Nurture in Nature

Penn State’s Dr. Keiko Miwa Ross Student Farm (the farm) offers a unique Nurture in Nature location. It is a working farm located in an open field on natural terrain. Trail-goers should expect to encounter uneven surfaces, slight hills, and farm workers or volunteers. There are six invitations scattered around the farm and trail-goers are welcome to wander to stumble upon them as they explore the farm or attempt to follow established paths on the farm to common invitation areas. 

• Estimated Time: 15-30 minutes

To learn more about other opportunities and resources available at the Dr. Keiko Miwa Student Farm, check out the Nurture in Nature mailbox located at the Visitor Entrance Gate of the farm or the farm’s website.

Hours of Operation

In general, the farm is open to NiN trail-goers at select times between April 1 and November 1. 

• Current hours and sign up times are available on the Nurture in Nature on the Student Farm registration page.
• For your safety and that of the farm, please register before you visit. 

Getting There 

The Student Farm is located on Penn State’s northern campus at the intersection of Big Hollow Road and Fox Hollow Road. The farm is easily accessible from campus by bicycle, car or CATA bus, and is walkable as well. 

Restrooms

There are no indoor public restrooms out at the farm. However, there are portable facilities that can be used, located near the parking lot entrance to the farm. 

Choose between two trails with different levels of accessibility: 

Boardwalk Trail 

Flat, ADA-compliant, and connects Stone Valley Recreation Center East Entrance to Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center. 

• Distance: 0.49 miles (1-mile round trip)
• Time: 20–40 minutes
• Surface: Packed dirt, boardwalk, and accessible gravel
• Elevation Gain: 110 ft 

Morning Oaks Trail 

Forest trail with natural dirt paths and elevation changes. 

• Distance: Approx. 1.2 miles round trip
• Time: 40–60 minutes
• Elevation Gain: 208 ft 

Hours of Operation 

Daily from sunrise to sunset. The office at Stone Valley Recreation Center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday. Facilities (i.e., parking lot, aviary, visitor’s center, bathrooms, etc.) at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center are open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Getting There 

 Penn State students can check for shuttle availability from the University Park campus IM building to Stone Valley. Shuttle offerings vary and may not be available at all times of year. Questions can be directed to Campus Recreation, e-mail stonevalley@psu.edu. Ample parking for personal vehicles is also available at both Stone Valley Recreation Center and Shaver's Creek Environmental Center. 

Restrooms 

Public restrooms at Stone Valley Recreation Center are located up the hill from the office, in line with the cabins. Two public restrooms at Shaver's Creek Environmental Center are accessible during operating hours located in the visitor’s center and near the aviary. 

A 9-acre space for exploring sustainable living systems, with meadows, forests, and native pollinator habitats. 

When exploring this piece of Penn State, one can expect to traverse walking trails surrounded by meadows and small pockets of deciduous forest. Native pollinator zones are sprinkled throughout the property and provide a robust habitat for many insect and bird species. In exploring the Sustainability Experience Center, all visitors can experience the beauty of Pennsylvania and learn about the valuable research being conducted on-site. Students, faculty, and community members may be seen carrying out research or tending to gardens. 

Hours of Operation 

The property is open to the public every day of the week from dawn to dusk. Access to the site may be restricted or less accessible during tailgating occurrences. There are no restrooms or water fountains currently available on the site. 

Getting There 

The Sustainability Experience Center is located along Porter Road at the intersection of Renewable Road, which is near Medlar Field.

Visitors can take the free Blue Loop CATA bus and getting off at the Bryce Jordan Center stop, crossing Porter, and walking toward the MorningStar Solar Home. The Red Link also stops in front of Medlar Field.  

SPIN bikes on campus are available for anyone with an account to use and ride to the site. The Sustainability Experience Center is also feasible for pedestrian/walking access from campus. 

Accessibility 

There is one handicap-accessible parking space located at the Sustainability Experience Center, right next to the EcoMachine. As Penn State Sustainability works through the creation of a master plan for the property, accessible paths and walkways will be established. As of now, the walking trails and forested area of the property are not considered accessible by University guidelines. 

Restrooms 

There are no public restrooms on the Sustainability Experience Center site. 

Home to the 10-acre H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens and 340 acres of natural lands, the Arboretum offers accessible walkways, educational trails, and seasonal beauty. 

Hours of Operation 

Dawn to Dusk 

Getting There 

Hours, admission, directions, and parking information for The Arboretum at Penn State can be found on their website.

Restrooms 

Restrooms are located in the Overlook Pavilion, which can be found in the Botanic Gardens. 

Accessibility 

Wheelchairs, motorized carts, baby carriages, and strollers are welcome in the gardens, and all of the major walkways are accessible. Other means of transportation, such as Segways, bicycles, scooters, razors, skateboards, and similar recreational devices, are not permitted in the gardens. If you require special accommodations for mobility, please contact us at arboretum@psu.edu. 

When you arrive at your desired NiN destination, locate the Welcome sign for more information. Follow the prompts for how to engage at each invitation. Start by mindfully arriving in the moment. Take a few deep, slow breaths and notice how your feet connect to the surface beneath them. Orient to the environment around you by engaging all of your senses. While continuing along your chosen path, try to remain fully present and be respectful of yourself and your surroundings. 

For some, going into the woods, forests, and other secluded natural spaces is not considered relaxing, fun, or leisurely. NiN trails have been designed with those individuals in mind. If you’re the type that’s not into nature, check out the Botanical Gardens Trail at the Arboretum or the Student Farm NiN location, which are both more paths in public natural spaces than they are trails that will take you into the forest or wooded areas.