Home › Pennsylvania › Portersville › Sunken Garden Trail
Sunken Garden Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 140 Google reviews · Running trail in Portersville, Pennsylvania · Hours vary
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Loop distance
- 29.2 mi
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Not reported
Confirmed from Sunken Garden Trail's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Scenic lake-shore paths for wildlife-spotting and walks, with some inclines or mud patches.
What runners say about Sunken Garden Trail
“Beautiful, short little walking trail that gets you close to the lake, but is also wooded.”
“I believe we were the only ones out that day so it was serene and peaceful.”
“Nice walk, easy for all abilities and through different t terrain ranging from woods to wetlands.”
Sunken Garden Trail is a nice, easy hike. The trail follows the shoreline of the lake until it turns uphill slightly for the return walk. The biggest issue is water/wet weather. The trail is low lying and can get quite muddy in spots.
Very nice trail for the most part. Only went about maybe half way. Had a tiny human with us that wasn't wanting to walk anymore so had to turn back. But from what I saw on and off the trail it was very nice. It offers some great scenery and nature and wildlife.
there are a few routes you can take, and i dont think you can go wrong with any of them! the swampy area in the beginning is my favorite though, some great native wildflowers! even spotted some monarch caterpillars on milkweed!
Good place to go hiking for sure. Multiple places to spot the wildlife and stop to fish. Spotted quite a few deer as well as the usual squirrels and birds. Decent hike, full round about of that area is roughly 3.5 miles it seems.
Trail conditions & character
“Beautiful, short little walking trail that gets you close to the lake, but is also wooded.”
“Muddy with the rain, and the long loop is slightly confusing at first, but All Trails shows it well.”
“I believe we were the only ones out that day so it was serene and peaceful.”
“Muddy with the rain, and the long loop is slightly confusing at first, but All Trails shows it well.”
Plan your run at Sunken Garden Trail
The practical stuff
- AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- Loop distance29.2 mi back to where you parked. Long enough for a real long run.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitedcnr.pa.gov
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Running trails near Portersville
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Moraine State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,011 reviews
Public park offers swimming, boating, fishing & a variety of lush garden hiking & walking trails.
Hilltop Trail
4.5 ★★★★★ 58 reviews
Area with kid-friendly hiking trails that include challenging ups and downs.
Glacier Ridge Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 64 reviews
Well-marked trail through the woods for walking, running and hiking featuring footbridges and views.
McConnells Mill State Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 3,394 reviews
Public park featuring giant boulders, a whitewater creek, fishing & 9 miles of hiking trails.
Hell's Hollow
4.8 ★★★★★ 811 reviews
Kid-friendly park for hiking, scenic vistas and a waterfall.