Last updated on: Wednesday, November 10, Lake area closed for season Hanging Rock Lake and swim beach are currently closed for the season. Last updated on: Friday, September 10, Contact the park hanging. Monday: am to pm Thursday to Sunday: am to pm Fee charged for all swimmers. Free swim from pm to pm. Open weekends only in spring and fall Open daily during summer months am to pm. Open daily: am to pm Closed Christmas Day. Hanging Rock State Park Since its creation as a s Civilian Conservation Corps project, Hanging Rock State Park has offered the best of a traditional outdoor experience with site campground, picnic grounds, stocked lake for swimming and canoe rentals and more than 20 miles of hiking trails that climb onto spectacular views and weave alongside clear streams and waterfalls.
Caution in waterfall areas Please follow safety rules and encourage others to do the same when you are near waterfall areas. Current weather Danbury, NC. About the Park Home. Events and Programs. About hiking: Get a park map, study it and take it with you. It will be your best friend on the trail because the trail signs can be confusing at intersections. This park had enough trails to keep us busy for 7 days.
The Hanging Rock Trail is shorter but I did not enjoy it as much and I thought it was more difficult than the moderate rating the park gives it, with parts of it being strenuous. The trails from the campground to Wolf Rock was moderately easy. The trail around the lake is natural, rocks and roots flat easy.
The trail to Hidden Falls and Window Falls was moderately easy. We began all of our hikes around 8AM to 9 AM and we always had the trail destination site to ourselves and sometimes the entire hike to ourselves, even on Saturday morning. We were there in mid-July. Several of the hikes are to rock outcroppings that have no rails. These are very dangerous and people have died here.
Use common sense and hang onto your children and pets. Most of the trails have lots of steps and in many cases those steps have no rails. Some are steep. This includes the short trails to the waterfalls. You will definitely get a workout in this park whether you were hiking miles or just a short walk to a waterfall. About waterfalls: the park has 5 waterfalls. It must be viewed from a platform. Several of my group and another group tried and they had to turn around and come back up.
Upper Cascades Falls has a small pool suitable for a few people. By far the best 1 is lower Cascade Falls that has a very large pool and is the most popular waterfall in the park.
About the visitor center: You can buy firewood at the visitor center or from the camping host, if he is available at the time. It is 5 dollars a bundle. Every time I went into the visitor center the lady behind the desk was extremely kind and very helpful. It might take you 5 minutes to walk through it. If you walk to the back of the visitor center on the deck there is a very pretty view of the mountains.
At the trail head for these two falls, there is a large picnic area with bathrooms between the picnic area and waterfalls. I never had an issue finding a convenient parking space even when there were many cars in the parking lot. About the beach swimming area: The parking lot for the beach swimming area it is also very large.
It accesses the fishing pier, boat and canoe rentals, hiking trails, the playground and a large shelter, the beach house, the concession stand and the picnic area. Parents do not have to pay to watch their children swim. Bring a blanket or a chair. You can set it up on the sandy beach or in the grassy area in the sun or the grassy area in the shade. Even though swimming was very busy when we were there in July I was always able to find a shady spot to sit in. Lifeguards were nice but not chatty because they were so attentive to the swimmers and boaters.
Sometimes there were 2 lifeguards and sometimes there were 3. When there were 3 they opened an additional section of the lake for a larger swimming area it was Fri-Sun at noon when they opened this area. There is a diving platform with 2 diving boards, 1 higher than the other.
This is the only swimming area that is deep 13 ft. The concession stand is upstairs in the beach house so that it can be accessed whether you are swimming or not. Swimmers will be given a wristband that is a different color each day. Even if you want to stick your feet in the water you must have paid for a wristband. There is a very large combination bathroom, dressing room, showers downstairs in the beach house. About the concession stand: The concession stand is very reasonably priced.
I saw popcorn, chips, candy and novelty ice cream. No hot foods. There is a large breezy area to sit and watch like swimmers while you enjoy your treat. There are also bathrooms here.
The bathroom downstairs for the swimmers was always wet. Wildlife: we saw bear scat, deer, a black snake, an unknown brown snake, walking sticks, lots of granddaddy long legs and some weird looking flying creatures dragonflies? All of us had many mosquito bites by the end of our trip even though we used bug spray twice a day. Buying supplies: there is a very small General store outside the park that is basically good for ice and a few supplies.
They sell gallons of water and I think they sell firewood. The nearest grocery store is 25 minutes away. On our way home through pilot Mountain the nearest gas station was 30 minutes away. I understand gas is closer traveling in the opposite direction. Farmers market consisted of about 5 small tables. Other: This is by far my favorite vacation ever.
It took me back to the 70s when I was a kid and we played outside riding our bikes, climbing and playing games until our parents called us in after dark. Please do not forget to tip housekeeping well when you check out.
Today four different households in my family drove down to Hanging Rock for a fun family day cookout and swimming. Some of us had been to and enjoyed the park so much we wanted to share it with the rest of the family.
