The 15,990-acre Hickory Run State Park, in Carbon County, lies in the western foothills of the Pocono Mountains, in Pennsylvania. The park has: more than 40 miles of hiking trails. Three state park natural areas, and miles of pristine trout streams. Hickory Run State Park is located at 3613 PA-534, in White Haven, Pennsylvania.
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The hiking at Hickory Run is incredible! Many of the trails were old roads from the towns of Hickory Run and Saylorsville that flourished in the area between 1830 and 1900. Most of the other park trails were created by the Civilian Conservation Corps under the guidance of the National Park Service between 1936 and 1945. The trails lead through areas rich in historic and scenic interest. This is especially true from mid-June until mid-July when the mountain laurel and rhododendron are in bloom and again in mid-October at the height of the fall foliage.
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Our favorite trail in the park is the Hawk Falls Trail. This is a .6 mile loop trail hike and is considered a difficult hike. However the reward of the beautiful waterfall is well worth the effort. This trail wanders through a tunnel of rhododendron and ends with a view of Hawk Falls, a natural, 25-foot waterfall. Swimming is prohibited at Hawk Falls.
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Another popular trial is the Lake Trail. This short but very scenic trail runs around the back of Hickory Run Lake and connects to Stage Trail. While these are our two favorites, there are numerous trails within the park to choose from. For more information on the parks trails, click here.
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The park also has a great campground, The large tent and trailer camping area has modern restrooms with warm showers, a sanitary dump station, a forested section and a grassy, more open section. Many sites have electric hookups. The campground has modern facilities from the second Friday in April until the third Sunday in October when the dump station and all facilities with running water close for the season. Rustic camping continues until mid-December. There are also a variety of rustic cottages within the park that are available for rent. For more information, on camping within the park, click here.
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Swimming is permitted only at the designated swimming area of Sand Spring Lake, which also features a sand beach. The beach is open for swimming from late May to mid-September, 8:00 A.M. to sunset.
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Anglers find excellent sport in many of the streams and lakes within the park boundaries. Some streams are stocked with brook and brown trout.
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No matter how you look at it, this park is amazing! From picnicking, to hiking, to camping to fishing, there is literally something for everyone to enjoy at Hickory Run State Park!
For more great parks in Pennsylvania, click here.
The excellent pictures used in this article were provided and are owned by Midwest Hiking!