Hanging Rock State Park
Encyclopedia
Hanging Rock State Park is a 7049 acres (2,852.6 ha) North Carolina state park in Stokes County
, North Carolina
in the United States
. The park is 30 miles (48.3 km) north of Winston-Salem
and is located approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) from Danbury
in Stokes County
.
built the original facilities between 1935 and 1942, including the construction of a 12 acres (4.9 ha) lake and bathhouse that is currently on the National Register of Historic Places
. Additional land acquisitions in the 1970s added to the park the Lower Cascades, a spectacular 40 feet (12.2 m) waterfall, and the Tory's Den, a rock outcropping rumored to have served as a hideout for British Loyalists during the American Revolutionary War
. Another large land purchase in 2000 added Flat Shoals Mountain, a smaller summit visible from the top of Hanging Rock, to the park as well.
, one of the most easterly mountain ranges in the state. Often called "the mountains away from the mountains," the Sauratown range is made up of monadnock
s that are separated from the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains
. The Sauratown Mountains lie completely within the borders of Stokes and Surry counties. Prominent peaks in the Sauratown range rise from 1700 feet (518.2 m) to more than 2500 feet (762 m) in elevation and stand in bold contrast to the surrounding countryside, which averages only 800 feet (243.8 m) in elevation. The most well known peak in the range is Pilot Mountain
in nearby Pilot Mountain State Park
. The highest point in the park - and the highest point in the Sauratown Mountain range - is Moore's Knob
. It rises to 2,579 feet (786 m) above sea level.
Named for the Saura Native Americans who were early inhabitants of the region, the rocky tops of the Sauratown Mountains are the remnants of a once-broad layer of rock that covered the region. Over many years, wind, water and other forces eroded the surrounding blanket of rock. What remains of these ancient mountains is the erosion-resistant quartzite, which now supports scenic ridges and knobs, including Moore's Knob
, Moore's Wall, Cook's Wall, Devil's Chimney, Wolf Rock and Hanging Rock.
grow alongside each other, and in the spring visitors can view the colorful displays of rhododendron
, mountain laurel
, pinxter azalea
, and a number of other wildflowers. Much of the park is an oak-hickory forest, with chestnut oak
the dominant hardwood.
The park is also home to the rare Wehrle's salamander
, and peregrine falcons have been known to nest in the crags on the park's high peaks. Ravens and vultures may be seen calling and circling overhead. Visitors might see white-tailed deer and Wild Turkey
while walking the park trails.
Two venomous snakes, the copperhead
and timber rattlesnake
, live in the park, and do not bother unless provoked. All wildlife is protected at Hanging Rock just as in all other North Carolina State Parks.
The Mountains-to-Sea Trail
pass through the park and joins with the Sauratown Trail
.
Stokes County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 44,711 people, 17,579 households, and 13,043 families residing in the county. The population density was 99 people per square mile . There were 19,262 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The park is 30 miles (48.3 km) north of Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina, with a 2010 population of 229,617. Winston-Salem is the county seat and largest city of Forsyth County and the fourth-largest city in the state. Winston-Salem is the second largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region and is home to...
and is located approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) from Danbury
Danbury, North Carolina
Danbury is a town located in Danbury Township, Stokes County, North Carolina. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 108. It is the county seat of Stokes County....
in Stokes County
Stokes County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 44,711 people, 17,579 households, and 13,043 families residing in the county. The population density was 99 people per square mile . There were 19,262 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile...
.
History
On April 20, 1936, the Winston-Salem Foundation and the Stokes County Committee for Hanging Rock donated 3096 acres (1,252.9 ha) to North Carolina for establishing a state park. Prior to this, the land had been owned by developers intent on creating a mountain resort on its highest summit. The plans fell through when the developers went bankrupt during the initial construction. After the state acquired the property, the Civilian Conservation CorpsCivilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
built the original facilities between 1935 and 1942, including the construction of a 12 acres (4.9 ha) lake and bathhouse that is currently on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Additional land acquisitions in the 1970s added to the park the Lower Cascades, a spectacular 40 feet (12.2 m) waterfall, and the Tory's Den, a rock outcropping rumored to have served as a hideout for British Loyalists during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. Another large land purchase in 2000 added Flat Shoals Mountain, a smaller summit visible from the top of Hanging Rock, to the park as well.
