Hike to the top of Hanging Rock, then chase the waterfalls
Hanging Rock State Park near Danbury, North Carolina, packs a lot into one park: a quartzite summit with long views to the Blue Ridge, four waterfalls a short walk from the parking lots, a lake, and 48 miles of trail. The classic hike is the Hanging Rock Trail, 1.3 miles one way and rated moderate, starting at the top of the visitor center parking lot. Plan on about an hour each way. The last stretch is a long climb up stone steps, and the reward is the open rock at the top.
We went twice in July 2018, a week apart. The first trip was all about the summit: the steps, the warning signs about the cliffs, and the view from the rocks at the top. A week later we came back for more of the park.
🥾 The waterfalls
Four waterfalls are all short walks, each listed one way by the park:
- Upper Cascades: 0.2 mile, easy, with an observation deck.
- Lower Cascades: 0.4 mile, moderate, with steep stairs down to a 35-foot drop. It has its own parking area on Hall Road.
- Hidden Falls: 0.4 mile on the Indian Creek Trail, rated strenuous.
- Window Falls: 0.6 mile, strenuous, where the water pours through a “window” in the quartzite.
🥾 Moore’s Knob and the lake
On our second visit we also took in the overlook at Moore’s Knob, where the signs explain the view and the Civilian Conservation Corps history of the park, and finished at the lake below the mountains.
🥾 Trail facts
- Trail: Hanging Rock Trail, 1.3 miles one way (NC State Parks)
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Waterfalls: Upper Cascades 0.2 mi, Lower Cascades 0.4 mi, Hidden Falls 0.4 mi, Window Falls 0.6 mi (one way)
- Fees: No day-use fee
- Managed by: NC Division of Parks and Recreation
Trail facts checked October 2026. Sources: NC State Parks: Hanging Rock, Hanging Rock trail list. Trails and roads change, so check with the park before you go.
