Hawk Mountain

Hawk Mountain
Hawk Mountain Location of Hawk Mountain in Pennsylvania
Elevation	1,521 feet (464 m) [1]
Location	Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA
Range	Blue Mountain [1]
Prominence	181 feet (55 m) [1]
Parent peak	The Pinnacle [1]
Coordinates	40°38′44″N 75°58′48″W / 40.64556°N 75.98°W / 40.64556; -75.98Coordinates: 40°38′44″N 75°58′48″W / 40.64556°N 75.98°W / 40.64556; -75.98[2]
Topo map	USGS New Ringgold
Easiest route	Lookout Trail (hike) [3]

Hawk Mountain is a mountain ridge, part of the Appalachian Mountains, located in central-eastern Pennsylvania near Reading and Allentown. It is a part of the Blue Mountain Ridge. It is primarily known as home to the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.

The River of Rocks is visible and accessible from the Sanctuary. The boulders were formed by periglacial processes in the Pleistocene epoch, or "ice age."

The view from South Lookout, a rocky ledge near the entrance to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. The "River of Rocks", a mile-long boulder field, is visible at upper center.

A close-up of the "River of Rocks"

History

In 1929, hunters were offered $5 for every goshawk they were able to bring down during migrating season, as the birds were thought to be more pests than anything. As the conservation effort was just getting off the ground, photographer Richard Pough came to Hawk Mountain and photographed the carnage resulting from the massive slaughter of the birds. His photographs were seen by, among others, New York resident and conservationist Rosalie Edge.

Scouting and Civil Air Patrol

The mountain is also home to the Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation and Hawk Mountain Camp (two Boy Scout camps)^[4] and the Civil Air Patrol's Colonel Phillip Neuweiler Ranger Training Facility (also known as the Hawk Mountain Ranger School).

References