Location
Hanging Rock State Park is located in the Sauratown Mountain RangeSauratown Mountains
The Sauratown Mountains, which are sometimes called "the mountains away from the mountains", are an isolated mountain range located within Stokes and Surry counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina...
, one of the most easterly mountain ranges in the state. Often called "the mountains away from the mountains," the Sauratown range is made up of monadnock
Monadnock
A monadnock or inselberg is an isolated rock hill, knob, ridge, or small mountain that rises abruptly from a gently sloping or virtually level surrounding plain...
s that are separated from the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
. The Sauratown Mountains lie completely within the borders of Stokes and Surry counties. Prominent peaks in the Sauratown range rise from 1700 feet (518.2 m) to more than 2500 feet (762 m) in elevation and stand in bold contrast to the surrounding countryside, which averages only 800 feet (243.8 m) in elevation. The most well known peak in the range is Pilot Mountain
Pilot Mountain (North Carolina)
Pilot Mountain, a metamorphic quartzite monadnock rising to a peak above sea level, is one of the most distinctive natural features in the state of North Carolina. It is a remnant of the ancient chain of Sauratown Mountains. The Saura were the earliest known inhabitants of the region...
in nearby Pilot Mountain State Park
Pilot Mountain State Park
Pilot Mountain State Park is a North Carolina state park in Surry and Yadkin Counties, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Pinnacle, North Carolina on highway US 52, it covers 3,703 acres and includes the distinctive 2,241 foot peak of Pilot Mountain.-History:The Saura, a...
. The highest point in the park - and the highest point in the Sauratown Mountain range - is Moore's Knob
Moore's Knob
Moore's Knob is the highest mountain in the Sauratown Mountains of Stokes County, North Carolina. The Sauratown Mountains are an isolated remnant of the much larger Blue Ridge Mountains far to the west and north. A rugged, deeply eroded range, the Sauras feature dramatic rock cliffs which can be...
. It rises to 2,579 feet (786 m) above sea level.
Named for the Saura Native Americans who were early inhabitants of the region, the rocky tops of the Sauratown Mountains are the remnants of a once-broad layer of rock that covered the region. Over many years, wind, water and other forces eroded the surrounding blanket of rock. What remains of these ancient mountains is the erosion-resistant quartzite, which now supports scenic ridges and knobs, including Moore's Knob
Moore's Knob
Moore's Knob is the highest mountain in the Sauratown Mountains of Stokes County, North Carolina. The Sauratown Mountains are an isolated remnant of the much larger Blue Ridge Mountains far to the west and north. A rugged, deeply eroded range, the Sauras feature dramatic rock cliffs which can be...
, Moore's Wall, Cook's Wall, Devil's Chimney, Wolf Rock and Hanging Rock.
Ecology
Due to its unique location, the park is home to a number of species of flora that are more commonly found in the westernmost part of the state. Carolina and Canadian hemlockTsuga
Tsuga is a genus of conifers in the family Pinaceae. The common name hemlock is derived from a perceived similarity in the smell of its crushed foliage to that of the unrelated plant poison hemlock....
grow alongside each other, and in the spring visitors can view the colorful displays of rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
, mountain laurel
Kalmia latifolia
Kalmia latifolia, commonly called Mountain-laurel or Spoonwood, is a species of flowering plant in the blueberry family, Ericaceae, that is native to the eastern United States. Its range stretches from southern Maine south to northern Florida, and west to Indiana and Louisiana. Mountain-laurel is...
, pinxter azalea
Azalea
Azaleas are flowering shrubs comprising two of the eight subgenera of the genus Rhododendron, Pentanthera and Tsutsuji . Azaleas bloom in spring, their flowers often lasting several weeks...
, and a number of other wildflowers. Much of the park is an oak-hickory forest, with chestnut oak
Chestnut oak
Quercus prinus , the chestnut oak, is a species of oak in the white oak group, Quercus sect. Quercus. It is native to the eastern United States, where it is one of the most important ridgetop trees from southern Maine southwest to central Mississippi, with an outlying northwestern population in...
the dominant hardwood.
The park is also home to the rare Wehrle's salamander
Wehrle's Salamander
Wehrle's salamander is a large salamander with webbed hind feet. It is named in honor of R.W. Wehrle. The species was the first described from one of his many collections.-Description:...
