This park is so nice, clean, and inviting. I wish you didn't have to pay to unlock the soccer…read more(football) goals.

This park has gotten a recent face-lift, as it gained a new play structure in the summer of 2013…read more It was the result of a joint venture between a non-profit (KaBoom!), the Pennsylvania Municipal League, and State College - built with the help of 175 volunteers, and with the inspiration from kids' drawings! This is a great place to visit if you have active kids, especially if they love to climb. There are all sorts of ladders & tunnels to climb, plus some of the longest slides in State College. The play structures for the younger & older kids are right next to each other, so the kids were mostly running back & forth between them, rather than staying on the structure that was designated for their age group. The other cool thing in this park is an updated merry-go-round. Kids either climb inside and ride that way, or they hang from the ropes/bars, but regardless of how they ride - it seems like fun! The original play equipment is still there, so there are still a few swings just across the field from the new park. Orchard Park is huge - it covers nearly 20 acres, and includes a walking/bike path, basketball & tennis courts, soccer fields, an amphitheater, picnic areas, ... and bathrooms (right next to the older playground.) To reach the new play area, just drive a ways down Bayberry Dr. (from Blue Course), and the playground is right behind the parking area. The official address is: (1060-1106 Bayberry Dr. State College, PA)

Only went once but it looks nice for sledding, I was jealous of the kids that were sledding down…read morethe hill

This park is mostly known for sledding in the winter, but it's also heavily used by runners and has…read morea nice connection (across a covered bridge) to a bike path. There's a small picnic pavilion, a beautiful stream, and a small playground area at the top of the hill.

Super cool boardwalk on the marsh, kinda disappointed that half of it is blocked off and it's…read moretaking forever to get fixed but I still love it

Beautiful wetlands park with miles of boardwalk trails in state college pa. This park offers a…read morelarge wetlands area with numerous streams cutting through it. The park is very well kept and a great place to take a short hike or get a little exercise. The park also offers a viewing blind for birdwatching or scoping out animals. Overall a really cool nature preserve in State College Pa.

Pretty good space overall however just isn't the biggest dog park. Nice space and a few trees but…read morenot a lot of places to sit. Seems busy often though.

PA is full of town parks. Centre County has some of the best in the state…read more Tudek is no exception to that. It has just about everything you would want in a rural park. There is a modern playground. There are athletic courts and fields. There is a really nice walking trail. There are several things that set this one apart, though. It has a dog park, for one. This is something uncommon in this part of the state. The other unique feature is a butterfly garden. It is quite beautiful and scientifically correct for the species of butterfly and bees in this part of the state. There is even a yearly educational program called Wings in the Park which was going on the day we got there. The program had activity stations set up with educational "questions" to help the young and old, alike, learn about the butterfly. There was even a station about bees. This program had information on new methods for growing perennials that are friendly to the butterfly. They had information on conservation efforts in effect in order to save the rapidly disappearing Monarch butterfly. Back to the park itself. The main trail winds through some fields. One of which appears to be a horse pasture. It is really odd, too. You would think with the developments nearby, that you would feel like you were in the middle of a residential area. You don't feel that way. It feels completely rural and relaxing. I imagine this would be a great place to go for a jog. The main trail is paved. But there are little grass covered trails and reflection spots throughout the butterfly garden. So with all this, I can really highly recommend this park. One of the top ones I have been to in along time. I mean... butterfly garden? Yep, with sunflowers, semi exotic looking native birds, and natural beauty, this would be a great place to visit daily.

Some pictures I've taken at this park over the years. It's really beautiful and calming and they…read morehave a small playground as well as 2 bridges that cross over the creek.

This is a beautiful park. Lots of trees. Spring Creek runs through it. Some ball fields for the…read morekids and adults who still think they are kids. There is even a covered wooden walking bridge across the creek along a walking trail. There is lots of parking. They also have indoor bathrooms that look to be in decent shape. This is a great place to take the kids after picking up a pizza. They can play on the playground after eating at the picnic tables. The playground equipment is modern. There is even a sandbox. The park is great because it doesn't get too busy. That allows for ducks and some of the wildlife to show up from time to time. Lots of shade for the hot Summertime. Also, the stream is nice and cool to put your feet in and cool off.

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.

This trail is very well marked and maintained. I'm a big hiker and love to explore trails when…read morevisiting new places. The white and blue trails are marked with signs noting stations, distance, and steepness (topography maps show lines close together for steep areas and farther away for more flat) I stuck to the white trail for the energy I had in me that day, but like that you could go in and out of each to see overlooks or get more exercise depending on what you want. Very 'choose your own adventure'! The beginning part is a big steep, but not long or unbearable. Overall great place!