Graveyard Fields

Hike: Graveyard Fields Loop
Location: Blue Ridge Parkway--Pisgah National Forest
Nearby Town: Waynesville to the NW or Brevard to the SE. About 50 minutes from Asheville
Elevation (Max): 5,120'
Elevation Gained: ~200'
Mileage: 2.5
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead: Around milepost 418 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The trailhead is on the right at the back of the overlook parking lot.
Web Site: http://www.hikewnc.info/trailheads/pisgah/pisgah/graveyard.html, http://www.nps.gov/blri/index.htm

In late September, E and I decided that we had waited long enough to tackle one of the trademark North Carolina experiences--going to the mountains. So, we planned to drive out to Asheville, stay overnight there, then drive into Great Smoky Mountains National Park and hike Mount Sterling. Well, our drive out to Asheville was soaked by rain. When we arrived, the clouds parted briefly and we walked around downtown a bit before stopping in at the Early Girl Eatery for a delicious dinner. However, while we were eating, the rain picked back up and we made our dash to the car and drive back to the hotel in some of the heaviest rain I have ever seen. The next morning was not much better. Things were wet and it was sprinkling on and off. We checked out the weather forecast and radar and decided to nix the Mount Sterling hike since we would likely get soaked. We decided, instead, to explore Biltmore Village in Asheville a bit, then we figured a good way to spend our day, since our next night's hotel was in Waynesville, would be to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) to get there. As we began the drive the rain held off, but we remained socked in under thick clouds. We pulled off at many overlooks but the views were mostly non-existent due to the cloud cover. At milepost 418, though, we found a real gem--Graveyard Fields.

There are a couple of explanations for Graveyard Fields' name. The natural explanation is that a windstorm blew down many of the big trees, and their upturned roots made the field look like a graveyard. The man-made explanation is that heavy logging that left only the stumps of trees scattered in the field resembled a graveyard. Either way, the stumps are long gone and the place no longer resembles a graveyard, but in fact, is amazingly beautiful. Initially, we only intended to check the place out from the overlook, having no idea what treasures lay in store along the BRP since this was a last minute change of plans. Since our original plans were to hike a mountain on this day, we decided we had had enough driving broken up by the occasional leg stretch and wanted to do some exploring. The rain was coming down steadily now but only lightly. We put on our shells, checked out the map board at the trailhead, and set off down the trail with my camera around my neck zipped in a plastic bag.

Stairway from overlook to Yellowstone Prong

Bridge over Yellowstone Prong

Small streams swollen by rainfall feeding the river

Looking upriver

Downstream toward the falls

Our plan based on the map was to follow the Yellowstone Prong to Second Falls then follow it back upstream through Graveyard Fields to Upper Falls. The paved path down to the river wound through a dense stand of rhododendron before reaching a wooden bridge that crossed to a large boulder in the middle of Yellowstone Prong and from there to the bank on the other side. The view from here both upstream and downstream was beautiful and very wild feeling. At this point, though, the rain began to increase its intensity but we were still staying dry in our shells and the views were distracting us from the weather anyhow. We crossed the river and at the fork took the right trail which led us across a couple small streams and eventually down several wooden steps to the base of Second Falls. The falls were large, impressive, and well supplied with water. We hung around the base of the falls admiring and taking photos for a little while. Taking photos in what had become a steady hard rain was very difficult and involved my bending over to protect the camera as I removed it from its gallon Ziploc bag and then crouching down so Emily could hold the bag over the camera as I snapped the photos. Given the circumstances, I'm pretty impressed with how everything came out.

