We left Underwood Road in the Moshannon State Forest, walked up through the forest and then down a very rocky area – following a well maintained, but sometimes rugged trail. Lindera’s Siberian husky Timber led the way. We started to gain altitude again, and at about 25 minutes into our hike, we came upon a break in the trees overlooking a beautiful view to the valley below. It was aptly named Ralph’s Majestic Vista.

Joe Belle and the rest of the Clean Team is the reason that you and I get to enjoy a beautiful downtown State College. But he wants to get one thing straight: “We aren’t grouchy garbagemen — we’re pretty cool guys. So stop and talk to us! Everyone on my team is involved in artistic endeavors in the community after work — I am a musician, Damian Cabrera is an artist, and Michael David is into juggling. We’re anything but grouchy.”

Anna from StuckOnTheGo.com recently visited for a #hosted trip to Happy Valley, Pennsylvania. Anna was kind enough to share her first impressions of her trip with Dispatch.HappyValley.com. Read on!

Suppose for a moment a die-hard fly fisherman with a few blank squares to fill on his calendar were to tack a map of Pennsylvania on the wall, and then randomly throw a dart with intentions of fishing the nearest trout stream to the dart’s point of impact. If his aim were as true as a standard dart-board’s bullseye, his dart would land right around the middle of the state – smack dab in the heart of Happy Valley.

For Fritz Smith, president and CEO of The Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, the love for hospitality started at a very early age, in a place fueled by tourism.

“I grew up in Washington, D.C., a place where the two major industries were government and tourism,” he said. “You saw thousands of people visiting the Washington Monument and going in and out of the Smithsonian Museum buildings almost year-round. Something inside me said, “I bet those people are spending a whole lot of money while they are here!”

Central Pennsylvania’s State College is a truly happy place for avid anglers. It’s recognized as one of the Keystone State’s best trout fishing destinations with more than 216 miles of trout fishing waters. But trout is not all you can catch in the areas waterways, perch, catfish, and bass are also abundant. Whether you fly fish or cast a line from the shore, here are the places to drop a line in Centre County.

I slowly retrieved my gold spinning lure past a small boulder and through a deeper pocket on the small Centre County stream. My retrieve was pleasantly interrupted by a strike from an eager trout. After a brief battle, I brought the colorful trout to my boots and admired its chocolate and cherry spots.

Happy Valley Pennsylvania is full of special places. Some are man-made, some are natural, and some are a combination of the two. The Bog Trail at Black Moshannon State Park – one of my favorite places – falls into the latter category.

Enjoy Happy Valley like the locals do with a midweek adventure!

Happy Valley isn’t just for weekends. In fact, there’s something magical about workday Happy Valley — it’s less crowded, more local, and just as jam-packed with culture, arts and events.