Thursday, May 5, 2011

More Highlights from Hanging Rock

If you haven't yet read the first part of my and Judy's trip to Hanging Rock State Park, scroll down until you come to yesterday's post.  For those of you who have already seen part one, let's move on down the trail.

After recovering from our challenging hike to the Hanging Rock (or have we recovered?) we drove to the park's lake.  Deserted at this time of year except for a handful of folks fishing from a pier, it will be bustling by Memorial Day.  There's a nice white sand beach and roped-off swimming area.  There are also canoe and rowboat rentals for fishing or just for paddling.

The water wasn't very tempting on this cool day, but later this summer it will be full of happy campers.  At the top of the distant mountain ridge in this picture is an observation tower.  Since that was midway on the strenuous Moore's Knob Trail, we opted to save it for another day-- or lifetime.

The large pavilion has concessions during the season, and probably other amenities we couldn't see.

We returned to the same parking area where the visitors center and trailhead for Hanging Rock were located.  This time we took a short and easy trail to the Upper Cascades, a picturesque spot.

You could get as close as you liked to these falls.

This was close enough for me.  Then again, if it had been a 90+ degree summer day. . . .

As we retraced our steps (not literally-- we're not that OCD) we took a short side trail to the Rock Garden, which is handicapped accessible.

There were even more rhododendrons here.

The park is so large, it actually includes some sights you have to drive several miles to view.  Noting the road names for several turns, we set out to find some of them.  We passed up a 0.4 mile trail to the Lower Cascades, but I'm sure we'll do it another time.  As we drove, we saw the best view yet of the primal majesty of the Sauratown Mountains.   

They are every bit as wondrous as the Blue Ridge, though different.  The Sauratowns are often referred to as "the mountains away from the mountains." That's sort of the way Judy and I feel about the Uwharrie Mountains, home of our beloved Morrow Mountain.  We envied the people who could stand in their own yards and see this spectacle every day of the year.

We arrived at our destination-- Tory's Den.  This info board filled us in on the fascinating history of this place.  As many as 100 Tories who had their property confiscated during the American Revolution banded and camped here.  If you care to read the whole story, including the battle fought here, you can enlarge the picture.

The trail descended, but was not too difficult.  We took the left turn first.

It was a long way down to Tory's Falls, farther than it looks.

As much as I love waterfalls, I must admit that the Tory's Den cave was more thrilling to see.

We're not sure if the cave is natural, hand-hewn, or a combination of the two.  I'm not sure all 100 of those Tories could have squeezed in here to hide, but it is definitely bigger than it looks.

This is my favorite shot of the cave-- from deep inside looking out.  A solid and impressive chamber.  When I visit a historic site that has changed little over the centuries it is not so hard to envision the dramatic events that took place long ago.
In my next blog I'll share a number of interesting things Judy and I observed on the various trails.  I think you'll find them interesting, too, so please visit again soon.

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