Small stream on the way to the base of Second Falls

Second Falls

E getting soaked

We retraced our steps back up the stairs to where we originally crossed the river but instead of crossing back to return to the car we decided we wanted to go to Upper Falls and follow the loop trail. So we continued straight and soon we entered Graveyard Fields which for the most part has just small brush and thick mounds of grasses for vegetation. The leaves here in the final weekend of September were just beginning to change further enhancing the beauty of this place. We hiked for a while trying to dodge flooded sections of the trail which became useless since our feet were soaked through by now anyways. We hiked and hiked but felt it was taking a long time to get to Upper Falls. Since the rain was now a legitimate downpour and we had no map, and thus no idea where Upper Falls should be, we decided to turn back. Instead of returning to the original river crossing we took another bridge across making the loop. There were several people camping at this river crossing, all huddled in their tents reading or playing cards. The rain was coming down very hard now and hiking through the dense low-growth made it seem like night was coming upon us. We got back to the car and took off our shells which it turns out did little to keep us dry as we were soaked from head to toe. The rain continued to fall at this heavy rate for the rest of our drive to Waynesville so needless to say, we made no more stops on the BRP. Despite how soaked we got, though, Graveyard Fields was amazing and one of my favorite parts of the trip (we drove from Asheville to Grandfather Mountain on the BRP the next day), and I hope to return there someday in better weather.

View back up to the BRP

Entering Graveyard Fields

Raven Rock

Hike: Raven Rock Loop
Location: Raven Rock State Park
Nearby Town: Lillington, NC
Elevation (Max): 320'
Elevation Gained: 400'
Mileage: 3.8
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead: Raven Rock State Park is pretty far from interstate highways, so directions will vary widely. From the Research Triangle area, though, take Rte 55 S (for western Wake County towns like Morrisville, Cary, Holly Springs) and turn R on Rte 401 S in Fuquay-Varina. From Raleigh, take Rte 401 S. When Rte 401 ends, turn R onto Rte 421 which crosses a river and enters Lillington. Rte 421 turns R in Lillington, and follow to Raven Rock Rd. Turn R and follow to the parking area in the park.
Web Site: http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/raro/main.php

Raven Rock State Park is, in my opinion, the most impressive geologic feature in the Triangle area (it is about an hour from Durham and 40 minutes from Raleigh). The main attraction in the park is, obviously, Raven Rock--a long, high rock cliff overlooking the Cape Fear River 150 feet below. In an area seriously lacking when it comes to hills and cliffs, Raven Rock is a destination worth the trip.

E and I did this hike in late August. The drive down was interesting for us since we were new to the area so we got our first looks at Fuquay-Varina and Holly Springs (where we stopped on the return trip for some delicious pizza at La Dolce Vita). When we got to the park, the parking situation was a bit confusing since it appeared they were in the process of construction or renovations of what appeared to be a visitor center and parking lot. However, we ended up parking in a dirt parking lot to the right of the main road. We found the trailhead at the back of the lot and began the hike down the Raven Rock Loop Trail.

The stairs down Raven Rock to the riverbank

The vast majority of the Raven Rock Loop Trail is basically flat. Only at Raven Rock does that change--a long stairway takes hikers from the top of the cliffs to the riverbank. The cliffs look very impressive from beneath as they overhang the riverbank. E and I spent a while walking around the cliffs exploring and using the large overhangs to produce very powerful echos. After we explored all we could, we headed back up the stairs and continued on the Loop Trail. After a short while, a short spur goes out to an overlook from the top of the cliffs. E and I really enjoyed this overlook simply because features such as these that afford long views are so rare around the Triangle--and so common in New England. From the overlook we could see some rapids up the river and what appeared to be people out in the middle of the river. We decided to check it out.

E under Raven Rock

Cape Fear River

E under huge overhang

E barely visible by Raven Rock

Looking up at Raven Rock

I consulted the map and determined that what we saw must have been the Fish Traps so after returning to the Loop Trail, instead of going left at the next junction, we went right down the Fish Traps Trail. This trail was a steady but gradual descent to the river. The river was pretty neat. We were able to walk out on large flat rocks that stuck out into the river creating chutes, rapids, and eddies. After checking everything out, we headed back up the Fish Traps trail and returned to the parking lot. Raven Rock is pretty impressive and unique in this area, and we left a lot of park unexplored so hopefully I will get back there someday.

