This Cave Hike Is One of North Carolina’s Most Unique Trails

No, it’s not the Linville Caverns. While we absolutely love Linville Caverns, and those guided tours are nothing short of spectacular, there are a handful of other cave hikes in North Carolina that are worth your time. This particular cave hike in North Carolina is a short, sweet trail that takes you not only to a cave but also to a waterfall! Let’s check it out:

Hanging Rock State Park, located in Stokes County, is a natural playground filled with sensational mountain views, rock outcrops, waterfalls, and even a cave. 

The Tory’s Den Cave Trail is short and sweet (0.5 miles round trip) and leads you to Tory’s Cave, a 20-foot-deep natural cave. Dogs are welcome to join in on the adventure as long as they are kept on a leash. This is a kid-friendly trail, too! Bring the whole squad out for some outdoor adventure—they will love it. 

The trail can only be accessed from the Tory’s Den parking lot, which is located at 1185 Charlie Young Road in Westfield. 

While the length of the trail is short, you won’t be getting off that easily. There are stairs leading down to the cave, but overall, this is a popular trail that’s well-maintained and rated as easy. 

As you meander through the forest, you’ll come across Tory’s Falls—the tallest waterfall in Hanging Rock State Park. The beautiful waterfall drops an impressive 240 feet over a rocky area. You won’t be able to reach the falls since it’s a pretty steep terrain, so just admire them from afar and get some good photos!

The trail continues until you reach Tory’s Cave (also called Tory’s Den). This natural cave is about 20 feet deep and has a fascinating Revolutionary War-era history that you can read about from the display at the parking lot. There weren’t any significant battles fought here, but about 100 British sympathizers sought refuge here for a brief time. 

The best time to tackle this cave trail is during spring and summer, but fall is a fabulous time to check it out. Those fall colors really pop in this corner of the state! I love checking out this area in late spring or early summer when everything is a beautiful shade of green, and that waterfall is really flowing. 

If you find that the half-mile trail left you wanting more, there are plenty of trails at Hanging Rock State Park to check out. Share this article with your favorite hiking buddy and make plans to tackle this cave hike in North Carolina soon! Feeling inspired? Try planning your own trip using Only In Your State’s itinerary planner.