For those about to visit North Carolina’s most famous rocks, we salute you
I am technically a native Tar Heel. My people are mostly Hoosiers and I’ve been a Volunteer now for the better part of 35 years but I was born in North Carolina, the son of a Marine at Camp Lejeune.
Truthfully, I don’t remember much of life in the Carolinas. We’d moved back north before I was three, but two of my earliest are from the Tar Heel state. The first is a nightmare I had when I was still in diapers. We were on some beach where two long lines of bright white hermit crabs were marching single file and right up my legs. For years, I thought I’d been the victim of a coordinated hermit crab assault. Apparently, it was just a very vivid and memorable nightmare.
My second North Carolina memory is real but skewed by the perception of a youngster. We were on a trail in Chimney Rock State Park, climbing up one mountain or another. Mom had me on a leash, like you do with rambunctious kids in the mountains. Somehow, I skipped a little too close to the edge of the trail and slipped. It wasn’t bad. If I’d fallen, I would have rolled a foot or two down an incline and gotten back up. But I thought I was on the edge of a great precipice, dangling like Stallone in “Cliffhanger” with only mom’s leash keeping me from a gruesome death.
It is possible that little me was dramatic. In reality I scraped my knee a little, mom pulled me up onto the trail and marched on. I tell you all that to tell you this, me and North Carolina’s rocks go way back.
Why are there so many rocks in North Carolina?
I’m not sure. Why are there so many ‘villes’ in Tennessee? It seems as people settle places creativity is not the first thing on their mind.
“Hey, you see that flat rock over there? We’re gonna start our new community by that thing.”
“Cool, whatchu gonna call it?”
“I got a GREAT idea!”
I suspect the truth is just that North Carolina is a rocky place.
Ranking the top rocks in North Carolina
Flat Rock
Flat Rock is on the list of places where I might retire, if I ever get to retire. It’s right next to Hendersonville. Therefore, you can run over and enjoy Downtown Hendersonville where there is an interesting food scene and multiple agribusinesses.
Flat Rock is weird, interesting, affluent and beautiful. A couple of years ago, we got an Airbnb in Bonclarken, a Presbyterian vacation compound. It was interesting in and of itself, I highly recommend. But just across the road from Bonclarken was a beautiful old Episcopal Church and cemetery. St. John in the Wilderness has a history that goes back into the early 1800s when rich people from South Carolina built a mountain getaway to remove themselves from the lowland summer heat.
Shrouded by the canopy of an old growth forest, the Church is surrounded on three sides by an elaborate, ornate and fascinating graveyard. I’ve always enjoyed exploring old graveyards and this is one of my favorites in the world. In addition, on the fourth side of the church is a small less ornate graveyard with tiny little markers. It’s a slave graveyard that the church restored 1970s. We were lucky to get a brief tour of the historic church with its ancient and massive pipe organ and dark wooden pews. It’s the kind of church – located atop a small North Carolina Mountain – where you can really ponder the presence of God.
Blowing Rock
Another great Western North Carolina village, Blowing Rock is located on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It offers a wide variety of mountain activities, a historic downtown, a thriving arts scene and a lot more. Named after The Blowing Rock – a rocky mountain formation that offers sweeping, majestic views. It is a privately owned tourist destination. Therefore, you’ll have to pay to visit Blowing Rock itself. But it is considered one of the oldest tourist destinations in the Smokies.
Chimney Rock
While Blowing Rock is a village and a tourist destination rock formation, Chimney Rock takes it a step further. Chimney Rock is a village, a rock formation and a state park all located in Rutherford County in southwestern North Carolina.
Chimney Rock’s formation is a 315-foot monolith made of gneiss – which is a type of metamorphic rock. The state park in which the formation can be found, sits about 25 miles southeast of Asheville.
Despite nearly dying here as an infant child, I remain immensely charmed by all these Western North Carolina communities and the beautiful mountains in which they sit. It should be noted that this area was massively devasted by Hurricane Helene and remains closed following the storm. But when open, this is one of the most beautiful spots in the mountains with miles of trails, fun family adventures, rock climbing and more.
Chimney Rock Village and Lake Lure were also devasted by the storm. Here’s hoping that recovery efforts continue and life will return to normal or as close to normal as it can get.
Looking Glass Rock
Another rock formation in Western North Carolina, Looking Glass Rock is located within the Pisgah National Forest not too far from Brevard and Asheville. It’s not an easy hike up the mountain, but it’s popular with rock climbers and offers stunning views from above its granite face.
Hanging Rock
On the Eastern side of Mt. Airy and Pilot Mountain – for those of you Andy Griffith fans – Hanging Rock and its state park is our first departure from Western North Carolina. Located in the Sauratown Mountain Range – the place is known as the mountains away from the mountains.
The state park offers miles of trail showcasing numerous peaks and waterfalls. It has tent camping, trailer camping and a small number of rental cabins. There is a lake and a bathhouse and offers swimming and boating from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Additionally, there are rock climbing spots, but rock climbing is not allowed at Hanging Rock Summit. The Hanging Rock summit is located 2,579 feet above sea level. The hike to the summit is 3.6 miles out and back and is considered moderately challenging with a 639-foot elevation gain. From the summit, you’ll take in spectacular views of the flat lands to the East.
Raven Rock
Located in Harnett County, North Carolina, not too far from tiny Lillington, is Raven Rock State Park, the easternmost rock on this list. The park covers 4,810 acres along the Cape Fear River. Like Hanging Rock, Raven Rock offers stunning views to the east. The park is on a bluff above the river and there is essentially nothing but lowland between the park and the Atlantic Ocean. The park is named for the 150-foot rock formation that overlooks the river. It offers hiking, biking and horse riding opportunities as well as camping, paddling, fishing and picnicking.
Have you visiting any of the popular rock areas? Let us know in the comments! Are you planning a trip to the Smoky Mountains soon? Make sure to check out our coupons page before your trip!