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Description

Raven Rock is one of our most underrated state parks. The views from the overlook (above) on the Raven Rock Loop Trail are some of the finest in the piedmont. The topography is diverse, highlighted by the 152 ft. high outcropping of crystalline rock that gives the park its name.

The park is located on the ""fall line"", where the river literally falls and produces the best rapids in the eastern piedmont. At this geological transition zone, the hilly landscape and resistant rocks of the piedmont give way to the flat terrain and softer rocks of the coastal plain. Walk to a section of the river known as ""Fish Traps "" to see the fall line for yourself.

The park's bluffs and ravines sprout mountain laurel and rhododendron, species not usually found this far east. Raven Rock is also noted for its early spring display of wildflowers such as Dutchman's breeches, bloodroot, saxifrage, and bellworts.

Don't be turned off by the burned areas near the park's entrance. This is a fire-adapted ecosystem, and the recent burn was designed to mimic the natural fire disturbances that were common in this area prior to European settlement.

The park offers family, group, and canoe camping , as well as hiking, fishing, and horseback riding.

For more information, visit the park's official website or call (910) 893-4888.

Size: 3950 acres in 2002.






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Trail length

5 miles

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Guidebooks

• 50 Hikes in the Mountains of North Carolina
• North Carolina Hiking Trails
• Appalachian Trail Guide to Tennessee-North Carolina

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Photos from Raven Rock Loop Trail

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