Event Location: White Haven PA
Trip Leader(s)
Meeting Time: 11:30 AM
Max # People: 15
Guiding / Event Fee: No, I will not be asking participants for money
Difficulty Level:
Moderate
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You must be a least a guest member to participate. Comments such as "+1" or "bringing a friend" are NOT permitted. All participants must sign-up for the event individually.
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The 15,990-acre Hickory Run State Park, Carbon County, lies in the western foothills of the Pocono Mountains. This large park has over 40 miles of hiking trails, three state park natural areas and miles of trout streams. Boulder Field, a striking boulder-strewn area, is a National Natural Landmark.
We will meet at the Bolder Field Parking lot at 11:30Am in Hickory Run Park. From there we will hike/climb over the boulders to the other side of the field. On the other side there should be regular small forest trail which we can explore. Because the bolder field is rather unusual and interesting, we take our time to explore while crossing. This is not a hurried event, as we want to take it slow with caution too. Because this area is very rocky, extremely uneven (A field full of many different size boulders, and does not have an established path, attendees need to have a good sense of balance & be a bit agile to jump and slightly climb around/over the boulders (this is definitely not mountain climbing, but what I would call bolder jumping/hopping). As you walk over the boulders you have to be careful as to which boulders you jump from/ to. I have been there several times and never had a problem nor have I ever seen any problems, but if you have them, you may want to bring knee/elbow pads just in case, if you want. Please wear good hiking shoes with extra traction.
If it's a warm enough day, lets plan to have lunch on the other side of bolder field (everyone bring their own bagged lunch). If the weather that day is cooler however, perhaps we can head on back up to Rte 80 area to grab lunch.
Note: If you had any thought of bringing your dog (which we would hope you would ask to do so ahead of time), I am not sure that would be a good idea on this trip as they may not be able to jump from bolder to bolder safely.
From I-80, take Exit 274 at the Hickory Run
State Park Exit, and drive east on PA Rte.534 for
six miles.
From the Northeast Extension of the
Pennsylvania Turnpike, take Exit 95 and
drive west on PA 940 for three miles, then
turn east on PA 534 for six miles.
The park is within a two or three-hour
drive from Harrisburg, Philadelphia,
and New York City and one hour from
Allentown, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre.
Once in the park on Rte 534, pass the ranger station on your right (should be rest area facilities there if you need it), go about another 1/2 mile from that point and make the left. Then follow that road up. As you go up that roaad, it looks like you will pass up the 1st road on the right for Sand Spring Lake and go to the 2nd road on the right which takes up past Hickory Run Lake are and under the PA Turnpike extension,, Take that road for about less than 2 miles till you get to the bolder field parking lot. That is where we will meet.
Park Number (570) 443-0400
Not sure if cell phones work in that area. Will give out my cell number however to all those that sign up before hand however, just in case.
Park web page:
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/hickoryrun/index.htm#hiking
Park Maps:
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/hickoryrun/index.htm?tab=Maps#Maps
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_004632.pdf
Outdoor Fitness Level: Moderate to Strenuous
Outdoor Fitness Level: Moderate