaver’s Creek for the summer, I would take a hike around the lake. I have seen all kinds of loons, mergansers, hawks and hummingbirds while out on this trail.

I like this trail for the variety of terrain, the wildlife and plants. It’s a great place to test your plant and bird identification skills.

Whichever trail you decide to explore, be sure to do a tick check upon return. And drop us a note to tell us of your favorite lake loop hikes!

At our Townie Takeover event at Champs Downtown just a few Friday nights ago, we had a question on our community connector bingo board challenge that invited people to find someone who had “hiked a local mountain other than Mount Nittany.” This led a group of people who were mostly new-ish to town into a conversation about how they could find outdoorsy places to explore.

If you’re wondering about that yourself — or anything else related to life in State College! —  use our free Rediscover State College Concierge Service. Our team is here to answer your questions related to anything that would help you relocate or better connect to the State College community.