Lower Cascades is a waterfall in North Central North Carolina, located in Hanging Rock State Park in Stokes County.
Lower Cascades | |
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![]() Lower Cascades, September 2005 | |
Location | Hanging Rock State Park, Stokes County, North Carolina |
Coordinates | 36.414907°N 80.268480°W / 36.414907; -80.268480 |
Type | Cascade |
Total height | 35 ft (11 m) |
Number of drops | 1 |
The falls was first seen by Europeans when German naturalist Lewis David von Schweinitz discovered it, and was originally named Schweinitz Falls (or Cascades).[1]
The waterway is Cascades Creek, which flows through Hanging Rock State Park. The falls has an overhanging bluff and a large plunge pool at the base.
The falls are open to the public and are accessible beginning at a parking area on the side of Hall Road. Visitors may take a moderate-difficulty 0.3-mile (.5 km) trail to the falls. The trail used to be extremely difficult at the end with a dangerous cliff scramble, but has been made much easier by the addition of a set of stairs to the plunge pool.
Hanging Rock State Park hosts 4 other waterfalls: