Hanging Rock State Park is one of the best parks in the whole North Carolina Parks system. There is so much to do here that they actually have cabins on site for you to take your time and enjoy all that the park has to offer. There is a reason why it made it into the Top 10 of our rankings for the State Parks. Very deserving. We have spent many days hiking and taking in the beauty here. It’s not too far out of the way and more central in the state of NC, making it a great day trip for many people especially in the Triangle or Triad area. Here is our guide to help you plan your first or next visit to Hanging Rock.
Where Is Hanging Rock
Hanging Rock State Park is located in Danbury right on the Virginia border. It is about 45 minutes north of Winston-Salem. Other State Parks around are Pilot Mountain and Mayo River. It is difficult to do this park with another park in the same day though – you need at least a day to truly explore this awesome place.
Visitors Center
We have to say this, always check out the Visitor Center first! This particular visitor center is where we first discovered the North Carolina State Parks Passport Program. Finding that book sent us on an amazing journey of discovering our state. You could even say this blog was born from that first trip there. Hanging Rock has a really great visitors center and we have always had great interactions with the Park Rangers here.
There is a ton to do at this park so its a great place to get acquainted and ask questions. If we are limited on time its always good to ask a Ranger what the best thing to do in 2 hours is (or fill in the blank with your time). If you have kids, make sure to pick up a nature checklist for your hike. Silas loves completing these and it always keeps him going. We have also ran into several vendor events going on near and around the Visitors Center so you never know what you might bump into!
The Hanging Rock Trail
The highlight of any trip to Hanging Rock is a hike up the Hanging Rock Trail. This trail is a little under a mile and a half one way and can get pretty tough in some areas. If you are going on this trail, make sure you carry some water. There are a bunch of spots to sit and rest if you need take a break. The beginning of this trail is pretty easy, but as you get up towards the top it gets a lot narrower, rocky, and steep. But don’t let that stop you, it’s totally worth it.
There are a bunch of cool spots on the trail, but the highlight is definitely the top of Hanging Rock. This place is incredible. There are so many great areas to relax and enjoy the view. You can see for miles and miles. We love to pack a lunch and eat it up there. There are no railings up there and it can be dangerous. A good tip for this if you want to look over the edge is to lay flat on your belly with your feet away from the edge and your head over it. This is definitely a can’t miss.
This trail can get busy at certain times of the year so just keep that in mind. I have also known people to hike to the top to watch the sunset..which sounds like an amazing experience. Just be forewarned – you will be walking back down in the dark and the gate closes at a certain time!
Waterfalls
There are five waterfalls in Hanging Rock. Three of them are on relatively short trails that you can walk to easily. We love hiking to the Upper Cascade Falls. Its super close to the Visitors Center and not far from the Hanging Rock trailhead. Hiking the Hanging Rock Trail and then the Upper Cascades Trail are two great hikes to do together on a day trip here.
Once you make it down to Upper Cascades there is an observation deck you can view from or you can walk all the way down to dip your feet in. Its a great place to explore and cool down. We always try and make it here on our trips.
The other waterfalls you can hike to include the Lower Cascades, Hidden Falls, Window Falls and Tory’s Falls. Hidden Falls and Window Falls are smaller and only a .4 mile walk from the parking area. All of these areas are peaceful places to stop and enjoy the nature of Hanging Rock.
Other Activities
Besides hiking and exploring waterfalls there are many others activities to do while visiting Hanging Rock State Park. Spending time swimming, boating and fishing at the lake is a huge draw for many people. The only boats allowed are rowboats or canoes which you can rent during the spring, summer and fall months. There is also a small swimming day fee as well.
For the Kids! The Junior Ranger Program has been revamped and it looks awesome. You can pick up your Junior Ranger book at the Visitor’s Center for free and complete the tasks for each park. After completion a Park Ranger will check your work and you receive a badge for that park! Collecting a badge from each park sounds super fun…now we have a reason to go back to all of the parks! If you have kids this is a great way to keep them involved, learning and interested on your park visit.
Rock Climbing is also allowed by permit only here as well as many Mountain Biking Trails and camping facilities. You can truly spend more than a day adventuring here at this park! We love that there are activities, trails, hikes, etc for any age and any level. It’s a great family park.
Hanging Rock is one of our favorite parks to hike and visit in North Carolina. There are so many different options for going the adventure way! Have you ever been to Hanging Rock? What is your favorite thing to do at this park?
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