Location
Hanging Rock State Park is located in the Sauratown Mountain Range, one of the most easterly mountain ranges in the state. Often called "the mountains away from the mountains," the Sauratown range is made up of monadnocks that are separated from the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains. The Sauratown Mountains lie completely within the borders of Stokes and Surry counties. Prominent peaks in the Sauratown range rise from 1,700 feet (520 m) to more than 2,500 feet (760 m) in elevation and stand in bold contrast to the surrounding countryside, which averages only 800 feet (240 m) in elevation. The most well known peak in the range is Pilot Mountain in nearby Pilot Mountain State Park. The highest point in the park - and the highest point in the Sauratown Mountain range - is Moore's Knob. It rises to 2,579 feet (786 m) above sea level.
Named for the Saura Native Americans who were early inhabitants of the region, the rocky tops of the Sauratown Mountains are the remnants of a once-broad layer of rock that covered the region. Over many years, wind, water and other forces eroded the surrounding blanket of rock. What remains of these ancient mountains is the erosion-resistant quartzite, which now supports scenic ridges and knobs, including Moore's Knob, Moore's Wall, Cook's Wall, Devil's Chimney, Wolf Rock and Hanging Rock.
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