Hanging Rock

Thanks to the Winston-Salem Foundation, the Stokes County Committee for Hanging Rock, and the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1930’s, Hanging Rock State Park opened to the public in 1939. The park encompasses more than 3,000 acres and includes 48 miles of trails which traverse 3 peaks, a series of waterfalls, and a 12 acre lake with an adjacent stone bathhouse now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Located near the town of Danbury and just an hour from my home in Greensboro, the park is one of my favorite destinations.  I’ve been there dozens of times to hike the Hanging Rock and Moore’s Knob trails. And, a visitor center installation about the Civilian Conservation Corps provides visitors an excellent example of how our government can accomplish wonderful things for our local communities.  Many of the young men hired to build the park facilities met their wives in neighboring towns and ended up settling in the area to raise families. Thanks to the CCC, the park has provided educational and recreational opportunities for North Carolina residents for over 85 years.

The photograph above shows the famous stone cliffs from which the park got its name.  While it’s always tempting to take photos from the same locations as everyone else, I usually challenge myself to find different viewpoints and visit during unusual times of day - in this case on a cloudy Monday morning before anyone else had arrived at the park.