After Sarah Anne Wharton graduated from Juniata College, she launched to Maine, New Mexico and Brooklyn, New York, never expecting to land back in Central Pennsylvania. Today, she proudly calls herself a Happy Valley local. She’s a champion for the area’s unique mix of outdoor adventure, vibrant research and — as communications specialist for the Palmer Museum of Art — art for everyone.

Snow Shoe’s Rails to Trails continues to grow by leaps and bounds. In December of 2021, the SSRTA was notified that it would be receiving grant funding through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Those grants totaled $258,600, which enabled the group to purchase three key pieces of equipment that will help maintain the trail.

One of the best ways to enjoy the outdoor adventure that Happy Valley has to offer is to take to the water. Local streams and lakes are the perfect place to paddle, float, fish, and swim. Here are some of our top picks, from Bellefonte to Sayers Lake, and everywhere in between.

The Harvest Fields Community Trails (HFCT) made a big splash when it opened in 2020 at Harvest Fields Calvary Church in Boalsburg. Since then, organizers and volunteers have worked to design and build a mountain bike skills park, which opened in October 2022.

Happy Valley residents and visitors can join in the fun and energy that IRONMAN 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley will be bringing to town this July.

Competitive athletes Maure Irwin-Furmanek and Bob Furmanek have raced across the country. Here’s why training for a triathlon in their own backyard — and finishing on the 50-yard line of Beaver Stadium — is especially meaningful to them.

From a competitive pool of nationwide applicants, the Safe Routes Partnership has selected Downtown Bellefonte Inc. to join Safe Routes to Parks Pennsylvania Activating Communities, a technical assistance program focused on improving safe and equitable local park access.

State College is close to three iconic trails and trail systems: Mount Nittany, Colyer Lake, and Shingletown Gap. Each offers their own level of challenge and different strokes of beauty, including shorelines, vistas and rugged state forest.

One of the most magical things about Happy Valley is the abundance of opportunities to enjoy every season. Even better, there is a big variety of fun and affordable activities that are perfect for families with kids of all ages.