Cape Fear River from the overlook

Cape Fear River and people on the Fish Traps

Cape Fear River from Fish Traps

Looking downriver from Fish Traps

Moore's Wall

Hike: Moore's Wall Loop
Location: Hanging Rock State Park
Nearby Town: Danbury, NC (50 minutes north of Winston-Salem)
Elevation (Max): 2,579'
Elevation Gained: 900'
Mileage: 4.3
Difficulty: Moderate
Trailhead: From Winston-Salem: Take Rte 311 N out of the city, after passing through Walnut Cove continue N on Rte 89, after passing through Danbury turn L on Hanging Rock Park Rd, continue on State Park Rd to the parking lot at the end next to the lake. From Mt. Airy: Take Rte 52 S, L onto Old US 52 S, L on Rte 268 E, R on Rte 89 S, R on Piedmont Springs Rd, R on State Park Rd, continue to the parking lot at the end next to the lake. The Moore's Wall Loop Trail begins at the back of the parking lot along the lake.
Web Site: http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/haro/main.php

E and I were growing frustrated with the hiking opportunities in the Triangle area, so we looked westward toward the mountains. Unfortunately, the mountains are a bit far away for a day hike, but I found some superb peaks only about 2 hours away, north of the Triad region. These peaks, Pilot Mountain, Hanging Rock, and Moore's Knob, are the eroded quartzite remnants of an ancient mountain range called the Sauratown Mountains. These peaks provide a great, quick alternative to a trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains which is at least a 3 hour drive from the Triangle or to Great Smoky Mountains National Park which is about 5 hours away. The trade-off is the peaks are not as mighty as the Blue Ridge or Smokies with the tallest peak coming in at 2,579 feet (Moore's Knob) compared to the western mountains where you can find a few dozen 6,000'+ mountains, but for a day trip, one can't complain.

E and I went to Moore's Wall on a beautiful August day. It was hot but not too hot in the Carolina Piedmont and it made for a good hiking day. We parked the car, marveled at how many people were playing around and in the lake, and headed down the trail beyond the lake. The trail is obvious for basically the entire hike, and most junctions include signs clearly showing which way to go. After hiking along the stream that flows from the lake for a bit, the Moore's Wall Loop Trail turns right up hill at a junction with another trail. From this point to the summit, the hike is a nearly continuous climb, but it is never too strenuous, and the climb doesn't last all that long. In fact, one of the things I most enjoyed about this hike was that it seemed to be right in the sweet spot of the effort to reward ratio. Some hikes where you basically drive to the summit and just stretch your legs to get a view feel cheap and some hikes take hours upon hours of exertion to get a view, but Moore's Wall took about an hour of good hiking to get phenomenal views. E can attest that I was simply amazed at how long the views were.

Walking along the stream

Some impressive boulders

The neat thing about Moore's Wall is that the summit is basically one long ridge, so once you reach the ridge, you can enjoy the views as you hike to the peak, Moore's Knob (which is hardly noticeable as a peak). The views to the west include the very distinctive Pilot Mountain, and faint outline of the Blue Ridge Mountains. To the east you can see the namesake of the state park, Hanging Rock, and to the south, the skyscrapers of Winston-Salem are visible. After hiking along the entire ridge, the trail arrives a junction. To the right is the continuation of the loop that will bring you back down to the lake and your car, and to the left is a short spur trail to cliffs and a firetower. GO LEFT. The views from the quartz cliffs and firetower were the hands down highlights of the hike--it was here I remarked to E that the views were unbelievably long.

Looking west from the cliffs

Looking north to Virginia from the cliffs

Hanging Rock

Looking back to the lake where we started

Looking back along Moore's Wall

Some other Sauratown peaks including the distinctive pinnacle of Pilot Mountain

The Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance

View to Virginia from the firetower

The cliffs

E striking the M pose

E and I enjoying the view

Moore's Wall benchmark

After enjoying the views (this would be a great place to enjoy lunch), the loop trail continues heading down the mountain along stone steps (I can hardly imagine the hard work it took to build all those steps). Eventually the trail will pass by some wooden fencing and cross a beautiful little stream. The presence of those fences makes me wonder if some farmer once used this mountain, in which case, wow. The descent continues, eventually passing through the park's campground, where lots of families were enjoying their weekend, and back to the lake from where it is a short walk back to the car. E and I really enjoyed this hike--it's definitely a hidden gem. In fact, even people who visit Hanging Rock State Park almost never hike Moore's Wall but instead opt for the park's eponymous peak. So not only is Moore's Wall enjoyable for the climb and views but also for the solitude. Some day I plan to go back and hike Hanging Rock to see if it's worth the crowds, but in my mind, I've already found the premier peak in the Piedmont.

Could there have been a farm here?

Nice little stream

A red spotted newt that E came within an inch of stepping on

Back to the lake