Huntingdon County lies in south-central Pennsylvania, where river valleys, a long reservoir, and repeated Appalachian ridges divide the county into several distinct settlement corridors. Huntingdon is the county seat and the strongest central reference, Mount Union anchors the U.S. 22 corridor farther southeast, and Raystown Lake dominates the southwestern landscape. PA 26, PA 45, PA 305, PA 994, PA 829, PA 747, and PA 655 connect smaller boroughs through the valleys. The four original A3 high-resolution JPG maps are available in the download box below.
The county is easier to understand when the waterways and ridges are considered together. Frankstown Branch Juniata River approaches from the northwest, Standing Stone Creek descends from the northeast, and Raystown Branch Juniata River is impounded as Raystown Lake to the southwest. Aughwick Creek and Blacklog Creek occupy separate southeastern valleys. Elevation on the supplied map ranges from about 159 to 737 meters, with a mean near 347 meters.
Table of Contents
Huntingdon sits where the main road and river corridors converge
Huntingdon is the best starting point on the general reference map. U.S. 22 and PA 26 pass close to the county seat, while PA 305 and PA 45 provide additional access toward the north and northwest. The borough occupies a relatively low river-valley setting surrounded by higher ridges.
Southeast of Huntingdon, U.S. 22 follows the Juniata corridor through Mill Creek and toward Mount Union. This route creates one of the county’s clearest continuous transportation paths. Roads branching into the surrounding mountains become more winding as they follow individual stream valleys and gaps.
South of Huntingdon, PA 26 provides access toward the Raystown Lake side, while PA 994 reaches Marklesburg, Broad Top City, and the southwestern interior. The shape of the reservoir and the surrounding ridges forces road travel to bend around water and steep slopes rather than follow straight lines.
Huntingdon and Mount Union dominate the ranked community map
The ranked community graphic highlights Huntingdon, Mount Union, Orbisonia, Alexandria, Saltillo, and Three Springs. The values printed on the map are Huntingdon 6,897, Mount Union 2,328, and Orbisonia 468. Alexandria follows at 430, Saltillo at 417, and Three Springs at 404. These figures are the ranking values used on the supplied map and should not be treated as current official population estimates.
Huntingdon is the largest ranked center and occupies the central river corridor. Mount Union is farther southeast along U.S. 22 and the Juniata River, while Alexandria sits northwest of Huntingdon near the Frankstown Branch side. The southern places are much smaller and occupy narrower valleys.
Orbisonia, Saltillo, and Three Springs form a loose southern group rather than a continuous urban area. Aughwick Creek and nearby ridges separate them into small valley settlements. This distribution is typical of a county where broad mountain ridges occupy much more land than town centers.
Raystown Lake and the Juniata system define the county’s main water corridors
Raystown Lake is the most visually dominant water feature on the terrain-and-water map. It extends through the southwestern county along Raystown Branch Juniata River, with steep ridges closely enclosing the shoreline. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers describes it as the largest manmade lake entirely within Pennsylvania and identifies flood-damage reduction as its primary project purpose.
USACE lists approximately 8,300 surface acres, about 28 miles of lake length, and roughly 118 miles of shoreline. The present dam was constructed from 1968 to 1973 and the lake opened for recreation in 1974. Surrounding public lands and forested slopes create one of the county’s largest continuous open-space areas.
Northwest of Huntingdon, Frankstown Branch Juniata River occupies another low corridor. Juniata River continues through the central county toward Mill Creek and Mount Union. Standing Stone Creek drains from the northeast, where Lake Perez, Hutchinson Pond, and Diamond Lake provide small but useful water landmarks among the ridges.
Great Trough Creek descends toward Raystown Lake from the east, while Aughwick Creek and Blacklog Creek occupy southeastern valleys. Singers Gap Reservoir is another useful landmark in the southern interior. The supplied water map is intended for geographic reference rather than flood-zone determination, navigation, depth measurement, or water-quality decisions.
Elevation ranges from about 159 to 737 meters
The supplied elevation map reports an actual range of roughly 159 to 737 meters and a mean near 347 meters. Green lowlands follow Juniata River, Raystown Branch, Standing Stone Creek, Aughwick Creek, and other major drainage corridors. Long yellow and brown ridges rise sharply beside them.
The northeastern county contains some of the most distinctive parallel ridges. Standing Stone Creek and its tributaries occupy lower corridors between them, while the ridge crests form long continuous bands. PA 305 crosses this terrain toward the Seven Mountains side.
The southern half is even more complex. Long ridges separate Mount Union, Orbisonia, Rockhill, and Three Springs, while Aughwick Creek and Blacklog Creek use narrow low valleys. Raystown Lake occupies another deep corridor, and the slopes rise quickly from the shoreline.
This elevation surface is intended for county-wide comparison rather than survey-grade measurement. Parcel, construction, drainage, bridge, or engineering work requires authoritative source elevation data or professional surveying.
Raystown Lake reshapes the entire southwestern part of the county
Raystown Lake is more than a single recreation feature on the map. Its long, irregular shoreline changes how roads, valleys, and communities relate to one another across the southwest. Marklesburg and Cassville lie west of the reservoir, while steep ridges separate many shoreline areas from direct road access.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages Raystown Lake as a multipurpose project. Flood-risk reduction is the primary mission, with hydropower, natural-resource management, and recreation also supported. The lake extends through mountain valleys in Huntingdon and Bedford counties.
Raystown Dam sits a few miles south of Huntingdon on Raystown Branch Juniata River. USACE explains that releases from the project help reduce downstream flood levels and also support water quality and hydropower. On the county maps, the main geographic story is the transition from the broad reservoir to the narrower downstream river corridor.
