Hickory Run State Park, PA - Hawk Falls and Boulder Field

ABOUT THE PARK:
Hickory Run State Park - Pennsylvania DCNR
Boulder Field Brochure - Pennsylvania DCNR

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.006298, -75.624568

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Parking at the end of an unpaved access road at the Orchard Trail trail head.

TRAIL MAP:
Hickory Run State Park Trail Map - Pennsylvania DCNR

HIKE DISTANCE:  11.4 miles

THE HIKE:

Facing the Orchard Trail sign in the parking lot, turn left to start.  The return route will come in from the other end.

In a short distance, go beyond the gate.

In this park the blazes do not distinguish trails rather they indicate trail usage.  Yellow is for hiking only.  Trail names are on signs at intersections.

Coming up on the first intersection, leave the woods road to the right on a footpath heading to Hawk Falls, but still on the Orchard Trail.

The trail goes through some very pretty green areas.

Some glimpses of Mud Run to the left.

Eventually the trail leads to the banks of scenic Mud Run.

Mud Run looking west.

Mud Run to the east.

The trail switchbacks up out of the gorge.  At the top continue left along the ridge towards Hawk Falls when the Orchard Trail continues to loop to the right (return route).

The Orchard Trail descends where it ends at an intersection where a left turn again leads to Mud Run. 

Facing Mud Run turn right and follow Mud Run (that is I-476 on the bridge up int he fog) for a short out-and-back to...

... the bottom of Hawk Falls.  Retrace from here back to the intersection with the Orchard Trail then turn left to get to...

... the top of Hawk Falls.

Flowers at the top of the falls - makes you think someone got a little too close to the edge?

Hawk Run flows down into Mud Run

Crossing the bridge over Hawk Run.

Turn right on Route 534 towards alternate parking areas at 41.010808, -75.634509.  These lots can be used to hike Hawk Falls and Boulder Field separately.

Turn left into the parking lot then up the stairs on the Boulder Field Trail.

The Boulder Field Trail starts off by crossing through an old orchard...

... before becoming rocky.

I did a quick ring count on this Hurricane Sandy casualty and there appeared to be about 100 rings.

A Downy Woodpecker

The Boulder Field Trail, again blazed yellow to denote it is a hiking only trail, goes through some beautiful evergreen forests.

Approaching the Boulder Field.

Not a huge fan of bouldering.

She was looking for an alternate route since we needed to cross over to the parking lot way on the other side.

No alternate route so no choice but to cross.  Didn't stop her from looking over towards the edge.

Looking down the length of the Boulder Field, about 1200 feet long.

At the other side of the Boulder Field.

You can retrace from the Boulder Field but instead of repeating over 3 miles of rocky trail, we opted to take the easier but longer way back through the parking lot to meet up with the Boulder Field Trail where we would only have about 1 mile of rocky trail to hike.

Walking along the smooth access road which probably has a lot of traffic in the summer but on this foggy and dreary day there were no cars, just sludge from melting snow.

At the intersection turn left.  This access road leads over an old bridge over Hickory Run.

It's a long and winding road that leads to...

... the Stage Trail, once the stagecoach road from Bethlehem to Wilkes-Barre, on the left (no sign at this intersection stating it is the Stage Trail.)

Orange diamonds all along the access roads and the Stage Trail indicate they can be used for snowmobiles.  This orange diamond is being consumed by the tree.

The result of melting snow on the access road. 

Back on the Boulder Field Trail, a small creek crossing provided a clean-up opportunity.

Retracing across the old orchard to the parking lot back to the Hawk Falls Trail.

Retracing along a pretty ledge in the Hawk Falls area.

Lots of roots on the Orchard Trail.

Arriving back at the car via the other end of the Orchard Trail.

Still foggy on the drive home.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Facing the Orchard Trail sign, turn left and proceed on the woods road
[  0.05]  Continue beyond gate
[  0.45]  Turn right on footpath leaving woods road at sign pointing to the right for Hawk Falls
[  0.55]  Trail parallels along Mud Run on the left
[  0.90]  Trail switchbacks up out of the gorge
[  1.00]  Turn left at top of ascent when the Orchard Trail also goes right
[  1.30]  Trail descends back down into gorge
[  1.40]  Turn left at T-intersection towards Mud Run then turn right for out-and-back to Hawk Falls
[  1.55]  Bottom of Hawk Falls; retrace to where trail descended to T-intersection
[  1.70]  Back at the intersection where the Orchard Trail descended, turn left
[  1.85]  Turn left at Y-intersection to top of Hark Falls; retrace and continue left
[  1.95]  Cross bridge over Hawk Run
[  2.15]  Cross paved road, turn right and walk towards parking lots, turn left into parking lot on left
[  2.20]  Ascend steps to the right of the kiosk at the Boulder Field Trail sign
[  2.95]  Rock hop over creek
[  3.70]  Continue straight on Boulder Field Trail crossing over Stage Trail
[  5.35]  Cross Boulder Field
[  5.45]  From kiosk, continue straight through Boulder Field parking lot on the service road
[  5.55]  Keep left on service road when Stone Trail goes right
[  6.30]  Turn left at 4-way intersection at stop sign
[  7.50]  Veer left on Stage Trail when service road continues right (no sign)
[  7.55]  Continue left through gate
[  8.75]  Turn right on Boulder Field Trail
[  9.45]  Rock hop over creek
[10.25]  Pass through old orchard, down steps through parking lot, turn right on road
[10.30]  Turn left on Hawk Falls Trail
[10.50]  Cross bridge over Hawk Run
[10.60]  Keep left when right goes to top of Hawk Falls
[10.75]  Turn left on Orchard Trail before reaching Mud Run
[11.20]  Turn left on the Orchard Loop Trail where right goes down into gorge
[11.40]  Back at parking lot

Hickory Run State Park, PA - Shades of Death to Lehigh Gorge Overlook (Southern Section)

ABOUT THE PARK:
Hickory Run State Park - Pennsylvania DCNR
The History of Hickory Run - Pennsylvania DCNR (see "Boom Time" for history of this section)

DIRECTIONS:
Parking at Park Office:  GPS Coordinates 41.024565, -75.709790

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TRAIL MAPS:
Hickory Run State Park Trail Map - Pennsylvania DCNR
Hickory Run State Park Campground Map - needed to navigate through campground on Beach Trail

HIKE DISTANCE:  10.5 miles

THE HIKE:

The Shades of Death Trail begins from the parking lot opposite the park office and follows along scenic Hickory Run.

