Ironman Returns to Centre County. What to Know About Road Closures

The Ironman 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley returns for its third year on Sunday, June 15, and once again there will be a number of traffic impacts around the region.

In 2023, the event welcomed more than 1,600 competitors from 41 states and 12 countries, supported by 1,000 volunteers. According to a report from the Happy Valley Sports and Entertainment Alliance, it generated $3.2 million for the local economy.

Sunday will mark the final “half-Ironman” in a three-year contract to host the event in Centre County, but local tourism officials have expressed optimism that the triathlon will be renewed for future years.

This year’s edition features a few changes, starting with the date. While the first Ironman Happy Valley was held on July 2 and last year’s on June 30, the 2025 event was moved up two weeks to Father’s Day because of conflicts with move-in for Penn State’s second summer session.

The Ironman Village has moved to the Jordan East lot

The race route remains largely the same, except at the finish. The previous two editions saw runners cross the finish line around the 50-yard line in Beaver Stadium. They will still loop through the inside of the stadium this year, but will cross the finish line on Curtin Road just outside.

As in the past, the triathlon will start at 7 a.m. with a 1.2-mile swim in Foster Joseph Sayers Lake at Bald Eagle State Park.

The second leg is a 56-mile bike race that heads north into Mill Hall before turning south, making its way over Hubler Ridge and Pleasant Gap, descending to Centre Hall, then heading toward the State College area and making a final turn north to the Penn State campus.

Completing the half-Ironman is a 13.1-mile run through campus.

Motorists should be aware of the following traffic impacts — including road closures, closures with local access only and event traffic conditions — and use alternate routes when possible.

Most closures and event traffic conditions will occur in the morning and early afternoon on Sunday. Nearly 20 Penn State campus parking lots also will be closed or have limited access.

BIKE COURSE TRAFFIC IMPACT (All times are for June 15 unless otherwise noted)

RUN COURSE TRAFFIC IMPACT — UNIVERSITY PARK CAMPUS (All times for Sunday, June 15)

CAMPUS PARKING CLOSURES – NO ACCESS IN OR OUT

A section of Stadium West near Gate B at Beaver Stadium and the north section of Jordan East were closed beginning June 10 and will remain closed through Tuesday, June 17.

Sunday closures:

• Brown B
• Brown E
• Green C
• Orange L (Multi-Sport Facility and Bryce Jordan Center back lot sections)
• Red H
• Silver B (all sections)
• Silver G
• Silver J (all sections)
• Silver N
• Yellow E (both sections)
• Yellow H (all sections except by the Nittany Lion Softball Park)
• Yellow L
• Yellow R
• Lot 42

CAMPUS PARKING LIMITED ACCESS (Single entrance/exit on Bigler Road at Curtin Road. Entry and exit will only permitted when possible for vehicles to cross safely between event participants.)

• Yellow F (Eisenhower Deck and surface lot)
• Yellow S
• Yellow T (Pollock section)
• Lot 22
• Lot 81

Lot 82 (McKean/Pennypacker section) will only be accessible via Park Avenue.

Penn State is encouraging permit holders who need to park on campus on Sunday to use the East, HUB, Nittany and West decks.

“A single crossing to access Eisenhower Deck and other areas inside the running route will be maintained on Bigler Road at Curtin Road,” according to Penn State Transportation Services. “Crossing Curtin Road will only be allowed between athletes, and delays may be significant.”