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Hiking · Straddles the county line

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

Type
Private raptor sanctuary & trail system
Where
1700 Hawk Mountain Road, Kempton, PA
Managed by
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association (private nonprofit)
Directory
Current listing & visitor details →
Coordinates
40.63519, -75.98752 (approximate) · Open in Maps
Visitor Center parking lot, 1700 Hawk Mountain Rd; the operator's own directions link uses the matching pin.
Last verified
2026-06-18

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is a private nonprofit refuge on the Kittatinny Ridge, famous for autumn raptor migration and watched over from its North and South Lookouts. It was established in 1934 — widely recognized as the world’s first refuge for birds of prey. The Visitor Center and most-visited lookouts are in Albany Township, Berks County, while the sanctuary’s northern lands extend into Schuylkill County, and it appears on the Schuylkill County Visitors Bureau directory.

Hiking

Roughly 8+ miles of trail range from the easy, accessible walk to South Lookout (and the wheelchair-accessible Silhouette Trail) to the rugged, rock-scrambling Skyline Trail along the ridge to the Appalachian Trail. The River of Rocks loop circles an Ice-Age boulder field. Trails are rocky and ungraded except the groomed walk to South Lookout; carry water.

Before you go

A trail fee is required (members free; higher in fall raptor season), dogs are not permitted, and there is no hunting — it is a sanctuary. Visitor Center parking is limited to about 300 cars; in October, arrive before 10 a.m. or after 3 p.m. Confirm current fees and hours with the sanctuary, as they change year to year.

Access & parking

Getting there
All trails start by following the walkway from the Visitor Center across Hawk Mountain Rd to the Entrance Gate; trails are rocky and ungraded except the walk to South Lookout. In October, arrive before 10 a.m. or after 3 p.m.
Parking
Visitor Center lots, limited to about 300 cars.
Accessibility
The Silhouette Trail (≤8.3% grade) is wheelchair-accessible to South Lookout, which is groomed and accessible by motorized wheelchair.

Sources

Frequently asked

Is there hunting at Hawk Mountain?
No. Hawk Mountain is a private raptor sanctuary — there is no hunting, and dogs are not permitted. It is not a State Game Land. (Nearby State Game Lands 106 and 110 sit on the same Blue Mountain ridge and are open to hunting; don't confuse them with the sanctuary.)
Is there a fee to hike Hawk Mountain?
Yes — a trail fee is required (members hike free), and fall raptor-season fees are higher. Because fees change, confirm the current rate with the sanctuary before you visit.

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