Travel NC With Kids: Best Views in North Carolina

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Hanging Rock Hiking Trail - No Wonder This Trail is the Most Popular!

Hanging Rock Trail at Hanging Rock State Park © Katrena

Hanging Rock State Park, located in Stokes County at 1790 Hanging Rock Park Road in Danbury, North Carolina, offers a wonderful variety of hiking trails, water activities, camping, and more. Any time I have traveled to Hanging Rock State Park, I gravitate to the Hanging Rock hiking trail.

Section of Hanging Rock Trail after Pavement Ends © Katrena

The Hanging Rock trail offers a 1.3 mile one-way hike to the summit of Hanging Rock, the iconic overhang that gives this state park its name. The trail starts at the parking lot near where the welcome center is located and begins with stairs. The first section of the trail is paved sidewalk, but after a short distance, the paved area gives way to a natural walking surface.

Kung Fu Panda Steps on Hanging Rock Trail in Danbury © Katrena

Those who work at Hanging Rock State Park do an excellent job maintaining the trails. I have hiked at this park numerous times and have always found them to be clean and well marked. Whenever hiking at a park, it is always a good idea to pick up a trail map and ensure that everyone has appropriate clothing, footwear, and water. The nearest restrooms are located at the Welcome Center.

Hiking Trail to Hanging Rock in Surry County © Katrena

The Hanging Rock trail is nicely shaded, wide in most areas, and includes numerous benches along the way. There are also several rock walls and large rocks lining the trail that a person could sit on if needing to rest. After walking down the stairs, the trail begins downhill. Do not let this fool you...you can be rest assured that the majority of this hike is generally uphill. As you begin to walk downhill, you can see an observation deck on the right toward the parking lot. That deck offers a great view of Hanging Rock.

Under the Overhang on Hanging Rock Trail © Katrena

As the trail turns into a dirt path, you'll begin ascending the mountain. The grade is fairly steady for the majority of the trail until a little way past the sign for Wolf Rock trail on the right. Shortly after that point, you'll walk along a fairly flat ridge and get a pretty good view from this vantage point after the leaves drop in Autumn. Enjoy the flat ground. Savor it. Kung Fu Panda steps will be next.

Hanging Rock Trail - Moderate Climb © Katrena

My kids nicknamed the steps. Yes, there are quite a few of them. Some of the stairs are wider and steeper than others. As you climb, you will eventually see the large overhanging rock above you. As you pass an area that has a fence around it, you will begin the final ascent to the summit.

The End of Hanging Rock Trail - Keep Going Until You Can Go No Farther! © Katrena

This next area of the trail is a bit more natural as you step over and around large rocks. You will be going up and around to the back of the mountaintop. As you get to the top, you'll see a large rock on the right. You have a pretty nice view from the top of the rock and beyond it, but this is not the best view. The trail does not end here.

View from Hanging Rock © Katrena

We met some hikers at that big rock on the back side of the summit who looked a bit disappointed because they thought they had reached the end of the trail...just keep going as far as you can go on the trail. There will be no question when you reach the end of this trail because it ends at the edge of a large cliff.

View Looking Down from Hanging Rock © Katrena

If you have kids hiking with you, make sure they understand to stay with you and ensure that they are in safe areas at the end of the trail. There are no safety rails. It is a long way to the ground at the edge of Hanging Rock. You can see different terrain and scenery from various places along the edges of Hanging Rock. Those who have hiked here before often have their favorite rock where they like to sit and enjoy the view.

Spectacular View at Hanging Rock State Park © Katrena

I love to see the reaction of folks who are hiking this trail for the first time. I remember taking my nephews up here, and one of them exclaimed, "I'm on top of the world!" The view is spectacular. Many birds soar below this point. Depending on the weather, you can see for many miles. When there is a mixture of clouds and sun as there was when we hiked here in July, 2016, you can watch the clouds cast shadows on the patchwork quilt of colors and textures below. My photos cannot do this hiking trial justice, but I tried to give you a taste for this beautiful place and the trail that leads to it.

Best Hiking Trails in North Carolina - Hanging Rock State Park © Katrena

I like to pack a picnic for this hike and simply enjoy the serenity of the mountain and its majestic view for a while. We've met quite a few other hikers on the mountain and a few furry friends too. If you are fit enough to tackle a moderate 2.6 mile round trip hike, I highly recommend Hanging Rock trail. This is the park's most popular hiking trail with good reason.

Enjoy the Serenity of Nature on Hanging Rock © Katrena

Additional articles by Katrena

Visit the Hanging Rock State Park official web site for a detailed map, programs, directions, additional activities, camping, and more.

Amazing View Atop Hanging Rock © Katrena

I hope you enjoy my articles on Travel NC With Kids! Have you been on this hiking trail? Feel free to share your story in the comment section below.

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Pilot Mountain State Park's Little Pinnacle Overlook Trail Offers Beautiful View with Little Effort

Pilot Mountain State Park Big Pinnacle as seen from Little Pinnacle Overlook Trail © Katrena

My family has been hiking trails in North Carolina State Parks for years. Some trails are much harder and longer than others. Most of the best views are enjoyed by those hikers willing to go the extra effort to hike a longer distance with more challenging terrain.

Pilot Mountain State Park is one of the exceptions where visitors can enjoy a short, easy hike that reaps great benefits. The pinnacle of Pilot Mountain is the iconic shape that looms near Hwy 52 north of Winston-Salem. This beautiful, majestic landmark is impossible to miss when traveling on Highway 52. On a clear day, I have seen the unique shape of Pilot Mountain from Interstate 77 near the North Carolina/Virginia border. Pilot Mountain is definitely distinct.

A few months ago, I decided our family would visit Pilot Mountain. Many of the state parks in North Carolina require a fair amount of driving off the main road; however, I was surprised to see that the park entrance is very close to Hwy 52. Visitors can drive up to a parking lot that delivers visitors up close and personal to a gorgeous view without hiking at all. This would be a great park for those with mobility challenges!

I have seen loads of pictures of Pilot Mountain's Big Pinnacle that appear quite close up. I had assumed the hike might be a bit challenging to get to that photo spot. I was wrong! The Little Pinnacle Overlook Trail offers an easy 0.1 mile hike to a lookout deck that begs for pictures. I did not zoom on any of my photos posted in this article, and all of the photos I featured in this article are sites that can be seen from the parking lot or the Little Pinnacle Overlook trail.

When we visited, one man mentioned that the park gets quite full when the leaves peak, and there may be a long line of cars waiting to get a parking space. The parking lot at the top is small, so you might want to plan for less crowded times of the year if you want to simply drive to the top without a wait like we did. The trails we hiked were well-maintained when we visited.

This state park offers quite a few other trails, a campground, picnic areas, educational programs, rock climbing and rappelling with a permit, and more. Restroom facilities were near the parking lot. We hiked a few other trails, but I wanted to feature the Little Pinnacle Overlook with this article.

Pilot Mountain State Park offers a beautiful view with very little effort of those who visit the park. People who are looking for more challenging trails won't be disappointed either. Feel free to visit the official Pilot Mountain web site for hours, maps, and more.