The rock funnel and water also made it seem like it was naturally air-conditioned, so I plopped down on a rock in the creek and ate in private near the falls while the crowds gathered below not knowing what they were missing. This maybe be considered part of the same waterfall, but the distance between the two would make Upper and Lower Window Falls more appropriate. The upper waterfall is recessed behind the opening some 50 feet, making it appear like it is deep and hidden within a cave. The rock outcrop looms large directly over the creek blocking the sky, and the left side is steep and hemmed in. Although not an impressive height, Indian Creek flows under this massive rock outcrop on the left side and drops around 10 feet into a partial cave. But is an easy scramble up the side of the main waterfall. This wall is over 20 feet high and has the aforementioned “window.” It also hides the upper waterfall that isn’t accessible by the tame state park trail which climbs up the right side of the outcrop. The Indian Creek Trail starts on the left of the lot and is frequently marked with red square blazes.Ībove Window Falls there is a massive rock outcrop that sticks out like a nose for over a hundred feet. Parking is crowded here because people were dropping boats at the river, but it is easy to park on the grassy shoulders of the road. The trail is over a mile past the main entrance at the Dan River access parking. Don’t turn here though, continue on NC 89. From there take NC 89 west towards Danbury, after passing through the town the main entrance to the park is signed on the left. There are multiple ways to get to the park, I normally take NC 66 from Kernersville and then U.S. Hanging Rock State Park is located beside the small town of Danbury. Luckily this is exactly the type of hike suited for cloudy and rainy conditions. That’s what I get for not checking the weather forecast. The clouds turned darker and darker, and I even had some raindrops. As I was driving towards the park, that’s exactly what I got. The two waterfalls – Hidden Falls and Window Falls – do not get much fanfare from hiking books so I’ve been saving this hike for a rainy day. I’ve never done this hike because it is a very popular trail with two waterfalls, but not much else to brag about. The Indian Creek Trail (3.7-mi) travels the length of Indian Creek from the main visitor’s center to its meeting with the Dan River. After a long weekend I slept in Sunday and decided to try my GPS on a trail in Hanging Rock State Park I’ve never hiked before. I recently got my first GPS device and have been wanting to try it out and compare it to GPS apps on my phone. Directions to the park and trail maps can be found at the park WEBSITE HikingUpward trail link Hiking Trails: Indian Creek Trail Hike Configuration : Out and back Date of Hike: 06-08-14, Sunday at 2:10 PM Hike Distance: ~8.2 miles Hiking Time: 4 hours Elevation Gain: 1,139 feet Trail Condition: Very good - well maintained state park trails Hike Difficulty: Moderately easy - This trail is easy with only a few uphill sections that make you work, mainly around the waterfalls Significant Stream Crossings: 3 crossings with flat bedrock Isolation: Little - Mostly isolated below the waterfalls but lots of crowds from Window Falls to the top Highlights: Rock overhang and “cave” at Upper Window Falls Lowlights: Multiple stream crossings without easy rock hops, boring trail from gorge overlook to first waterfall, crowds around waterfalls Google+ photo album link Parking lot at end of road, trail starts on the left. 311 north in Walnut Cove, take NC 89 west for 11.4-mi past park entrance and take left onto Flinchum Rd for Dan River access. Important! Hike Abstract Location: Hanging Rock State Park, Danbury, NC Distance from Triangle: Chapel Hill (97 miles – 1 hr 49 min) Durham (100 miles – 1 hr 49 min) Raleigh (123 miles – 2 hr 12 min) Trail Access: From U.S.
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