A dam along Hickory Run.

Steam was rising from the cascades and freezing on the tree branches above since the temperature was in the teens and the water was still warmer than the air temperature.

Scenic Hickory Run

The Shades of Death Trail is blazed in yellow but in this park blazes are not used to distinguish trails, rather to distinguish uses.  Yellow is for hikers only and blue is for cross country skiing.  Orange is for snowmobiles but there are no orange trails in this section.  Signs at intersections identify trails by names.

Use the campground map to navigate the Beach Trail which is not blazed at all but references camp site numbers.

A rock hop on the Sand Spring Trail.

A blue blaze indicating this trail may be used for cross country skiing.

Sometimes the blue blazes are plastic diamonds.

The Pine Hill Trail starts out as a blue-blazed woods road...

... then becomes a hiker only yellow-blazed foot path.

The Pine Hill Trail ends at the Fireline Trail at the gazebo and railroad tracks; turn right here to continue on the FIreline Trail.  But almost immediately turn right on the Sand Spring Trail because...

... to continue on the Fireline Trail you would need to cross Hickory Run.  The water is deep, cold, and there simply is no way to safely cross over.  The log to the left does not reach the bank and was covered with snow and ice.

The Sand Spring Trail parallels Hickory Run and lets you cross over on a footbridge.

After crossing the bridge take the Skyline Trail which switchbacks up the side of the mountain.

At the top of the mountain along the Skyline Trail, a HUGE ancient pine tree with a diameter the length of my trekking pole, a good 36+ inches.  How did it survive the logging of the 1800's?

Part 2 of the tree since it won't all fit in one picture.

Glimpses of the Lehigh Gorge from the Skyline Trail

At the very tip of the park where the trail sharply turns in the opposite direction, a nice open field with a view of the Lehigh River.

Loop around the Skyline Trail back down the switchback to the Hickory Run Trail following next to Hickory Run.

As a short side trip continue a short distance beyond the park office on Route 534 towards a stone wall on the left.  Turn into the woods before the stone wall and climb to the top of the hill to a tranquil and peaceful cemetery with graves of the victims of the October 30, 1849 flood.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Take the Shades of Death Trail over the bridge from parking lot
[  0.35]  Stametz Dam
[  0.75]  Trail veers right over small creek where it looks like it might continue straight
[  0.80]  Trail veers left up wood beam steps up to clearing, continue right then left at fork
[  0.90]  C.C.C. Dam
[  1.15]  Hop guardrail at Route 534, turn right and cross bridge, turn right on Beach Trail just after bridge (no sign)
[  1.35]  Turn right at camp site 152
[  1.45]  Turn right at camp site 158 and proceed between to posts on trail
[  1.50]  Turn right between camp sites 52 and 53 with playground on right
[  1.55]  Turn right at camp site 60
[  1.65]  Turn left at camp site 16 and cross paved road on to Sand Spring Trail (sign at beginning of trail)
[  1.70]  Rock hop over creek
[  1.80]  Left at fork
[  1.90]  Left on Blue Trail
[  2.35]  Long wet section on trail
[  2.80]  Turn right on Pine Hill Trail
[  3.40]  Pine Hill Trail turns right when umarked woods road goes left (not on map)
[  3.80]  Pine Hill Trail turns right uphill along no trespassing area
[  3.90]  Just over rise Pine Hill Trail leaves woods road as hiking only foot path
[  4.20]  Trail crosses over small boulder field
[  4.35]  Rock hop over small creek
[  5.00]  Right on Fireline trail at railroad tracks towards gazebo; right on Sand Spring Trail
[  5.60]  Turn left on Hickory Run Trail when Sand Spring Trail continues straight
[  5.65]  Cross bridge over Hickory Run and turn right
[  5.75]  Turn left on Skyline Trail and switchback up
[  6.45]  Rock hop over Gould's Run and take left fork of Skyline Trail (returning via right fork)
[  6.60]  Cross over Gould Trail staying on Skyline Trail
[  6.85]  Huge pine tree
[  7.10]  Rock hop over wet area and small creek
[  7.15]  Turn right briefly on Fireline Trail then continue left on Skyline Trail
[  7.50]  Left on Skyline Trail as it joins with Fireline Trail as woods road
[  7.65]  View of Lehigh Gorge; continue on trail around bend to the right
[  7.80]  Turn right on Skyline Trail as Fireline Trail continues straight
[  8.40]  Skyline Trail crosses over unmarked trail (not on map)
[  8.55]  Rock hop through we area
[  8.85]  Cross over Gould Trail
[  8.90]  Rock hop over Gould's run to left to retrace first part of Skyline Trail
[  9.35]  Skyline Trail switchbacks down
[  9.65]  At bottom of Skyline Trail, turn left on Hickory Run Trail (no sign)
[10.20]  Turn right on Route 534
[10.50]  Parking lot at park office