One of our great assets in Pennsylvania is the large amount of State Parks. It's been said by a former governor of Pennsylvania that you're never more than 20 miles from a State Park in Pennsylvania. 
State College is no different and we have the benefit of being close to Black Moshannon State Park. This park was created around the Balck Moshannon Lake which was formed by a dam on the Black Moshannon Creek. The park has a wonderful system of trails for hiking and biking on over 3,400 acres of land. Canoes and kayaks are available for rental at the park office as well. One of the central parts of the park is the bog which features many species of birds, rare and unusual plants as well as carnivorous plants. The bog in this park has been named one of Pennsylvania's "Twenty Must See Parks."
On one end of the lake is a man made beach for swimming and fishing. 
This year the lake opens on May 18th for swimming. While it may still be a little bit chilly for your first cannon ball of the year, it sure would feel good to dip your toes in after the long winter. The Black Moshannon Lake is warmed than the surrounding Black Moshannon Creek and such holds many differnet species of fish such as bass, blue gill, catfish and perch.
Most of the facilities were built in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. The facilities have definitely been upgraded since then and feature bathrooms and changing rooms near the beach as well as cabins that are available for rent during the camping season for a nominal fee. There are two different types of cabins available, rustic and modern. Both have electricty but the rustic cabins don't have much else!
If you're looking for a weekend getaway in the woods, try Black Moshannon!
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