Pets allowed
Allowed with Restrictions
Guided tours
No
Backcountry camping
No
Lodging
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Hickory Run is a 15,990-acre state park, located about 40 minutes outside of Scranton in the Poconos region of Pennsylvania. Some of its many highlights include Boulder Field, Hawk Falls, Sand Spring Lake, large picnic areas, open fields, fishing, and over 40 miles of trails.

The most famous section of the park, Boulder Field, is a geological wonder consisting of over 720,000 square feet of boulders stacked one on top of the other. The field stretches almost parallel with the horizon. Boulder Field was formed by the expanding and then thawing of ice within the upper ridges of bedrock. When the ice froze, it broke off the boulders. After melting, it deposited the boulders downstream and took the smaller sediment with it. Boulder Field can be reached either by taking the 6.2-mile Boulder Field Trail or by driving up a gravel road to a parking lot.

The 25-foot Hawk Falls is a 0.6-mile hike and can be accessed via trails or a parking lot located off Route 534. It's a nice short hike to the falls, and there are plenty of areas to relax.

If you're looking for something a bit more challenging, try hiking one of the many other trails the park has to offer, such as the aptly named Shades of Death Trail. In the winter months, cross country skiing and snowmobiling are available.

There's a large wooded picnic area that opens into a sprawling field located down the mountain from Boulder Field, perfect for sports or simply sunbathing.

A little further down from the field and picnic areas lies Sand Spring Lake. During the summer and spring seasons the lake is open for swimming daily and offers an unguarded, sandy beach. There are concessions and restrooms located at the top of the beach.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

Moderate

Parking Pass

Not Required

Pros

Large park. Many activities.

Cons

Can be crowded.

Features

Geologically significant
Campgrounds + Campsites
Showers
Amphitheater
Flushing toilets
Potable water
Picnic tables
Covered picnic areas
Volleyball
Waterfalls
Old-growth forest
Fishing
Playground

Site type

Full hookups

Location

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