Hanging Rock State Park Activities

Hanging Rock State Park has a plethora of must see views and fun activities for the whole family. When you stay at Singletree, you will be near all that the park has to offer. Singletree Lodge and cabins are only 2 miles from the state park with amazing views. Hanging Rock State Park has miles of beautiful forest, cascading waterfalls, rocky mountain peaks, and sheer cliffs.

If you enjoy hiking, there are 12 trails covering 18 miles of woods and mountains. The trails lead you to multiple cascading waterfalls, high rock cliffs, and a mountain cave, providing you with breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the rolling hills of the Piedmont. If hiking is not an option for you, but you still wish to see the views, there is a short wheel-chair accessible trail that leads to a beautiful mountain overlook.

Water lovers will enjoy all the activities offered on the lake. You can fish from the shore, the pier, or from a rental boat for bass, sunfish, and catfish (you’ll need a fishing license if you’re 16 or older). Canoes and rowboats are available for rent daily June through August and on the weekends April through October. There’s also access to the Dan River on the north side of the park for fishing, paddling, and tubing. Private boats are allowed on the Dan River but are not allowed on the lake. The lake also has a swimming area with a bathhouse available during the summer months.

The beautiful rocky cliffs at Hanging Rock State Park provide climbers with a great place to scale the mountainside. Cook’s Wall and Moore’s Wall are a series of 400 foot cliffs that span for 2 miles. There are places for advanced and novice climbers and rappellers. Before climbing, you must register with the park office for a permit at no cost.

There are two picnic areas with a total of 60 picnic sites and 15 grills. One area is at the Window Falls and Indian Creek trailheads. The other is on a hillside overlooking the lake. Shelters are available for rent. There are restrooms and water access nearby.

Besides all of the wonderful outdoor activities, the exhibit hall gives you the opportunity to appreciate the park and history behind it while remaining indoors. There are hands-on activities to learn about the plants and animals living in the park. Several geology exhibits are available to show the types of rocks you will see at the park and explain the science behind how the rocky cliffs and mountains were formed. You can also learn about the Saura Native Americans who lived in the area hundreds of years before it became a state park. The Sauratown Mountain Range is actually named after them. You could spend hours learning and discovering in the exhibit hall, and it’s the perfect way to spend a rainy day during your vacation.

With all the things to do at Hanging Rock State Park, a vacation rental from Singletree puts you in the best place to enjoy all the park has to offer. Stay at the lodge or rent a cabin of your own, whatever suits your needs.