Stone Mountain State Park (NC)

 

A short stroll from the original Elk Spur Primitive Baptist Church (constituted December 1873)—and from where the existing Elk Spur Baptist Church (erected 1900)—lies the entrance to Stone Mountain State Park (NC).  This expansive park was established in 1969, and sits adjacent to the community of  Roaring Gap—named for the sound the wind makes as it rolls through the mountains and valleys. 

The centerpiece of this 14,000+ acre park is the granite monadnock that rises more than 60-stories above the surrounding deciduous canopy, providing challenging (read: dangerous) rock-climbing activities.  The parks boasts 16+ miles of hiking trails that connect a pair of waterfalls and a restored mid-19^th century mountain homestead.  The park is meticulously maintained with the assistance of full-time volunteers—such as “Wild Bill” Watkins (The Citadel, Class of ’77) and his canine sidekick “Clementine.” 

The roaring wind drove us to keep our awning safely stowed in the “travel” position, as the swirling down-drafts raced  down the multiple mountain troughs, where they intersected at the campground.  With this wind came the second round of the polar vortex that moved across the region.  More cold-weather preparation was underway, as we added an additional electric heater, and duct-taped the external refrigeration access panel.  

Of all the unusual items that we tote around with us, one that is oddly utilitarian are a couple of pieces of lumber.  These two 2”x10”x6’  pressure-treated timbers were cut to length with tapered ends, and painted with a bright-yellow strip at the midline.  We had toted these for hundreds of miles without needing them, but due to the unlevel (left to right) grade of the RV pad, we found it necessary to stack these planks and elevate one side and level the RV (see prior blog entry regarding the importance of leveling the RV).

Stone Mountains Falls trail is an easy-to-moderate hike that starts at the upper falls, then proceeds to the middle and lower falls.  The upper falls are the tallest at over 200’, and the base pool is accessible by means expansive wooden stairway system that has been erected adjacent to the falls.  

The middle and lower falls follow a more primitive—yet clearly defined—trail that follows the Rhododendron lined Big Sandy Creek and is an easy hike.

The park was popular during the weekend, with locals heading to the hills to get away from the rigors of daily life.  Once parked, the naturalist zealots quickly set-up their “glamping “ accessories; complete with satellite TV, turkey fryers, and flags of allegiance to their most favorite NASCAR drivers.  There was a definitive contrast between the suburbia-flavored campground and the adjacent unspoiled wilderness.

If there are any downsides to this park, it is the access to the outside world.  First, there is zero cell phone service.  This can be a blessing or a curse depending upon your need for cell phone service.  Second, there is zero antenna TV reception.  Again, this can be a blessing or a curse, depending upon your perspective.  Considering the abnormal weather patterns that were partly guiding our plans, it was more of a curse.  Lastly, the entry/exit gates were closed and locked at 7pm.  Previous campgrounds had a “closing time” for their gates, but they were either 1) much later; or 2) they provided an automatic gate with pass-code to enter/exit after-hours.  At this park, we were essentially on lock-down.   Reminded me of a few special times on Okinawa where undesirable actions by a few military personnel resulted in everyone being on an over-restrictive curfew.  Regardless, we had no problem making it back to camp prior to the gate closing; but this came at the expense of us limiting our local excursions…but not that much.

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