Travel NC With Kids: Tory's Den Cave and Waterfall Trail - Tallest Waterfall at Hanging Rock State Park

Tory's Dan Cave and Waterfall Trail at Hanging Rock State Park © Katrena

Tory's Den Cave and Waterfall Trailhead © Katrena

Tory's Den Cave and Waterfall Trail is located at Hanging Rock State Park but not via the main entrance. The address is 1185 Charlie Young Road, which is less than five miles from the main entrance. If you prefer to hike, I believe there is a 4-mile trail from the lake at Hanging Rock.

Tallest Waterfall at Hanging Rock State Park © Katrena

I've been hiking at Hanging Rock occasionally for about 35 years and had not ever been on this trail. I usually hike to Hidden Falls, Window Falls, Hanging Rock, and trails with trailheads beyond the main entrance.

Small Bridge on Tory's Den Cave & Waterfall Trail © Katrena

Before this trip, I was flipping through the various trails on the Hanging Rock page on the North Carolina State Parks web site. Tory's Den Cave and Waterfall Trail is a fairly easy 0.2 mile one-way hike.

View from Bridge on Tory's Den Cave and Waterfall Trail © Katrena

Short Hiking Trail at Hanging Rock © Katrena

Pretty Hiking Trail at Hanging Rock State Park © Katrena

The trail features natural terrain with a dirt path with some steps and a small wooden bridge. Several people were hiking this trail with young children and with dogs. If you are traveling with children or furry friends, be careful near the waterfall as there is a drop-off over there, which is similar to the Hanging Rock Trail. I would not recommend trying to take a stroller, wheelchair, or scooter on this trail.

Tory's Waterfall at Hanging Rock State Park © Katrena

Tory's Falls is to the left where the trail splits. You can hear the waterfall from the parking lot. It has quite a bit of height to it with lots of vegetation beyond the rocks where the trail ends. We visited on June 30 when a lot of plants were full of blooms and leaves. I would imagine more of the waterfall would be visible in winter months.

Steps Along Tory's Den Cave Trail © Katrena

Tory's Den Cave Entrance © Katrena

Tory's Den Cave is to the right where the trail splits. That part of the trail is a little longer than the one to get to the waterfall. You can find information about this cave at the trailhead at the parking lot. According to information posted, about 100 Tories lived in the cave.

View from Inside Tory's Den Cave © Katrena

The cave entrance is quite impressive. We were expecting a rather large room beyond the entrance, but the top of the cave dips down pretty low. My crew didn't try crawling through there to see the larger areas of the cave that we imagined. We could feel a significantly cooler temperature just walking into the mouth of the cave, which was a nice treat on a summer hike!

Wildlife Along Trail at Hanging Rock State Park © Katrena

Rhododendron at Hanging Rock © Katrena

As with all hiking trails, it is a good idea to slow down and enjoy the journey. The path is a lot of the fun! We saw huckleberries, mushrooms, a variety of mosses and trees, and were serenaded by quite a few cicadas.

View Beside Tory's Den Cave and Waterfall Trail © Katrena

Yes, we were out hiking in the midst of a pandemic. No, we didn't wear masks because very few people were on the trail and we all distanced ourselves whenever we met others along the way. It was a nice hike and a great way to safely connect with my family while enjoying the outdoors. My family does wear masks if we need to go inside an enclosed space or if we are outside and cannot distance ourselves from others.

I did not see any bathrooms at the parking lot where this trailhead is located, so take that into consideration and communicate that with folks in your group ahead of time. Several bathrooms were open on up at Hanging Rock beyond the main entrance on the day we visited.

If you are interested in learning more about Hanging Rock's trails, maps, directions, history, ecology, or even seeing a video, go to the Hanging Rock official page of the North Carolina State Parks web site.