Hiking at Blue Knob State Park
23 miles of trails
Wear appropriate foot wear when hiking at Blue Knob State Park. Many trails at Blue Knob are steep. A hike down a trail means that a hike up is required. Well planned hiking trips utilize different trails to provide an extended hiking experience and avoids a steep return climb.
Blue Knob State Park Trail Map (PDF)
Trail Definitions
Difficulty Ratings
Easiest -- For beginner trail users. Grade is gentle with few obstacles.
More Difficult -- For the majority of trail users. Grade is steeper and trails narrower with embedded rocks or roots on the trail surface.
Most Difficult -- For trail users with advanced skills. Grade is steep and provides a definite physical challenge. Routes may not be well marked. Elevation gain or loss is severe.
Trail Route Type
Loop -- Start and end at the same location and follow a single trail to form a loop.
Out-and-back -- Start and end at a trailhead and follow a single trail to an endpoint or specific point of interest, then return along the same route.
Point-to-point -- Trails are generally longer in distance and parks may often contain only a portion of the trail within their boundary. Hiker starts and ends in different locations, often requiring a shuttle.
Connector -- Begin and end in connection with another trail or trails but do not terminate at a trailhead.
Chappells Field Trail
2.5 miles | Easiest hiking | Loop trail | Orange blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing recommended, snowshoeing recommended
Trailhead amenities: benches
This multi-use trail is a gentle sloping loop trail with little gradient change. It is ideal for families and cross-country skiing with a sweeping view of Blue Knob State Park. This trail follows the back end of Chappells Field through wildlife management areas, crosses Forest Road, travels to the bottom loop of the campground, and returns through a forested section to the starting point.
Crist Ridge Trail
1.9 miles | Most difficult hiking | Connector trail | Orange blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, mountain biking
Trailhead amenities: none
This multi-use trail great for wildlife watching and scenic views starts at an intersection of Chappells Field Trail and extends to below the pool. To access the trail, park at the lowest intersection of Chappells Field Trail and Forest Road, or at the second curve above the pool.
Homestead Trail
1.8 miles | Easiest hiking | Connector trail | Orange blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, mountain biking, equestrian, snowmobiling
Trailhead amenities: none
This wide, gentle trail winds through old homestead sites in a rolling valley section of the park. The old fields are great for birding. Trailhead parking is available along Park Road at the second curve past the park office and in Willow Springs Picnic Area.
Lost Turkey Trail
4.0 miles in the park, 26 miles total | Most difficult hiking | Point-to-point trail | Red blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing recommended
Trailhead amenities: none
Beginning at the towers and ending at the Babcock State Forest Ranger Station on PA 56, this trail is a favorite of backpackers, cross-country skiers, and day hikers. This 26-mile trail uses a combination of public and private lands, including four miles of trail in Blue Knob State Park. It follows many of the narrow-gauge railroad beds from the logging activities of the 1930s and covers a wide variety of terrain including Blue Knob Mountain and the Allegheny Front.
Unnamed connecting trails are blazed with a double blue blaze. Proper hiking boots are recommended. This trail is not recommended for small children. A separate topographical trail map is available for the entire Lost Turkey Trail.
Overnight parking is at the Babcock Ranger Station or the Blue Knob park office. Overnight camping by backpackers is allowed only on forestry lands by permit.
Mountain View Trail
4.0 miles | Most difficult hiking | Loop trail | Red blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, mountain biking
Trailhead amenities: none
This multi-use trail is in a wilderness area of the park. Trailheads are at the curve below the ski lodge on Ski Access
Road or in Willow Springs Picnic Area. The trail follows an old waterline, climbs steep slopes, and follows Beaverdam Creek. The trail is recommended only for adults in good hiking condition.
Proper footwear is a must due to the steep and rugged terrain. Access points to different sections of the trail are limited. This trail should not be used during inclement weather as fog can become quite dense as a result of the elevation.
Pavia Lookout Loop
1.0 mile | More difficult hiking | Loop trail | No blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, mountain biking
Trailhead amenities: none
Beginning near the Blue Knob All Seasons Resort, this multi-use trail loops around near the top of the mountain to Pavia Lookout.
Rock ‘N’ Ridge Trail
2.8 miles | Most difficult hiking | Loop trail | Blue blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing recommended, snowshoeing recommended
Trailhead amenities: none
This multi-use trail with a small waterfall starts at the picnic pavilion above the pool, then follows a homestead road weaving through the center of the park near a mountain brook. The trail is a steady uphill climb until it peaks near the mountain slopes and returns along the high ground connecting to the ridge top east of the pool complex.
This is a ridge and valley trail suitable for the whole family. Park at Mowery Hollow Picnic Area.
Sawmill Trail
3.0 miles | More difficult hiking | Connector trail | Yellow blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, mountain biking, snowmobiling, equestrian
Trailhead amenities: none
This trail bisects the park and uses openings created by waterlines and service roads. Beginning on Ickes Hill on Queen Road, this trail passes Willow Springs Picnic Area, Organized Group Cabin Camp, the campground and Chappells Field, then connects to the lower section of Rock ‘N’ Ridge Trail leading to the pool complex.
Parking is available at the Chappells Field and Queen Road trailheads.
Three Springs Trail
2.0 miles | More difficult hiking | Connector trail | Orange blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking, mountain biking, snowmobiling, equestrian
Trailhead amenities: none
Using service roads and waterlines, this multi-use trail is a very wide, gentle mountain trail. It begins at the curve below the ski slope and extends along the eastern slope of the mountain to the Willow Springs Picnic Area.
Enjoy the mountain forest setting with views of the lowlands from about 2,000 feet. Park at the curve approaching the ski resort along Ski Access Road.