Peak Perfection: A Stone Mountain Hiking Guide -

Stone Mountain State Park in Roaring Gap, NC is one of the most rewarding outdoor destinations in this part of the state — more than 14,000 acres of mountain terrain anchored by a dramatic 600-foot granite dome that was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1974. Set in Alleghany County along the Blue Ridge escarpment, the park is best known for its iconic Stone Mountain Loop Trail — but there’s a lot more here worth exploring, from short climbs to expansive granite outcrops to peaceful walks beside Big Sandy Creek and the route to the park’s primitive backcountry campsites.

Below is our guide to each of the trails we’ve personally hiked at Stone Mountain. Each image is clickable and takes you to a webpage for each trail, featuring more pictures and a YouTube video. If you’d rather see everything at a glance, our list of trails is also available in a sortable table format. Happy adventuring!

⚠️ Important Trail Notice (as of 2026): The wooden staircase descending past Stone Mountain Falls along the Stone Mountain Loop Trail is currently being renovated, which has closed a portion of the loop near the waterfall. Before hiking, call the park office at (336) 957-8185 or check the official Stone Mountain State Park website to confirm which sections of the trail are open and how it may affect your planned route.

Park Map
Black Jack Ridge Trail
Cedar Rock Trail
Middle Falls / Lower Falls Trail
Stone Mountain Loop Trail
Widow's Creek Trail
Wolf Rock Trail
Final Thoughts
Additional Resources

Park Map

When a park office is nearby, we like to stop in before our hike to grab a map. This ensures we have the most up-to-date map before starting our hike.

Black Jack Ridge Trail

🌲 A 1.5-mile one-way trail rated moderate by the park, with steady elevation gains along an old roadbed through quiet hardwood forest.

🌳 Provides plenty of shade in warmer months and a peaceful, unhurried feel throughout.

🥾 The path itself is the appeal — a quiet walk through the woods without much in the way of big vistas. Hikers looking specifically for views will be better served on the Cedar Rock or Wolf Rock Trails.

🔗 Connects to the Cedar Rock Trail and Wolf Rock Trail at the upper junction, making it perfect as a connector in a longer loop hike.

🚶‍♂️ Popular as a 3-mile out-and-back or as part of a longer loop combining Cedar Rock, Wolf Rock, and Black Jack Ridge for a fuller day on the trails.

Cedar Rock Trail

🌲 A 1-mile one-way trail rated moderate by the park, with a steady climb to the top of Cedar Rock — a massive, exposed granite outcrop.

📸 Cedar Rock is wide and flat, with sweeping views east and north toward Stone Mountain and the Blue Ridge escarpment. The trail blazes are painted directly on the rock.

🌳 Showcases a textbook example of old field succession — pine, then mixed pine-hardwood, then mature hardwood.

🐦 Often visited by a wide variety of bird species along the wooded stretches.

🔄 Pairs naturally with the Wolf Rock Trail for back-to-back outcrop views, and connects to the Stone Mountain Loop Trail and Black Jack Ridge Trail at its junctions.

Middle Falls / Lower Falls Trail

💦 A 1-mile one-way trail rated moderate by the park, branching off the Stone Mountain Loop Trail near Stone Mountain Falls.

🌊 Follows Big Sandy Creek — the same waterway that feeds the 200-foot Stone Mountain Falls upstream — through a stretch of shaded cove hardwood forest.

🏞️ Leads to two waterfalls: Middle Falls — a 20-foot sliding rock waterfall with inviting pools — and the smaller Lower Falls, approximately 25 feet in height.

👟 Important: Reaching Lower Falls requires crossing Big Sandy Creek on foot — the rocks can be slippery, especially after rain. Bring water shoes or be prepared for wet feet.

🌲 Mixed terrain — gentle slopes, forested paths, and a few rocky sections.

🔗 Can be extended to 3 or 4 miles by adding connector trails and a stretch of the Mountains-to-Sea State Trail.

Stone Mountain Loop Trail

🏔️ The signature hike at Stone Mountain — a 4.5-mile loop rated strenuous by the park, with roughly 900 to 1,000 feet of elevation gain.

🗻 Circles the park’s iconic 600-foot granite dome — a National Natural Landmark — with sweeping panoramic views of the Blue Ridge from the summit.

💧 Passes the dramatic 200-foot Stone Mountain Falls, which descends a smooth granite face viewed from multiple vantage points along a wooden staircase.

🏡 Visits the restored mid-19th-century Hutchinson Homestead at the base of the mountain — a log cabin, barn, blacksmith shop, and one of the most iconic views of the dome rising over the meadow.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The first 0.4 mile of the loop doubles as the park’s official Kids in Parks TRACK Trail, with free kid-friendly brochures at the trailhead kiosk — a great, gentle introduction for families.

⚠️ Safety note: Stay behind all barriers at Stone Mountain Falls. Injuries and deaths have occurred when visitors approach the top of the falls.

📖 For our full first-person take on the climb, take a look at Granite, Grunts, and Glory: A Day on the Stone Mountain Loop Trail.

Widow’s Creek Trail

🌲 A 2.5-mile one-way trail (5 miles round-trip) rated strenuous by the park, following Widow’s Creek through the park’s quieter northwest section.

🌊 The first mile or so is genuinely gentle — easy creekside walking with plenty of spots to splash, cool off, or let kids play in the water.

⛰️ About a mile in, the trail splits — the Widow’s Creek Trail bears left, and a stretch of the Mountains-to-Sea State Trail branches right. From the split, the slope rises sharply and stays steep for about a mile before leveling off near the campsites.

💦 Tucked near Backcountry Campsite A, hikers will find Upper Widow’s Creek Falls — a small, hidden waterfall along the creek and one of the genuine surprises of the trail.

⛺ Gateway to the park’s primitive backcountry campsites — reservations required through the North Carolina State Parks reservation system. Campsites have no facilities; pack out what you pack in.

🌌 A peaceful, less-crowded experience than the headline trails in the park.

Wolf Rock Trail

🌄 A 1.5-mile one-way trail rated moderate by the park, climbing through hardwood forest to the top of Wolf Rock — a massive, exposed granite outcrop.

🗺️ Wolf Rock itself is flat and massive, stretching a few hundred feet out and over a thousand feet wide — plenty of space for a picnic, a snack, or quiet reflection.

🏞️ Sweeping vistas from the top: the ridges separating three watersheds (Garden Creek, Widow’s Creek, and Bullhead Creek), the Blue Ridge escarpment, and south toward Doughton Park along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

🌲 Shows the same pattern of old field succession seen on the Cedar Rock Trail — pine, then mixed pine-hardwood, then mature hardwood.

🏚️ Watch for old logging roads, stone walls, and remnants of historic structures along the route.

🔄 Pairs naturally with the Cedar Rock Trail for back-to-back outcrop views.

Final Thoughts

Stone Mountain State Park is one of those destinations that genuinely rewards a return visit. The trail network packs more variety into a few thousand acres than just about any other park in this part of the state — from the family-friendly start of the Stone Mountain Loop Trail to the sweeping granite vistas of Cedar Rock and Wolf Rock to the peaceful backcountry stretch of the Widow’s Creek Trail.

Pair a day on the trails with a stop at the visitor center’s Mountain Culture Exhibit, a visit to the Hutchinson Homestead, or a drive along the nearby Blue Ridge Parkway, and you’ve got the makings of one of the most memorable mountain days in this corner of North Carolina. Pack water, sturdy hiking shoes, layers for the changing weather, and a sense of curiosity. Stone Mountain rewards every visit.