This One-Mile Hike In Pennsylvania Ends At Hawk Falls, A Waterfall You Need To See With Your Own Eyes
By Beth Price-Williams|Published March 24, 2020
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Beth Price-Williams
Author
A professional writer for more than two decades, Beth has lived in nearly a dozen states – from Missouri and Virginia to Connecticut and Vermont – and Toronto, Canada. In addition to traveling extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., she has a BA in Journalism from Point Park University (PA), a MA in Holocaust & Genocide Studies from Stockton University (NJ), and a Master of Professional Writing from Chatham University (PA). A writer and editor for Only In Your State since 2016, Beth grew up in and currently lives outside of Pittsburgh and when she’s not writing or hanging out with her bunnies, budgies, and chinchilla, she and her daughter are out chasing waterfalls.
Waterfalls just might be one of Mother Nature’s most artistic creations. Pennsylvania’s dotted with a long list of natural and man-made waterfalls, some hiding in plain sight and others requiring a bit more work to find. This one-mile hike in Pennsylvania, for example, is the perfect way to spend a few hours, and it leads to a beautiful waterfall.
Hawk Falls Trail, rated between easy and moderate depending on your skill level, leads straight to a breathtaking natural waterfall.
The one-mile trail is flanked with sheer natural beauty — from rhododendrons to a flowing creek. In fact, you'll cross that creek on a wooden footbridge.
The trail is a popular one, so it tends to get incredibly crowded, especially during the warmer months. If you prefer hiking when it's quiet, you'll probably want to set off early in the day to avoid the crowds.
The highlight of the trail is, of course, Hawk Falls, a natural waterfall that drops 25 feet. Snap plenty of pictures of the waterfall. You might even feel the mist of the water as it tumbles down.
No matter how hot it is, swimming in the pool below the waterfall is prohibited. You can swim, however, at Sand Spring Lake, a sandy beach at the park.
When you arrive at Hickory Run State Park, you'll find parking spaces right off of PA 534. You might have trouble finding parking on a particularly busy day. From there, you'll find the trailhead near bushes of rhododendron thickets.
Do you have a favorite one-mile hike in Pennsylvania? Join the conversation in the comments! For another short and sweet waterfall hike, check out the 2.4-mile Angel Falls Trail in Loyalsock State Forest.
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