Hawk Mountain: Peak Fall Foliage Is Here!

Fall is a wonderful time to visit Hawk Mountain! The beautiful fall foliage is at its peak and the daily Autumn Migration Hawk Watch is taking place at North Lookout. The view from Hawk Mountain offers beautiful vistas and great looks at raptors. This article is designed to give you an overview of what to expect using excerpts from https://www.hawkmountain.org/ .

Hawk Mountain is on top of the Kittatinny Ridge and is part of the eastern Appalachian Mountains. The mountains create favorable updrafts and acts as a superhighway for migration. Raptors use the favorable winds to cover hundreds of miles daily in an energy efficient way. The month of October brings with it the peak of fall colors and raptor species diversity during the migration. It is the perfect time for visitors, new and old, to discover Pennsylvania’s amazing natural beauty with a hike along our eight miles of trails, 2,800 acres of protected lands. Don’t forget your binoculars and camera!

A walk in the woods can refresh the spirit and reconnect you with nature. Planning is very important before you make the trip. There are six trails of varying difficulty as well as four trail loops. There is a wheelchair accessible trail as well as those with a vertical rise of 800 feet or those for experienced hikers that require four-point scrambling. Carefully examine the written description of the trails before you go. Also be sure to check out these hiking tips.

During October, these raptors are at the peak of migration: red-tailed hawk, merlin, golden eagles, harriers, red shouldered hawks. Beautiful photos of Hawk Mountain raptors can be seen here:

Free coloring books, puzzles, and posters are available for kids. They’re great tools to use before or after the visit.

When is the best time to see certain raptors?

Best raptor diversity can be seen in late October.  Most observations of migrating hawks occur between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm.  If there is a strong wind, raptors may begin migrating at dawn and fly until dusk.  Migrant hawks can be seen all day on windy days.  If weather is not windy, we often observe more hawks during mid to late morning and mid to late afternoon (i.e., 9:30 to 11:30 am and 2:30 to 4:00 pm).   On sunny days without strong winds, birds often use thermals to migrate and thermals are stronger during midday period.  The stronger thermals result in migrating hawks flying higher and sometimes farther from the lookouts so sightings can diminish during midday hours.  Earlier in morning and later in day when the sun is lower, the hawks often fly lower and closer to lookouts where they can be observed more easily.

For other frequently asked questions, go to https://www.hawkmountain.org/contact-us/frequently-asked-questions

Native Habitat Garden

Centrally located between the Visitor Center, parking area and trailhead entrance, the two-acre Native Plant Garden boasts more than 250 species of native flowers, trees, shrubs, grasses and vines which attract more than 40 species of butterflies and countless birds. In the pond can be seen painted turtles, frogs, and newts, as well as dragonflies and damselflies. A bird blind overlooks a second, smaller pond, with meadow in the rear. Discreet seating areas encourage lingering.

Hawk Mountain also offers free Weekend Programs, Autumn Lectures, and a robust schedule of other events for all ages and interests. For example, celebrate Owloween on the Mountain with creepy crawly cold-blooded creatures – slithery, scaly, and lots of legs – and learn all about owls and even meet one up close! Also learn all about bats with the PA Bat Rescue! Mark October 27 from 1 – 3 pm on your calendar.

Congratulations to Hawk Mountain!

Representative Jamie Barton has announced a resolution to designate October 2024 as “Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Migration Month” in Pennsylvania, which overwhelmingly passed the House on October 2.

“Hawk Mountain is the first raptor conservation organization and raptor sanctuary in the world, and in 2024 we are celebrating our 90th anniversary,” says Hawk Mountain President Sean Grace.

Hours of Operation
Visitor Center and trails are open daily, 9 AM – 5 PM.
Hawk Mountain is CLOSED on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day, and closes at 1 PM on the day before Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve. 

Trail Admission Fees and Procedure:

Proceed directly to trailhead gate.
Non-members: Pay in the Visitor Center or purchase a ticket online and bring your receipt.
Adults: $10
Seniors (65+): $7
Children (6-12): $5
Children 5 and under: FREE

There’s a whole lot more to Hawk Mountain thank a beautiful hike. It is not a state or federal park, but a non-profit with a raptor conservation mission. Admission fees help maintain the sanctuary. They also go to supporting their raptor conservation mission: scientific research, international training, and public education programs. Studying raptors is important, because they are sensitive bioindicators, meaning they provide clues about the health of the ecosystem in which they live. There is fascinating ongoing research into raptor conservation studies and long-term monitoring. Satellite tracking is used to follow the raptors over the huge distances they fly. The full Hawk Mountain on-line site is well worth exploring. Gifts to their mission are greatly appreciated!

A note from Donna…
Brian and I are happy to live relatively close to the beauty of Hawk Mountain. I’ve been privileged to spot a majestic hawk in our woods. The little songbirds, chipmunks, and squirrels that I photograph freeze for minutes on end in their presence. The winged and scurrying critters of the Pennsylvania woodlands have sweet personalities. They also do some surprising things in front of my camera. Be sure to take a peek at AzarElGreetings.com .

Smiles!