Everyone will be meeting at The Nature Conservancy, Hauser Nature Center, Long Pond.
Directions: From I-80, take exit 284 and turn onto 115 South. Turn left onto Long Pond Rd. Continue 3-miles to The Nature Conservancy on the left.
This short hike to Grass Lake explores unique plant communities on public land owned by the Bethlehem Water Authority.
Trail: Hypsie Gap/Grass Lake
Length: 2.5-miles
Terrain: easiest
Archive for the ‘Hickory Run State Park’ Category
Hickory Run State Park For Hiking Series (#2)
Meet at the Nescopeck State Park Office Nescopeck State Park 1137 Honey Hole Road. Join the naturalist from Hickory Run State Park at 9 a.m. on select Thursdays throughout the season for hikes of varying length and difficulty. The entire series will cover 17-miles of trails at State Parks in addition to 21-miles on neighboring public lands. Come out to get some exercise, learn about the area’s rich history and nature, and relax in the fresh air. Please stop by or call the park office for more information or detailed directions. This time of year is a wonderful time for a wildflower walk! We’ll walk part of the Woodfrog Loop, stopping to enjoy the abundant spring wildflowers in bloom. Then we’ll take a trail into the neighboring State Game Lands to the top of Mt. Yeager. This section of trail is steep and uneven, but hikers will be rewarded with stunning views of the valley below. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring water and a snack.
Celebrate the Great Outdoors!
This September is a great time to come visit this area and do something cool outside. Across all of Carbon County, there is a month-long celebration of the outdoors that showcases the fact that there is so much to see and do here. This area is blessed with mountains, lakes, rivers, trails, wilderness, parks, nature centers, golf courses, outfitters, guides (like JTX!) and then all the other stuff that you need AFTER the adventure, like restaurants, B&B/hotel/guesthouses/motel, shopping, historic attractions, etc. Carbon County truly has everything you need to have a great time outside.
Throughout September, there is something going on almost every day, which helps showcase the natural environment and adventures that are available here. Visit www.carboncountychamber.org and click on the circular logo on the left-middle of the page. This takes you to a big PDF file that has the general info PLUS a calendar of events (takes a moment to load). You have to SCROLL DOWN from the picture to the calendar. It’s not the best calendar, but it’s a sampling of what’s available. (Next year, there will be a better website and calendar.)
This month of activities will show you just how much is here, and even if you can’t get here in September, it will give you ideas for next time you DO visit. If you live in the area, it will let you know of a bunch of things that area available right in your backyard.
Shades of Death Trail, Hickory Run State Park
A cold snowy winter day is the perfect time to take four New Yorkers and my six year old on a hike in Hickory Run State Park. We normally take visitors to Hawk Falls, but the ice would have made it too dangerous. I have been on the Shades of Death trail a few times, but never in the winter and I hoped it wouldn’t live up to its name.
We parked at the park office, and walked about 150 feet up the road to head of the trail’s Ridge Section. When we first got underway, I was a little worried that the ice would make it unsafe. We kept moving and found it wasn’t too bad, just a few slippery spots. The park’s information calls it the prettiest trail in the park and I have to agree. The trail is narrow and winds thru the valley by Hickory Run Stream. Ice was everywhere. It glistened and sparked where the sunlight hit it. Every where the water splashed onto the rocks and down the water falls froze up in interested patterns and shapes.
There a a several logging damns and old dams hundreds of years old and it was fun to see new ice formations and different rock out croppings at every turn. My boy dashed ahead blazing the trail, and we all tried to keep up. The air was cold and felt so clean and fresh in my lungs. Eventually we came to a playground about 1.5 miles and took a break while my son got out the extra energy he carries around. Someone has cookies and we stopped for a snack and a drink. Cookies are the perfect hiking snack.
