Rothrock State Forest
Managed by Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry
2,842 acres33.7 mi of trail
Mid-State TrailJackson TrailFern Winder TrailMountain Mist Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Kepler Road Main Parking LotWebsite ↗
Photo: Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Ferguson Township
32% of Ferguson Township’s land is conserved: 9,895 acres
74 miles of mapped trail cross Ferguson Township, 1.6 per square mile of land. 94% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 687 acres are parks and preserves, 36 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns · #44 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. What drives it
Conserved land
32%
9,895 acres · of 47.6 sq mi of land
Trails
74 mi
1.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
687 ac
36 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
94%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
16 mi
1.2 mi lanes · 15 mi paths
Highest peak
1,864 ft
Gobbler Knob
What kind of outdoors town is Ferguson Township?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Ferguson Township have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Ferguson Township is ahead of 96% of U.S. towns, #44 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Ferguson Township’s overall grade.
Conserved land32% of the land · typical PA town 8% · U.S. 4%A+Trails1.6 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (74 mi) · PA 0.4 · U.S. 0.4APark land36 acres of park per 1,000 residents (687 acres) · PA 14 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home94% of residents within a half mile of a park · PA 73% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 96%
LessMore
Pennsylvania towns of 2,500+ (1,037)Ahead of 96%
Pennsylvania towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 8%; the U.S., 4%), so Ferguson Township’s 32% is ahead of 92% of Pennsylvania towns, while its trails per square mile lead 88% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Rothrock State Forest, with 33.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
State Game Lands Number 176
Managed by Pennsylvania Game Commission
1,709 acres6.6 mi of trail
176 Trail AScotia Range Road Trail176 Trail B
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
The Arboretum at Penn State
Park
106 acres2.8 mi of trail
Lower Bluff TrailGerhold Wildflower TrailBig Hollow LinkUpper Bluff Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Whitehall Road Regional Park
Managed by Ferguson Township
99 acres2.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailheadWebsite ↗
Tom Tudek Memorial Park
Park
85 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Fairbrook Park
Managed by Ferguson Township
28 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Ferguson Township Watershed Preserve
Managed by Ferguson Township
43 acres0.3 mi of trail
Harry's Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Songbird Sanctuary Park
Park
10 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 19 parks & preserves
Rothrock State Forest2,842 acres · 33.7 mi of trail · Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry
DirectionsState Game Lands Number 1761,709 acres · 6.6 mi of trail · Pennsylvania Game Commission
DirectionsThe Arboretum at Penn State106 acres · 2.8 mi of trail
DirectionsWhitehall Road Regional Park99 acres · 2.4 mi of trail · Ferguson Township
DirectionsTom Tudek Memorial Park85 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsFairbrook Park28 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Ferguson Township
DirectionsFerguson Township Watershed Preserve43 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Ferguson Township
Songbird Sanctuary Park10 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsGreenbriar Saybrook Park8 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsAutumnwood Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsS&A Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMeadows Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Ferguson Township
Foxpointe Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Cecil Irvin Park18 acres · Ferguson Township
Haymarket Park14 acres
DirectionsHomestead Park9 acres
DirectionsSuburban Park6 acres
DirectionsPark Hills Park6 acres
Sunset Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
9,895 conserved acres
32% of Ferguson Township’s land. Who manages Ferguson Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
County11,374 ac
State natural resources2,819 ac
State fish & wildlife1,692 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)1,399 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits716 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government530 ac
Regional agency219 ac
Agricultural Easement · 14,531 acState Resource Management Area · 4,511 acUnknown Easement · 395 acLocal Park · 340 acLocal Recreation Area · 217 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 4,840 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 16 of 154 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rothrock State Forest State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 2,426 | Open |
| State Game Land 176 State Resource Management Area | State fish & wildlife | 1,692 | Open |
