David Freeze: State park visits begin

Published 12:00 am Thursday, August 1, 2024

By Staff Reports

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Editor’s note: David Freeze is a runner, running coach and long-distance cyclist from China Grove in Rowan County. He is visiting all 41 state parks in North Carolina. Contact him at david.freeze@ctc.net.

By David Freeze

I’m excited to visit all the North Carolina State Parks, especially since I will miss the opportunity to go on another summertime cycling adventure. Bicycle riding will have to wait but there is plenty of energy remaining to get the party started.

Ken Beaver, a long-time friend, retired recently from the N.C. prison system and his first adventure was to visit the state parks. He has shared pointers and information, so the journey begins.

On July 7, I drove first to Mayo State Park not far from Mayodan. After a 90-minute drive north, I found a very small quiet park with an unattended weekend office. There are two ponds in the actual park, but the river is not accessible here. This section of the park has large lawns, a large pavilion and several short trails. Fishing and swimming are allowed in the main pond. This is a perfect park for a very quiet nature getaway.

The park was established in 2003 and encompasses 2,778 acres. The park is named after civil engineer Maj. William Mayo, who helped survey boundary lines between Virginia and N.C. in the early 1700s and helped to map the region for the first time.

Mayo River is accessible at five access points, the first being the Deshazo Mill Access where I walked to the Fall Creek Waterfall. Few amenities are provided at river access points.

Next, I drove to Hanging Rock State Park, an area purchased by the state in 1935, and most of it constructed from 1935 to 1942 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The park has 9,011 acres and is close to Danbury, which just happens to be one of the smallest, most interesting and historic county seats in N.C. There is a new visitor center with an active information desk, where I met a wonderful attendant who told me about the must-see places in the park. I was wearing my back brace, and she immediately began to tell me about the easier trails, and the one can’t miss part of the park, The Lower Cascade Falls.

There are currently 41 state parks and all of them have pages in a little passport booklet. The goal for those visiting all the parks is to get the specific park page stamped and signed while in the park. At the Mayo River Park, the park office was not open, but the page stamp was located beside the door. At Hanging Rock, I picked up the passport booklet and got it stamped. I will glue in the stamp from Mayo.

Back to Hanging Rock Park, I think this was my first visit and was extremely pleased with the facilities and sights to see. There are 18 walking trails and nine bike trails. I did the Upper Cascades Falls and the Lower Cascades Falls trails, along with much of the Lake Trail. I also got a good view of Hanging Rock.

A huge 12-acre lake was busy with swimmers in a lifeguard area. A fishing pier is popular, as are the benches around the shaded banks of the lake along the trail. Boats are available, as are concessions in an area that includes both a historic bathhouse and boathouse.

I stopped to see Lower Cascade Falls and almost met my match with long rock steps down to the falls and pool area. This was a test for my recovering balance and leg strength. The rock steps were placed about 80 years ago by the CCC and to me are an engineering marvel.

Hanging Rock State Park has so much to see and do, I could have easily spent a camping weekend there. It has the feel of a very good national park.

My final stop for the day was Pilot Mountain State Park, the rock dome familiar to many driving north of Winston Salem on U.S. 52. It is considered an isolated mountain and like Hanging Rock is part of the Sauratown Mountain Range, named after the Saura Indians. Pilot Mountain rises 1,400 feet above the valley floor and 2,431 feet in total elevation. The rugged mountain rock, quartzite monadnock, has survived for 500 million years while surrounding peaks were eroded by the elements. Tent and trailer camping are available, along with 11 trails ranging from a tenth to 6.6 miles. The views from the top encompass hundreds of square miles including the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west. Total acreage is 3,782 and the park is nearest to Pinnacle.

Pilot Mountain became the state’s 14th park in 1968 and was dedicated as a National Landmark in 1976. The mountain was used as a landmark for the Great Wagon Road from Philadelphia to Salisbury.

Additional sections of the park are about a 15-minute drive to the south. One centers on the Yadkin River and the Bean Shoals Canal, and the other is the Horne Creek Living Historical Farm, depicting farm life in the early 1900s. I found the farm closed on Sundays and Mondays, so I will return at a later date to visit these locations.

Three state parks visited, 38 to go.

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