, and peregrine falcons have been known to nest in the crags on the park's high peaks. Ravens and vultures may be seen calling and circling overhead. Visitors might see white-tailed deer and Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
while walking the park trails.
Two venomous snakes, the copperhead
Agkistrodon contortrix
Agkistrodon contortrix is a species of venomous snake found in North America, a member of the Crotalinae subfamily. The more common name for the species is "copperhead". The behavior of Agkistrodon contortrix may lead to accidental encounters with humans...
and timber rattlesnake
Crotalus horridus
Crotalus horridus, the timber rattlesnake, is a species of venomous pitviper found in the eastern United States. This is the only rattlesnake species in most of the populous northeastern United States. No subspecies are currently recognized....
, live in the park, and do not bother unless provoked. All wildlife is protected at Hanging Rock just as in all other North Carolina State Parks.
Activities
Hanging Rock State Park offers over 18 miles (29 km) of trails where visitors can hike to its numerous peaks and waterfalls. The park has a 73-site tent and trailer campground (minus R/V hookups) and 10 vacation cabins for overnight accommodations. The lake and bathhouse, open from June - Labor Day, offers swimming and boat rentals. Rock climbing is permitted at Moore's Wall and Cook's Wall but is not allowed at the Hanging Rock summit. The visitor's center and museum room is open daily. There is no admission fee to the park.The Mountains-to-Sea Trail
Mountains-to-Sea Trail
The Mountains-to-Sea Trail is a long-distance trail, for hiking and backpacking, that runs across North Carolina from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks. The trail's western endpoint is at Clingman's Dome, where it connects to the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National...
pass through the park and joins with the Sauratown Trail
Sauratown Trail
Sauratown Trail is a hiking and bridle trail in Stokes and Surry counties, North Carolina, which crosses the Sauratown Mountains and interconnects Pilot Mountain State Park and Hanging Rock State Park. It is the only bridal trail which goes between two NC State Parks...
.
Waterfalls
The park is the home to at least 5 significant waterfalls (listed in order of height):- Tory's FallsTory's Falls (Hanging Rock)Tory's Falls, also called Tory Falls and Torys Falls is a waterfall in North Central North Carolina, located in Hanging Rock State Park in Stokes County.-History:...
- Upper CascadesUpper Cascades (Hanging Rock)Upper Cascades is a waterfall in North Central North Carolina, located in Hanging Rock State Park, in Stokes County.-Geology:The waterway is Cascades Creek, which flows through Hanging Rock State Park...
- Lower CascadesLower Cascades (Hanging Rock)Lower Cascades is a waterfall in North Central North Carolina, located in Hanging Rock State Park in Stokes County.-History:The falls was first seen by Europeans when German naturalist Lewis David von Schweinitz discovered it, and was originally named Schweinitz Falls .-Geology:The waterway is...
- Window FallsWindow Falls (Hanging Rock)Window Falls is a waterfall in North Central North Carolina, located in Hanging Rock State Park in Stokes County.-Geology:The subject watercourse is Indian Creek, which flows through Hanging Rock State Park...
- Hidden FallsHidden Falls (Hanging Rock)Hidden Falls is a waterfall in North Central North Carolina, located in Hanging Rock State Park in Stokes County.-Geology:The waterway is Indian Creek, which flows through Hanging Rock State Park, which continues down to Window Falls.-Visiting the Falls:...
Nearby state parks
The following state parks are within 30 miles (48 km) of Hanging Rock State Park:- Haw River State ParkHaw River State ParkHaw River State Park is a North Carolina state park in Guilford and Rockingham Counties, North Carolina in the United States. As one of the newest state parks in North Carolina, Haw River has limited recreational opportunities...
- Mayo River State ParkMayo River State ParkMayo River State Park is a North Carolina state park in Rockingham County, North Carolina in the United States. It is near Mayodan, North Carolina and covers along the Mayo River. The park is one of the newest in the North Carolina system, having been authorized by the General Assembly in May 2003...
- Pilot Mountain State ParkPilot Mountain State ParkPilot Mountain State Park is a North Carolina state park in Surry and Yadkin Counties, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Pinnacle, North Carolina on highway US 52, it covers 3,703 acres and includes the distinctive 2,241 foot peak of Pilot Mountain.-History:The Saura, a...