Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers
go to the home page of the two RV Gypsies
Table of Content index
learn about Karen and Lee Duquette email the two RV Gypsies sgin the guestbook of the Two RV Gypsies
Alaska visits by the two RV Gypsies
places in Canada the two RV Gypsies have visited
see countries and cruises The two RV Gypsies on cruises visit the USA sites
learn about Brian Duquette's tragedy places before 2008 Links to other RV site RV help for travelers vidoes by the Two RV Gypsies
The two RV Gypsies hiked
Hawk Mountain
1700 Hawk Mountain Road
Kempton, Pennsylvania
October 5, 2014
Map of Pennsylvania showing location of Hawk Mountain

Hawk Mountain is a mountain ridge, part of the Blue Mountain Ridge in the Appalachian Mountain chain, located in central-eastern Pennsylvania near Reading and Allentown. The area includes 13,000 acres of protected private and public land, including the 2,600 acre 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."

history bookIn 1929, the Pennsylvania Game Commission offered hunters $5 for every goshawk shot during migrating season, as the birds were considered pests. In 1932, Richard Pough (a birder and photographer from Philadelphia) photographed hundreds of killed hawks and published the photos in Bird Lore, the predecessor to Audubon. Thanks largely to the publicity brought by Pough's photographs, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary was incorporated in 1938, and in 1946 began year-round operations. The Game Commission bounty was terminated in 1951, although birds of prey continued to face threats from chemical pesticides like DDT. Bird counts have been taken at Hawk Mountain since the end of World War II, with the Sanctuary counting its millionth raptor on October 8, 1992.

a colorful road
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary sign

Below: A statue of a rapture

A peace sign written in different languages
on each of its four sides.

a rapture statue
Peace on Earth sign

The two RV Gypsies learned a lot about owls by listening to this Hawk Mountain Sanctuary volunteer.

an owl
an owl
owl and its trainer
owl and its trainer
wildlife car
wildlife car
trail sign
sign about the mountain

The two RV Gypsies hiked up Hawk Mountain to see some great scenery and hopefully a big flock of birds flying overhead. First they followed the orange trail which was the easiest trail, although it did have some large boulders that required rock scrambling to traverse. This trail had a vertical rise of 300 feet.

view from North Lookout
view from North Lookout

Karen Duquette at the North Lookout of Hawk Mountain.

Karen Duquette at the North Lookout of Hawk Mountian
Karen Duquette at the North Lookout of Hawk Mountian

laughing clipart dudeThe two RV Gypsies continued hiking up Hawk Mountain. Along the way, Lee found a giant walking stick that he hoped would help him on this very steep and rocky trail.

Lee Duquette and his giant walking stick
Lee Duquette on the rocky trail at Hawk Mountain

The two RV Gypsies finally reached their destination, elevation 1,521 feet on top of Hawk Mountain.

evelvation 1521 feet
view from Hawk Mountain

Lots of people on the rocks at Hawk Mountain waiting for birds to fly overhead. But it was too late in the day. The two RV Gypsies later learned that 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. is the best time to see large flocks of birds.

on the rocks at Hawk Mountain
on the rocks at Hawk Mountain
on the rocks at Hawk Mountain
Menu for the two RV Gypsies in Pennsylvania
October 2-8, 2014
You may visit these 11 sections in any order you choose.

Raymondskill Falls

Grey Towers National Historic Site

Jervis Gordon Grist Mill

Amazing tree sculpture in Milford

fall foliage

Hawk Mountain in Kempton (this page)

Coal Miners' Statue in Minersville

Gettysburg National Military Park

River Beach Campsites in Milford

Echo Valley Campground in Tremont

Artillery Ridge Camping Resort in Gettysburg

look below

Please continue on to the next adventure of the two RV GypsiesAFTER you have viewed all eleven (11) sections above, please continue on to the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland. Even if you are not a big fan of aquariums, you should enjoy this one. Thank you for visiting this website.