My brother who is now handicapped hadn't been anywhere like this since he became handicapped but it seemed perfect. It was a handicapped friendly place, or so we thought and we were all looking forward to it. We arrived at around in the morning. We sat in the car a bit waiting for the rest of our group to arrive. But it had been a long drive. He needed to use the rest room and so did I. I knew there was no way he could make it to the restrooms above the picnic area and picnic shelter.
So I told him come on, they have bathrooms above the swim area he could use. I had never used the rest rooms down there so I didn't know exactly where they were, but I figured I could ask. When we got down there I noticed the doors to the swim area were still closed, which was where I thought they were, but wasn't sure. Then I see a blond lady come out of the gate next to the building and I could tell by her clothes she worked there.
So I approached her and explained he couldn't make it to the upper bathrooms and ask if she could help him find a bathroom down there. She told me sure. She said it was her first day, so she wasn't sure where they were either but she would find someone who did.
A young guy was entering the gate, one of the lifeguards I think. She asked him to show my brother the bathroom. He told her? The blond lady told him it was okay just tell her she Okayed it. My brother followed him. I went in the upper part of the shelter to wait. Then the blond lady said oh here is the bathrooms. They were there in the upper part. So I thought well great, instead of having to walk all the way above the picnic area, while I'm waiting for him I'll go.
And I also wondered where they had took him. So I walked to where the women's bathrooms were. And yes I did notice the bucket beside the door and the trash beside the door but I didn't see any sign or anything telling us the rest room was closed.
I walked in. I see a woman cleaning. So I turned around and walked back out. So I went back over to the side to wait for my brother. Thinking, I guess I will walk up there as soon as he gets out so he knows where I've gone, and how the woman in the bathroom could have just told me it was closed, instead of screaming at me. It was already after nine. The blond lady pointed at me saying well there the woman that said he was handicapped. The short gray lady never even looked my way she just kept chewing on the blond lady.
Screaming the whole time. I was so upset I wanted to leave. But where was my brother. I walked back to my car and there he was. Part of our group had arrived and parked beside us. He was telling them how the young guy had took him around to use the bathroom.
And a short grey haired woman had stopped them screamed at the young guy and how the young guy tried to tell her the blond had Okayed it. And how the he had apologized to him right in front of the gray-haired lady for not being able to take him to the bathroom.
He said she was still screaming the whole time. He said he told him that it was okay, it was not his fault. And he told the gray-haired woman to just forget it. We drove to the nearest store to use the bathrooms.
Then when the rest of the family got there we left. MariefromGeorgia Ludowici, GA 3, contributions. Unlike some Parks, there is no commercialism here. Just nature at its best. No restaurants, no elevators-to-the-top, no large crowds, and no noisy city at the base either. Packed with fantastic views, five waterfalls, rippling creeks, abundant wildlife, amazing flora over species and breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge mountains make this a shutterbug's dream.
The visitor's center has an exhibit hall chock full of a variety of interactive exhibits and you can watch a video as well. Nice clean restrooms. A map of the trails lists the distance and activity level so that you can decide which are best for you.
There is even a short wheelchair- accessible trail that leads to a rock outcrop as well as a deck located next to the visitor's center for clear views of Hanging Rock.
The park is pet friendly, so you can bring along Fido, but I did see many dogs having to take rest breaks as I also stopped to catch my breath. I woul not recommend small dogs with short legs like my chihuahuas, be taken up the steep paths. Unfortunately, that was all we had time for since the pups were back at our hotel in Mt.
Pilot and the park is located a few minutes from there near Danbury,NC. One day simply is just not enough time to do the park justice. Had we have known how vast this park was, we would have bought camping equipment and camped out in the nearby campground or booked one of the cabins available.
I hope that this article will better prepare anyone reading it. You can bet that my next trip will be better planned. Now, get out there and see something people!
Queen J California 2, contributions. I stayed in Greensboro and drove here 1hr for a hiking day trip on a Wednesday during mid August. It was not crowded at all. Always plan to visit state and national parks during the week, if possible. I can't get over how many attractions, museums, and parks are free in North Carolina, and this park is no exception. Since I was only there for the day, I just focused on a few short trails near the main parking lot. After checking in at the visitor's center around 10am for the overview, map, and advice, I set out on the most popular trail, Hanging Rock.
I highly recommend this trail as it is not that difficult or long, and the view is breathtaking. At least 1 liter. There is a spigot by the visitor's center to refill water bottles if you end up drinking all that you brought on the first hike.
It has 5 more-or-less equal parts: paved path, gravel path, dirt trail, long wooden flights of stairs, and natural rock steps. Pets allowed. Specific Attributes Group Occupants. Specific Attributes Group. Minimum No. Air Conditioning. Tents Allowed. Stove Top. Length ft. Common Attributes Group. Find your spot. Available online Unavailable online. Campsite List. Date Range Availability. Site type. Online availability. Picnic Shelter 1. Enter Date. Picnic Shelter 2.
Picnic Shelter 3. Picnic Shelter 4. Click preferred A to book an arrival date for a Site. Description Hanging Rock has trails to waterfalls and rock outcrops overlooking mountains and the piedmont. Booking Window.
Season Dates. Season Schedule Park Season.
0コメント