Hanging Rock State Park

We already knew Hanging Rock State Park was one of our favorites based on our previous trips. So we headed out on an unusually warm winter day to cross this Park off our list as our second out of 45 State Parks in our 2025 North Carolina State Park Challenge.

Hanging Rock State Park located in Danbury, NC has 48 miles of trails with caves, waterfalls, and mountain views. Park activities include biking, horseback riding, rock climbing, and hiking. Seasonally they offer swimming at their swim lake ($6/day for adults and $4/day for children) and boat rentals ($7/hour for either a 2-person canoe or 3 person rowboat).

If you need help deciding what to do for the day, head over to the park store and grab a pamphlet for one of their three park challenges (the 5 Waterfalls Challenge, 5 Overlooks Challenge, and Mountain High Challenge). For the 5 Waterfalls Challenge you must go to all five waterfalls in one day (Hidden Falls, Window Falls, Upper Cascades, Lower Cascades, and Tory’s Den Falls). The 5 Overlooks Challenge is similar in that you must hike to all five overlooks in one day (Hanging Rock, Wolf Rock, House Rock, Cooks Wall (End of the Trail), Moore’s Knob). The last challenge is the Mountain High Challenges where you hike from the lowest point in the park (Riverbluffs Trail) up to the highest point (the fire tower at Moore’s Knob Loop). For this Challenge you hike about 10 miles from the Riverbluffs Trail to the Indian Creek Trail to the Hanging Rock Spur Trail (to get from the visitor parking lot to lake parking lot), and then to Moore’s Knob Loop. Note: unless you have two cars and can leave one at the Visitor Center, you’ll have to hike an extra five miles to your car back at the Dan River Access Lot. Finish any of these challenges and head back to the park store to grab one the challenge patch associated with your activity ($2.50 each).

Park Details:
ADDRESS: 1790 Hanging Rock Park Road, Danbury NC 27016
HOURS: December-January: 7am-7pm
November & February: 7am-8pm
March-April & October: 7am-9pm
May-September: 7am-10pm
VISITOR CENTER: Open daily 9am- 4:45pm
PASSPORT STAMP: Right inside the door of the visitor center in a desk you can get your passport stamp at.
ENTRANCE FEE: None
TRAILS: 48 miles of hiking trails, 15 miles of biking, and 6 miles of horseback riding.
ACTIVITIES: Hiking, Biking, Paddling, Swimming, Fishing, Horseback Riding, Rock Climbing, and Camping.
DOG RULES: Dogs allowed on all hiking trails, and campsites (except stick built cabins). Dogs must be on a leash no longer than 6 ft. Please pick up after your dog. Dogs not allowed in Park buildings.

Check out our videos about this Park on instagram @axel.theadventurepup