| Musser Gap State Resource Management Area | State natural resources | 393 | Open |
| PSU Whitehall Road Acquisition Local Recreation Area | Regional agency | 342 | Open |
| Whitehall Road Regional Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 99 | Open |
| Whitehall Acquisition - Park Expansion Local Recreation Area | Regional agency | 86 | Open |
| Tom Tudek Memorial Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 85 | Open |
| Ferguson Twp Watershed Preserve Local Conservation Area | Other or Unknown Local Government | 41 | Open |
| Fairbrook Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 29 | Open |
| Haymarket Park Local Park | Other or Unknown Local Government | 20 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
47 places to go in Ferguson Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Ferguson Township
28 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Dog parks in Ferguson Township
1 dog park without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Ferguson Township
David's VistaIn Rothrock State Forest
DirectionsHubler Gap VistaIn Rothrock State Forest
DirectionsJo Hays VistaIn Rothrock State Forest
DirectionsLion's Valley VistaIn Rothrock State Forest
DirectionsSchalls Gap Bluff OverlookIn Rothrock State Forest
DirectionsPlus 8 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Ferguson Township
Gobbler Knob1,864 ft elevation · In Rothrock State Forest
DirectionsPicnic areas in Ferguson Township
3 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Ferguson Township
Tudek Park Community GardenIn Tom Tudek Memorial Park
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails
Named trails
Open to bikes · 20.1 miHorses · 17.5 miUnpaved · 57.9 mi
Mid-State Trail3.0 mi
Jackson Trail2.4 mi
Fern Winder Trail2.2 mi
Mountain Mist Trail1.8 mi
Musser Gap Trail1.5 mi
Zen Trail1.4 mi
Up and Over Trail1.2 mi
Rock Springs Trail1.0 mi
Rockhouse Trail1.0 mi
Harry's Trail1.0 mi
15 more trails
176 Trail A
0.9 miSchalls Gap Trail
0.9 miDoc Detour Trail
0.9 miLandis Path
0.8 miBucksaw Trail
0.7 miScotia Range Road Trail
0.7 miHuckleberry Loop
0.6 miMongo Trail
0.5 miDeer Pen Trail
0.5 mi176 Trail B
0.5 miFrog Hollow Trail
0.5 miCampbell Trail
0.4 miMusser Gap Greenway
0.4 miRocks Bluff Trail
0.3 miTee Trail
0.3 miBiking & sports
16 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.2 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
15 mi
off-road bike paths
Mountain Mist TrailBike route
3.4 miFern Winder TrailBike route
2.2 miMusser Gap TrailBike route
1.4 miCourts & fields
29Golf
18Basketball
11Equestrian
11Tennis
10Baseball
8Soccer
2Beach volleyball
2Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Bucher Ayres FarmBuilding · listed 1980
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Ferguson Township: April to August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.6 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.4 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.3 |
| High (°F) | 35 | 38 | 47 | 60 | 71 | 78 | 82 | 81 | 74 | 62 | 50 | 39 |
| Rain (in) | 3.0 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 3.4 |
February is the driest month (2.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.3 inches fall in September, the wettest month. The climate in Ferguson Township →
Next door
Ferguson Township and its neighbors
Ferguson Township has the second most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Jackson Township117 miFerguson Township74 miPatton Township72 miBarree Township47 miHalfmoon Township44 miCollege Township43 miFranklin Township9.1 miState College6.8 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferguson Township | 32% | 1.6 | 36 | 94% | A+ |
| State College | 5% | 1.5 | 4 | 99% | A− |
| Barree Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Franklin Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| College Township | 16% | 2.3 | 57 | 96% | A+ |
| Patton Township | 20% | 2.9 | 51 | 95% | A+ |
| Halfmoon Township | 43% | 1.9 | 10 | 50% | A− |
| Jackson Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Ferguson Township
Where can I hike in Ferguson Township?
The longest trail networks: Rothrock State Forest, 33.7 miles; State Game Lands Number 176, 6.6 miles; The Arboretum at Penn State, 2.8 miles; Whitehall Road Regional Park, 2.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Ferguson Township is conserved land?
32% of its land, against a typical 8% for a Pennsylvania town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Ferguson Township’s trails?
Rothrock State Forest and State Game Lands Number 176 don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Ferguson Township?
16 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.2 of painted or protected lanes and 15 of off-road paths. Named routes: Mountain Mist Trail, Fern Winder Trail and Musser Gap Trail.
Is there public land near Ferguson Township?
124,934 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Ferguson Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 5,231 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Ferguson Township have?
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #44 of 1,037 in Pennsylvania. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Ferguson Township neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →