Trough Creek State Park
- Status
- Open (per official listing)Daily sunrise – sunset
- Entrance fee
- Not posted
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed
- Camping
- YesAlso cabins
- Official site
- pa.gov(814) 658-3847
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. Details last changed Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Current alerts 1
Alert Suspension Bridge Temporarily Closed at Trough Creek State ParkThe Suspension Bridge at Trough Creek State Park is temporarily closed to foot traffic. Balanced Rock remains accessible via two alternate routes:… (more)
The Suspension Bridge at Trough Creek State Park is temporarily closed to foot traffic. Balanced Rock remains accessible via two alternate routes: • Follow the route from Area #5 along Old Forge Road and the Abbot Trail. • More experienced hikers can follow the Rhododendron Trail but should use caution as the steepest portion of the trail is very rocky. More information about these trails can be found on the Trough Creek State Park Hiking Page. Visitors should follow posted signage and allow additional time when using either alternate route. Contact the park office at 814-658-3847 for further information.
Posted by the park 2026-10-01T04:00:00.000Z. Official alert
Overview
Covering about 536 acres, Trough Creek State Park lies in Huntingdon County, about 14 miles southwest of Huntingdon.
The park supports cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, winter sports, hunting in season, and canoeing and kayaking. The official site lists about 12 miles of trails. On the water side, there is a boat ramp. For overnight stays there are campsites (RV sites with electric hookups and tent sites). The park says there are no showers. There are also cabins for rent.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Daily | sunrise – sunset | — |
Official wording
The park is open every day of the year, sunrise to sunset. Day use areas close at dusk. The park office is open specific hours. Overnight areas and other areas are open specific seasons and hours. Contact the park office for facility seasons and hours.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/New York).
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- ReserveAmerica (Aspira), Pennsylvania State Parks contract
- Phone
- 888-PA-PARKS (888-727-2757)
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
Dogs allowed
Pets are permitted at designated campsites.
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Camping
| Campground or site type | Sites | Hookups / features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camping Season: ♿ The campground opens in mid-April and closes in mid-December. Trough Creek State Park Campground Map (PDF)
♿ The campground opens in mid-April and closes in mid-December. The 29 site, camping area accommodates any size camper and has a non-flush restroom with no showers. Each site has an electric hookup, picnic table, and campfire ring. Most sites have a separate crushed stone tent pad.
Pets are permitted at designated campsites.
A sanitary dump station is next to the park office. | — | Each site has an electric hookup, picnic table, and campfire ring.Showers | — |
Camping details from the park
Camping Trough Creek State Park Campground Map (PDF) ♿ The campground opens in mid-April and closes in mid-December. The 29 site, camping area accommodates any size camper and has a non-flush restroom with no showers. Each site has an electric hookup, picnic table, and campfire ring. Most sites have a separate crushed stone tent pad. Pets are permitted at designated campsites. A sanitary dump station is next to the park office.
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Cabins and lodging
- Trough Creek Cabin
Trough Creek Cabin ♿ This renovated, historic, two-story, stone home is available for rental year-round. The stone was covered with stucco and scribed to look like brick, a common practice when the home was built. Originally constructed during the mid-1800s as an ironmaster’s home, it has: • Modern eat-in kitchen • Two bathrooms • Four bedrooms • Central heat The home has spacious porches, yard areas, and sits atop a hill overlooking Paradise Furnace. The lodge is accessible for people with disabilities. Alcoholic beverages are permitted in this overnight facility and associated curtilage only. Alcohol possession and consumption is restricted to the holder of the reservation permit and invited guests age 21 and older. Responsible and legal alcohol consumption is required, and violations are grounds for removal from the state park without refund. Note that alcohol possession and consumption in all other overnight facilities and all other areas of state parks is prohibited.
