Hawk Falls Trail

Location: Hickory Run State Park, Pennsylvania
Season Visited: Fall
Trail Length: 0.6 miles there-and-back
Time to Hike: 25 minutes
Difficulty Level: 2

Hickory Run State Park  is an interesting and diverse state park in the Poconos in Pennsylvania.  It has 44 miles of hiking trails ranging from very easy to moderately difficult and some amazing scenery, including its famous Boulder Field.

Sean and Cleo at the boulder field, a National Natural Landmark.

Hawk Falls Trail is short and sweet.  It's perfect for beginning hikers or when you just want to take a stroll, but still want to see a nice waterfall!  Begin your hike at the parking area just past the Rt. 476 overpass, as if you were leaving the park on Rt. 534.  Park on the right-hand side of the road and you'll see the Hawk Falls Trail sign a little to your right.  Hawk Falls Trail is letter J on this map.

The trail begins with a downhill walk through some rhododendron.  Before long you come to a bridge over a creek.  There are plenty of little places to explore off the trail.

Past the bridge, continuing on the trail.

A little further on and to the left you'll notice a rock outcropping a few feet off of the trail.  Be sure to spend some time here, because it is your first view of the 25-foot waterfall.  There are some rocks to climb on and if you're feeling a bit adventurous you can scramble down to the foot of the falls, and also around the top!

There is also a nice place to stop and look at the water of Hawk Run when you continue down the trail.

The trail then leads you through a tunnel of rhododendron and down to the foot of the falls if you haven't climbed down there already, as I did.  Again, it's fun to climb on the rocks.  I recommend climbing them back up to the outcrop instead of taking the trail back around, just for the fun of it :)

Some last pictures with the falls before heading back.

When you're done with the falls, all that's left to do is retrace your steps.

Quick and easy, Hawk Falls Trail is a nice way to spend a little leisure time at Hickory Run.  There are plenty of other trails nearby, so feel free to extend your trip!  Enjoy your hike, and keep wandering.

Pinterest