Hickory Run State Park

Hickory Run State Park is a 15,500-acre (62.73 km²) Pennsylvania State Park in Kidder and Penn Forest Townships in Carbon County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is spread across the Pocono Mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The park is easily accessible from Interstate 476 and Interstate 80.

Hickory Run State Park is one of twenty-one chosen by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Parks for its "Twenty Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks" list.

The park supports many activities, some of which vary seasonally. During the summer months, swimming is available in Sand Spring Lake, which is partially bordered by a sand beach. Beginning in 2008 lifeguards will not be posted at the beach. In winter, the frozen lake can be used for ice skating. Seasonal hunting is permitted in many areas of the park, with white-tailed deer, black bear, and squirrels among the game that may be hunted legally. Additional hunting opportunities are available in nearby state game lands, some of which directly border the park.

The most notable feature of Hickory Run State Park is the huge boulder field located in the northeast corner of the park. The boulder field can be reached by car on Boulder Field Road or by hiking the 3.5-mile (5.6 km) long Boulder Field Trail from the trailhead on SR 534. The field comprises about 720,000 square feet (67,000 m²) or 16.5 acres, which is 0.026 square miles (0.1 km²) in area (1,800 feet (548.6 m) east-west by 400 feet (121.9 m) north-south). The top of the boulder layer is virtually level with the approaching path. The immense weight of the boulders has compressed the underlying soil (12 feet (4 m) or more. The boulder field was created about 20,000 years ago during the most recent glacial period. The boulders consist of the sandstone and conglomerates identical to those capping the ridges that surround the field on three sides (the Mississippian Pocono Formation). Large amounts of melting waters from the glaciers apparently carried the boulders down from the ridges and into the valley where they now reside. The Boulder Field is truly a stunning sight, seemingly appearing out of nowhere in the park's dense woodland. Many visitors cannot resist hopping from boulder to boulder across the field. This unique geological landscape is a National Natural Landmark.

The park contains more than 40 miles (64 km) of trails that offer a variety of hiking experiences. For example, the 1.5-mile (2.4 km) long “Shades of Death” Trail follows the course of Sand Spring Run through dense rhododendron bushes that bloom from mid-June through mid-July. The run is dammed at certain points, creating scenic lakes. The Fireline, Gould and Pine Hill Trails are suitable for cross-country skiing in winter. A short 0.7-mile (1.1 km) walk on the Hawk Falls trail leads to a popular waterfall.

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  Hawk Falls
• Mud Run as seen from near Hawk Falls
  Mud Run as seen from near Hawk Falls

Nearby state parks

The following state parks are within 30 miles (48 km) of Hickory Run State Park:

• Beltzville State Park (Carbon County)
• Big Pocono State Park (Monroe County)
• Frances Slocum State Park (Luzerne County)
• Gouldsboro State Park (Monroe and Wayne Counties)
• Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center (Northampton County)
• Lehigh Gorge State Park (Carbon and Luzerne Counties)
• Locust Lake State Park (Schuylkill County)
• Nescopeck State Park (Luzerne County)
• Tobyhanna State Park (Monroe and Wayne Counties)
• Tuscarora State Park (Schuylkill County)

Sources

Van Diver, B.B. (1990). Roadside Geology of Pennsylvania. Missoula: Mountain Press Publishing Company.