Location – 5/5
Hawn State Park was suggested to us over and over so we decided to check it out. The Whispering Pines Trail consists of 10 campsites which requires a permit to stay overnight, and they go quickly, so be sure to sign up early. The AllTrails mileage is off based on the route I created (5.8 mi. in from trailhead to campsite 10, 1.5 mi. out) compared to reality (7.6 mi. in, 2 mi. out). The drive out couldn’t be much easier. It was about 20 minutes off I-55 and clearly marked. As we entered the park, it was already very busy. We drove up to a park employee who told us where to park for our trail. We arrived at a gate shortly up the road, and were greeted by a couple of employees who let us through the gate.
Campground – 5/5
There are 10 campsites available. We had originally intended to go out on a Friday-Saturday and stay at site 5 (the best of them all, allegedly) but had to go a day later and stayed at site 10 which was luckily available. Even though site 10 was .25 mi. off the trail, we ended up having two separate hiker groups come up to our side, maybe to attempt unauthorized camping (don’t be a jerk, MAKE A RESERVATION). We stopped by site 5 to see what we were missing, and it was incredible. Site 5 and 6 are right next to a stream and have perfect hammock camping trees, as well as big areas for tents. Site 10 had a good water source approximately .4 miles north on the trail. All of the sites were well established and had a fire ring and logs for sitting.
Activities – 5/5
Nature
There were a few animals such as turtles and lizards but we didn’t see much else. We definitely heard some vocal birds at night and in the morning. The path was full of colorful flowers and many different types of plants and many waterfalls. The east side of the loops mostly followed a flowing creek which provided a good ambiance and water features. There were a couple good climbs to reach overlooks which had incredible views.
Hiking – 4/5
The north loop seemed to be much easier than the south loop. Overall, the trail was tough, but not worse than some other trails we have done. It felt mostly flat with a few tough climbs. There were a few water crossings which did not require much effort on our part, at least during our trip the beginning of May. We had to take our time going down the rocky terrain from the summits to avoid slipping.
Amenities 4/5
Marking and Trail Maintenance
There were numerous down trees and obstacles along the trail. Most obstacle had already been cleared, but there were still plenty to move around. We only went off-trail at the first summit but we figured it out after a couple loops around the area. Otherwise, we had very little problem following the trail because it was very well marked. Campsites are marked clearly with brown posts.
Firewood and Water
There were multiple water crossings and the trail went along the flowing creek, so there were multiple opportunities to fill our water. We brought 2 liters each and it was a good amount for campsite 10, which was not next to a water source. The water tasted good and was still very cold. There was ample firewood at the campsite, so we didn’t need to cut any logs. We made a small fire and put it out before we went to bed.
Overall Rating – 4/5
Overall we give this site 4 out of 5. This was definitely our favorite hike thus far. I believe we will be back many more times to try out alternate routes. The hike was moderate to hard overall, but if you’re looking for something easier, stick to the north loop. The scenery is better, and there’s less obstacles. Most of the campsites were semi-private and there was plenty of water around. There are multiple connector routes, so it is easy to make a hike that will suit your desired length and difficulty.
