When your Adventure Buddy makes one request..."Can we hike Mount Nittany?" The answer is obviously…read moreyes. Neither of us had ever hiked Mount Nittany before, but after a little research, a mid-July Sunday morning seemed like the perfect time to explore one of central Pennsylvania's most iconic mountains.
About an hour and a half later, we pulled into the trailhead parking lot just before 8:00 a.m. Parking was plentiful, GPS brought us right to the trailhead and, before we even started hiking, I encountered what may have been the biggest surprise of the morning: the trailhead porta john. It was...spotless. Seriously. I've encountered plenty of questionable trailhead restrooms over the years, so finding one that clean in the middle of July honestly deserved its own shoutout.
After getting ourselves organized, we hit the trail. During my pre-hike research, I'd read quite a few reviews recommending the short white-blazed trail to the famous Mike Lynch Overlook. The only problem? That route climbs roughly 600 feet in about half a mile. Since my Adventure Buddy was a brand-new hiker, I decided we'd take the one-mile blue-blazed trail to the Nittany Mall Overlook instead before completing most of the loop in a clockwise direction. Past me made an excellent decision!
The blue trail was definitely a workout, but it was manageable and gave us a chance to ease into the climb instead of immediately tackling the steepest section of the mountain. Once we reached the top, the hike transformed into a beautiful walk through the woods with overlook after overlook waiting to be discovered.
Some of the scenic overlooks were partially hidden behind the thick summer foliage. But, honestly...that's a pretty wonderful problem to have! The forest was lush, green and absolutely thriving. As we worked our way around the loop, I kept checking in with my Adventure Buddy, who was having an absolute blast! Watching someone discover a love of hiking is almost as rewarding as the hike itself.
We intentionally saved the Mike Lynch Overlook for last. And I'm so glad we did! Standing there looking out over Happy Valley felt like the perfect grand finale to an already fantastic morning. Instead of retracing our steps, we took the shorter white-blazed trail back down to the parking lot. Now that we'd actually experienced both routes, I would absolutely make the same decision again. Descending that steep section was challenging enough. If we'd climbed it first thing in the morning, I don't think we would've had the energy to complete the nearly 5.9-mile adventure we enjoyed that day.
One thing that really stood out throughout the entire hike was how well people care for Mount Nittany. The trails were remarkably clean. I saw virtually no trash, no graffiti and very little evidence of careless visitors. It's obvious this mountain means a lot to the community, and it shows.
Timing also worked in our favor. We finished around 11:30am, just as the trails were becoming noticeably busier. By the time we returned to the parking lot, it had filled considerably compared to when we arrived.
PRO TIP: Start early. You'll enjoy cooler temperatures, quieter trails and much better opportunities to soak in the overlooks without crowds. I'd also recommend downloading or printing a trail map before you go. While the trails are well-marked overall, there were a couple of intersections where we appreciated having the map to confirm we were headed the right direction.
Mount Nittany turned out to be everything I'd hoped it would be! Beautiful views. Peaceful forests. A great workout. Wonderful memories with a friend. And, perhaps most importantly...proof that sometimes the best hiking decision you make happens before you ever take your first step.
