Tory’s Cave & Waterfall, Tory’s Den, & Ruben Mountain Trails at The Hanging Rock State Park - Walnut Cove, NC

North Carolina

Jan 24

"As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.” - Rumi

“You keep putting one foot in front of the other, and then one day you look back and you’ve climbed a mountain.” - Tom Hiddleston

“Even a broken clock is correct twice a day.” - Ginger Shields

The Story -

On Saturday morning, Ginger, Sophie, and I hiked six miles on a combination of lesser-known trails at the beloved Hanging Rock State Park in Danbury, North Carolina. The Park’s wonderful main trails are usually very crowded, and therefore, I generally refrain from visiting the popular park, especially on weekends. However, with a little planning, there are several trails that you can visit to avoid the majority of people and still experience some of the grandeur of Hanging Rock State Park. Tory’s Cave & Waterfall, Tory’s Den, and Ruben Mountain Trails are three such trails.

The Mountains Away From The Mountains - The Sauratown Mountains -

One of the most easterly mountain ranges in the state, the 400 million-year-old Sauratown Mountains are often called "the mountains away from the mountains" because they are separated from the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains. Prominent peaks in the Sauratown range rise from 1,700 feet to more than 2,500 feet in elevation and stand in bold contrast to the surrounding countryside, which averages only 800 feet in elevation. Located within the Sauratown Mountains, the Hanging Rock State Park has some of the finest and most accessible hiking trails in North Carolina and is a premier destination in the Piedmont due to its abundance of scenic views and dramatic easy-to-reach waterfalls.

Tory’s Cave & Waterfall Trail -

Located on the northwest side of Hanging Rock State Park and isolated from the Visitors Center and the main parking area, the Tory’s Cave and Waterfall Trail normally has fewer visitors than the rest of the park. The out-and-back trail is very short yet somewhat steep, with a number of switchbacks and a series of staircases along the way. After a short distance, a connector trail takes you to a 200 feet waterfall that is the highest of the five in the park. And depending on the weather, the cascade can be quite imposing, plummeting powerfully over a series of rocky terraces, or it can be just a little more than a strong trickle. Fortunately for us, it was the former.

Leaving the waterfall, we continued to Tory’s Cave, a natural cave that is twenty feet deep and home to a rich local history. Legend has it that the cave was used by Redcoats as a hideout during the Revolutionary War, but their campfires were spotted at night and they were quickly discovered by the Patriots. The native surroundings do almost completely camouflage the entrance, and it’s estimated the cave was used by as many as 100 British Loyalists to briefly evade capture.

Spill The Tea -

After exploring the cave and hiking back up to the parking lot, we chose to extend our hike on the newest trail in Hanging Rock State Park, the multi-use Ruben Mountain Trail. The Ruben Mountain Trail opened in 2018 and is a three-mile loop trail for hikers and equestrians located a mile off the Tory’s Den Trail. The wide, open, gently undulating, and quiet trail winds through the dense forest and numerous boulder fields all the while providing several beautiful views of Brown Mountain. I imagine the views in the summer with all the maples, oaks, and birch full of leaves may not be as dramatic, but that’s an excellent excuse to revisit the park in the summer.

Add Some Cream and Sugar -

Leaving the park, we opted to visit the nearby ruins of the historic “Rock House”. Built beginning in 1770 by Colonel Jack Martin, the house was four stories, including the basement and attic; had walls three feet thick; and a fireplace in the basement big enough "to roast an ox." The outside of the house was covered with white stucco and could be seen for miles around. During the early war years, the Rock House was used as a fort against the Native Americans and Tories as well as the headquarters and a rallying point for the militia. You can still see the gun ports built into the walls. Though a lot of the rocks are missing and the it has support structures added by the Stokes County Historical Society, the house is still very impressive and quite an ending to a spectacular day!

Wrap It Up -

Surprisingly, Tory's Cave & Waterfall, Tory’s Den, and the Ruben Mountain Trails are several of the least visited areas of the Hanging Rock State Park. I don’t imagine that will always be the case. All three trails are filled with many items of special interest and local history unlike anywhere else in the park and shouldn’t be ignored. Spend a day on these trails combined with a visit to the “Rock House” and you will be glad you did.