Boone’s Cave State Park Lexington, NC
“I have never been lost in the wilderness, but I will admit to being confused for several weeks.” - Daniel Boone
“Not all who wander are lost.” - JRR Tolkien
“It feels good to be lost in the right direction.” - Unknown
“I guess living in an RV in Alaska for three days isn't that bad after all!” - Ginger Shields, after exploring the cave where Daniel Boone lived for a year as a boy.
The Story -
On Saturday morning, Ginger and I traveled to Lexington, NC to attend the funeral of a beloved father of a family friend. Afterwards we revisited Boone’s Cave State Park for a hot but pleasant four-mile hike in the Yadkin River Valley where folk hero Daniel Boone lived as a teenager.
Damn, it's hot! Got a window? Open it! -
I know the Chris Rock line above doesn't apply to the outdoors, yet it’s my blog and it always makes me laugh 😂 Saying it was hot is an understatement, with the temperature in the mid-nineties with high humidity. Fortunately, the majority of the trails at Boone's Cave State Park are shaded, providing ample respite from the sweltering sun.
Spelunking 101 -
From the parking area, there are several trails to choose to start from and I advise downloading a map of the park onto your phone so you don't get confused like Ginger, Daniel Boone and I. We followed the signs to The Cave, walking down several flights of stairs and within minutes were standing in front of Boone’s Cave. The cave was deeper and more spacious than I expected, though still a cave, and I tried to imagine if my own teenage son could live there for a whole year like a teenage Daniel Boone in the 1750’s. (What, no wifi? I'm out of here! And Ginger was right about staying in the RV.) I then also remembered that Daniel Boone had ten brothers and sisters! Oh my - I know how and perhaps why, but damn!!
Down to the River to Pray -
Boone’s Cave State Park is a collection of short trails that can be combined together to make a four-mile loop. After exploring the cave, we continued southeast along the Yadkin River on The Riverside Trail where we almost immediately came across Baptism Rock. The large long layer of rock along the shore reminded me of the baptism scene in the Coen brothers movie Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? and I found myself humming the gospel hymn Down to the River to Pray and the fictional Foggy Bottom Boys song Man of Constant Sorrow. (They both get in your head and stay BTW 😂) We did not jump in to get baptized like in the movie, but I’m sure it would have been a welcomed relief from the heat. Next we followed (please stay with me) the Cottonwood Trail, Red Oak Trail, Wilderness Trail, Boone’s Peak Trail, Creekside Loop, Wetlands Trail, Backcountry Trail, Wildflower Trail, Morel’s Loop and ending on Old Loggers Trail. (I told you that you needed a map!)
Boardwalks, wetlands, bug spray and two gigantic trees -
After Baptism Rock, we continued southeast along the river before turning inland on a boardwalk crossing some wetlands. Along the way, we encountered a variety of interesting things, including an enormous 130 year old Eastern Cottonwood tree (well over 170 feet tall with a circumference over 18 feet, perhaps the largest Cottonwood tree in North Carolina), a gigantic 200 year old Southern Red Oak tree, wetlands that were not very wet, mosquitoes (don’t forget the bug spray), frogs, spiders, butterflies, praying mantises, mushrooms, wildflowers, tombstones, and finally some stone remnants of the park keeper’s log cabin fireplace and foundation built in the 1940’s.
Wrap it up -
Boone’s Cave State Park is a leisurely hike with much to offer and something for everyone. And while visiting the cave alone is worth the trip to Lexington, when combined with the features of the other trails, Boone's Cave State Park makes for a very enjoyable afternoon. Just remember to download a map of the park and put on bugspray 😂