Great Trough Creek cuts directly through Terrace Mountain
Trough Creek State Park provides one of the clearest real-world examples of Huntingdon County’s ridge-and-valley topography. Pennsylvania DCNR describes the 541-acre park as a scenic gorge formed where Great Trough Creek cuts through Terrace Mountain before entering Raystown Lake.
The park can be reached from Huntingdon by traveling south on PA 26 and then east near PA 994. That route matches the general county map, where the road system follows lower terrain around Raystown Lake rather than crossing every ridge directly.
The Great Trough Creek gorge is especially useful for understanding the water and elevation maps together. A narrow stream corridor slices through a high mountain ridge, producing a sharp local contrast between low valley floor and surrounding uplands.
Greenwood Furnace marks the forested northeastern highlands
Northeastern Huntingdon County contains fewer large settlements and more continuous ridge-and-forest terrain. Pennsylvania DCNR describes Greenwood Furnace State Park as a 423-acre park on the western edge of the Seven Mountains, with a six-acre lake and access to surrounding Rothrock State Forest.
The park is located along PA 305, making it a useful geographic reference for the northeastern road corridor. DCNR notes that about 80,000 acres of Rothrock State Forest surround the area, which helps explain the extensive highland and forest landscape beyond the Huntingdon and Mount Union valleys.
Small water features such as Lake Perez, Hutchinson Pond, and Diamond Lake also appear in the northeastern part of the supplied terrain map. In this region, ridges, stream valleys, and forest roads provide stronger orientation than large town centers.
Huntingdon County was established in 1787 from part of Bedford County
Huntingdon County’s official historical material states that the county was established on September 20, 1787 from part of Bedford County, and that the present boundaries were reached in 1846. Huntingdon Borough is the county seat.
The county history also describes early movement along existing paths such as the Frankstown Path. The modern geography reflects the same underlying constraint: the easiest routes follow river valleys and mountain gaps. Huntingdon grew at a central junction, while Mount Union, Alexandria, Orbisonia, and Three Springs developed in other low corridors.
This makes Huntingdon County less like a single continuous urban region and more like a network of connected valleys. The road, water, and elevation maps reinforce that pattern from different perspectives.
The Huntingdon–Mount Union corridor differs from the Orbisonia–Three Springs valleys
Between Huntingdon and Mount Union, U.S. 22 and the Juniata River create one of the county’s strongest east-west corridors. Mill Creek and Mapleton lie along the same general route, and transportation lines remain concentrated in the lower valley.
South of Mount Union, Orbisonia, Rockhill, and Three Springs occupy separate valleys served by PA 747, PA 829, PA 655, and local roads. Aughwick Creek provides the main drainage reference. The surrounding ridges are closer together than along the central Juniata corridor.
Saltillo, ranked fifth on the supplied community map at 417, lies near the Three Springs side of the southern county. Together with Orbisonia and Three Springs, it illustrates how the southern settlement pattern consists of small boroughs separated by mountain terrain rather than one continuous developed strip.
Choose the map according to whether you need roads, water, or relief
The general reference map is the quickest choice for communities and highways. It places Huntingdon, Mount Union, Mill Creek, Three Springs, Orbisonia, Marklesburg, U.S. 22, PA 26, PA 45, PA 305, PA 994, and PA 829 in one view. The ranked community map is cleaner when the goal is simply to compare the larger boroughs.
The terrain-and-water map is more useful for Raystown Lake, Juniata River, Frankstown Branch Juniata River, Standing Stone Creek, Great Trough Creek, Aughwick Creek, and Blacklog Creek. The elevation map removes many labels and makes the long ridges and low drainage corridors especially easy to compare.
For printed handouts, classroom use, regional reference notes, or presentation slides, the A3 high-resolution JPG files in the download archive will remain sharper than enlarged web previews. Pairing the general and elevation maps works well for road corridors and relief, while the water map explains how Raystown Lake and the Juniata system organize the county.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best place to start when locating areas in Huntingdon County?
Huntingdon is the easiest central reference because U.S. 22 and PA 26 pass nearby and the borough sits within the main Juniata valley system. Alexandria is northwest, Mount Union is southeast, and Raystown Lake extends to the southwest.
Why is Raystown Lake so important to the county map?
The reservoir occupies a long mountain valley and changes the layout of roads and access across the southwest. It is also a major U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood-risk management project, so it is both a physical and regional landmark.
Are the Huntingdon 6,897 and Mount Union 2,328 values current official population estimates?
Not necessarily. They are the ranking values printed on the supplied community map. Readers who need current official population figures should consult the latest U.S. Census Bureau releases.
Map File Information
The download ZIP contains four A3 high-resolution JPG files: the Huntingdon County general reference map, ranked community map, terrain-and-water map, and elevation map. The original files are larger than the web previews and are better suited to printing, classroom handouts, regional reference work, and presentation slides.
- Included Files: Use only the versions confirmed in the article and supplied images
- File Type: Use the confirmed download contents
- Intended Use: Printing, education, presentations, and map-based projects
Related Maps
Sources and References
- Huntingdon County official historical material: county formation, boundary history, and early regional context.
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Raystown Lake: official information on the reservoir, flood-risk reduction, and project history.
- Pennsylvania DCNR – Trough Creek State Park: Great Trough Creek gorge and Terrace Mountain terrain.
- Pennsylvania DCNR – Greenwood Furnace State Park: Seven Mountains, Rothrock State Forest, and northeastern Huntingdon County terrain.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefiles: county boundary and transportation geography.
- USGS 3D Elevation Program: elevation data and 3DEP documentation.
Green Map creates custom-edited map images using open geographic data sources such as geoBoundaries, Natural Earth, OpenStreetMap, and government open data. These maps are edited visual materials, not raw data files, and are provided for education, documents, presentations, and graphic reference.