Things to do
BikingBoatingWinter sportsCross-country skiingFishingHikingHuntingPicnickingSnowmobilingCampingCanoeing and kayaking
Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbot Run Trail | 0.35 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none Beginning at the suspension bridge, this trail follows Abbot Run up out of Great Trough Creek Gorge past the trail to Balanced Rock to Old Forge Road.Hiking |
| Balanced Rock Trail | 0.12 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: benches This trail starts at Trough Creek Drive. It passes over Great Trough Creek via a suspension bridge then past beautiful Rainbow Falls. The trail ascends a flight of CCC-built stone steps overlooking Abbot Run and ends at the geologic wonder, Balanced Rock.Hiking |
| Boulder Trail | 0.75 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none Starting at Ice Mine, the 1.05-mile Boulder Trail follows an old logging road up the mountain through an oak and hemlock forest and ends at the suspension bridge parking lot.Hiking |
| Brumbaugh Trail | 0.1 mi | Most difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none Starting at Balanced Rock, this 2.4-mile trail rises and falls through spectacular forest scenery along the hillsides and ridges, including a beautiful view of Raystown Lake. This trail ends along Old Forge Road and Terrace Mountain Trail below the old park dam.Hiking |
| Cemetery Trail | 0.28 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none Starting at the Paradise Furnace ruins, this trail crosses a small stream on a wooden bridge then begins a moderate climb to the 18th century Paradise Furnace Cemetery.Hiking |
| Copperas Rock Trail | 0.43 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: non-flush restrooms Starting along Trough Creek Drive at Copperas Rock, this trail climbs a fairly steep and rocky slope through oak and hemlock trees and ends on Ledges Trail. Hikers can make a 2.5-mile loop by following Ledges Trail to Abbot Run Trail, descending to Rainbow Falls and following Rhododendron Trail back to Copperas Rock Trail just above the parking lot.Hiking |
| Laurel Run Trail | 0.12 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none Starting along Trough Creek Drive, this scenic, 1.8-mile trail meanders across Laurel Run numerous times on rustic bridges in between two ridges and into state forest land, then crosses Terrace Mountain Road and ends with a moderate incline to Boulder Trail.Hiking |
| Ledges Trail | 0.91 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none This trail starts at Trough Creek Drive below the park office and ends at Abbot Run Trail. The highlights of this trail are the panoramic view of Great Trough Creek Gorge and the remnants of the old Paradise Furnace schoolhouse.Hiking |
| Nicholas Crum Trail | 0.5 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking, backpacking, equestrian, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing recommended Trailhead amenities: non-flush restrooms Starting at Paradise Furnace Parking Lot, this multi-use trail climbs into Rothrock State Forest through an oak and hemlock forest.HikingBackpackingEquestrianSnowmobilingCross-country skiing recommended |
| Raven Rock Trail | 0.32 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none This trail starts near the upper end of Abbot Run Trail. It takes hikers by the geologic wonder, Balanced Rock, and ends along Trough Creek at the base of Raven Rock where hikers will need to turn around to return to Balanced Rock. Raven Rock is the cliff site that local legend says was a favorite nesting site for ravens.Hiking |
| Rhododendron Trail | 0.6 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking Trailhead amenities: none Starting at Copperas Rock Trail and ending at the suspension bridge, Rhododendron Trail takes hikers up and down from ridge top to valley floor. The steepest portion of the trail is very rocky and requires cautious hiking. The trail is named for the beautiful rhododendrons that line the trail and bloom during early July.Hiking |
| Terrace Mountain Trail | 1.07 mi | More difficult | Recreations permitted: hiking, biking Trailhead amenities: none The 29-mile Terrace Mountain Trail traverses the eastern side of Raystown Lake, from Weavers Falls in the south to Corbins Bridge north of the dam. The trail provides hiking and backpacking spanning some of the area’s most remote and challenging terrain. The trail crosses state park, Rothrock State Forest, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lands.HikingBiking |
Trail descriptions from the park
12 miles of trails The hiking trails of Trough Creek State Park are famous for their beauty and scenic views. Sections of the trails are steep and narrow with rocks and roots covering the surface. Some trails follow rock ledges with vertical cliffs and pass through boulder fields and narrow ravines. Hikers should use extreme caution and wear sturdy hiking boots with ankle support. Trail conditions may be slippery when wet or icy depending on weather conditions. Children must be supervised at all times. Trough Creek State Park Map
Amenities
Facilities
- Picnic areas
- Picnic shelters
- Showers: not available (stated by the park)
Water
- Boat ramp
Camping
- Tent camping
- RV camping
- Electric hookups
Lodging
- Cabins
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Accessibility
Trough Creek State Park offers a range of accessibility accommodations to ensure all visitors can enjoy its natural beauty and recreational opportunities. Site 23 Site 23 is a rustic electric campsite with 50-amp service, a gravel back-in driveway that’s 53 feet long, and a maximum vehicle length of 30 feet. Domestic pets are allowed. Site 26 Site 26 is a rustic electric campsite with 50-amp service, a gravel back-in driveway that’s 68 feet long, and a maximum vehicle length of 40 feet. Domestic pets are allowed. Cabin 1 Cabin 1, a unique house, can accommodate up to 10 people. Visitors are reminded to bring their own linens, dishes, pots, and pans. Pavilion 1 Pavilion 1 can accommodate up to 80 people with 10 picnic tables. Pavilion 4 Pavilion 4 can accommodate up to 32 people with 4 picnic tables. Several locations allow for ADA wildlife viewing. Park office Balanced Rock parking area Historic Place Paradise Furnace and CCC Camp S-57 are both ADA accessible. Park near Paradise Furance - this allows visitors to access the waysides and view the ruins of the furnace, as well as see the site of CCC Camp S-57.
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 16362 Little Valley Road
James Creek, PA 16657-9302 - Nearest town
- Huntingdon — about 14 mi southwest (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 40.3119, -78.1298
- Phone
- (814) 658-3847
- troughcreeksp@pa.gov
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
The park can be reached from Huntingdon by traveling 16 miles south along PA 26, then five miles east along PA 994 near the village of Entriken. GPS DD: Lat. 40.31192 Long. -78.12984
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Pennsylvania State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026; page says updated Sep 3, 2026
- DCNR Find a Park: content-fragment JSON feed used by the pa.gov park finder
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. “Last changed” (Oct 29, 2026) is when the information shown here last differed from the previous check. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology