Campground Review:
This was our first visit to [Hickory Run State Park](http://Hickory Run State Park ) & we loved it. Hickory Run is in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. We had a full hook-up site in the back loop, pet friendly part of the campground. The sites in this loop were spacious and more in an open area, but we were along a wooded area which gave us some shade. It was a very quiet weekend for us as our loop was not crowded. The bath houses in this loop are non-flush/pit toilets. However, the other camping loops had shower houses and flush toilet restrooms. The other camping loops were located within the wooded areas and the sites appears closer together. There are pet friendly sites in the other loops as well. Even though it was a very hot weekend and our site was in an open area, we had a nice breeze and shade from the wooded area behind our site. The late afternoon sun did hit the front of our trailer, but we used this time for a nap or a went for a drive to explore the area.
There is a lot to do in the state park. Many hiking trails (44 miles of trails). They are rated from easy to difficult. We found the 2 trails we hiked - Hawk Falls and Shades of Death trails - where were rated "more difficult" were not bad to hike at all. We hiked both with your 2 large dogs. Both of these trails had a creek and waterfalls.
There was a large open field in the loop we camped in with a swing set on it. This was nice for families with children. There is a camp store which was loaded with anything you may need from grocery items, equipment, pans, and toys. One thing of note - if you require firewood, look for local sellers in the area rather than the camp store. It was $4.50 for a very small bundle of what we would use for kindling. Park Staff were very friendly.
We took a drive on 2 afternoons on a stone road through the woods to see the Boulder Field. It was a beautiful drive. We were on the lookout for bear, but only saw 3 deer. There is also a lake for swimming. Be aware that this area has a high bear population and all campers are required to keep food items in their vehicles or trailers when not at the site.
We would definitely recommend Hickory Run for all types of campers - RV, tent, pop-up campers. Lots to do for families. Or if you are like us and want to just kick back and relax, you can't go wrong.
Product Review: As a Ranger for the Dyrt, we get products to test from time to time - today we tested [Red Ledge Free Rein Jacket](http://Red Ledge Free Rein Jacket) We chose to review this jacket because our first two camping trips this season, it poured!! My husband got soaked while closing down outside and getting the trailer hooked up to head home. But... as Murphy's Law goes, we haven't had rain while camping since receiving the jacket. My husband was a good sport and "modeled" this jacket for me during a heat wave of over 90°. My husband normally wears a 2XL, which is what we ordered. It appears to be true to size as the jacket fits him well, even in the length of the sleeves.
The day after we got home... we got our rain! While my husband was not available, I decided to put the jacket on and go outside and test the jacket during a heavy down pour and stormy afternoon.
PROs: The jacket is well made, but not heavy or bulky. It has adjustable velcro cuffs on the sleeves so you can tighten the cuffs if you need. It has 2 front zippered pockets with a mess lining. It also has 2 zippered vents at the sides of the jacket. The hood has a cord on either side for adjustments.
Even though this jacket was 2 or 3 sizes too big for me, I was able to adjust the cuffs on the sleeves as well as the hood to give me a better fit. I stayed dry! The rain literally beaded up on the jacket, therefore the jacket did not get soaked through. Once I came inside, I could shake out the jacket and the water drops would just fall off the jacket. It dried quickly afterwards, but honestly because the rain never really saturated the jacket, "dried" may not be the correct word. Overall I was impressed with the quality of the jacket and how the water just rolled off it. I would recommend Red Ledge to anyone looking for rain gear that is lightweight, durable and, most of all, Works!!
CONs: At this point, I really can't say I could find anything wrong with this jacket.
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