How To Balance Rocks At Trough Creek State Park
Trough Creek State Park is a place that I want to go back too. I loved my time here but I believe that my ankle was hurt because I know that I was limiting the hiking that I was doing.
But as you can see from the three pictures above the place is lovely and this is just as you drive into the park. They are not even of the really cool places of the park! The Ice Mine, Balanced Rock, Copperas Rocks, Rainbow Falls, a furnace, and so much wild life!
Copperas Rocks
Named after the coppery-yellow cliff surface. The ferrous sulfate was used by settlers to dye cloth.
The cliffs above are can fall at any time, therefore it is best to stay out from under them when you visit.
The water level was low when I visited but you can see the bottom of the creek from the bridge. In addition, the cloud coverage only shows half the beauty of the colors that a sunny day would show.
Across the road is Copperas Rock Trail which will lead to the Balance Rock, Rainbow Falls, and other sights and trails. But the trail is a bit difficult and should be taken only with proper foot wear, water, and other hiking necessities.
Or you can do what I did which is drive a bit down the way and repark. I had to as I was still nursing a sore ankle. Note: I tend to trip and twist my ankle badly every few years. But most of the time, I trip and just twist it a bit and I am good to go a few days later.
Suspension Bridge, Rainbow Falls, and Balanced Rock
During the 2 minute drive, you will get to see lot of great things but your looking for a sign that says Suspension Bridge, Rainbow Falls, Balanced Rock…Then just find a nice place to park. The trail starts nice and wide but gets smaller as you get closer to Rainbow Falls. The trail itself is under 1/2 a mile.
After parking, you want to find the suspension bridge and cross the creek.
The bridge is a bit of a test of nerves as it does sway a bit. It is more for walking then running across. The boards did not all feel like they were all tight. But it was better then going through the creek to get to the other side. But once your on the other side, go to the right.
The creek is beautiful with but low when I went. It is one of the reasons that I would like to go back.
Rainbow Waterfall was also had a very low flow. But still very nice as it was colder the other parts of the park as it was August and the temp was over 80 degrees. It was a nice place to get my feet wet.
It the right of the waterfall is the stairs up to Balance Rock.
The next part of the trail is a bit scary but it is just this little part as at the rock cropping…
It opens up again at the top and just around the corner…
The last bit of the trail is just a few steps up to the top…
The last part of the trail you can see the rock looming above you.
You can see how little that the rock is balanced on as you walk around it but careful about looking down. It is a long fall down that hill. The hike back is a bit harder as you go down the hill. I would hate to have gone in wet weather.
Ice Mine, Raven Rock, and Savage Forge Site
After getting back to the van, I went a bit further down the road to get to the Ice Mine. The Ice Mine was a shaft that was found when prospectors were looking for iron ore.
My air conditioning was broke the day that I visited. I did not want to leave. As I descended the stairs, I felt this rush of pure joy at being normal again. I just sat there for at least 10 minutes.
This ice mine does not go above 50 degrees even in the hot summer. It was the hot summer and the humid was killer the day that I was in the park. But this was as refreshing as a nice swim.
Across the street is this really cool dam that was busted. The creek is also nice to dip your feet into. At least with the weather being so hot.
You can walk around the ruins of a the dam that never was and play in the cheek a bit.
I also found a really cool tree that has grown into the side of the Dam.
In addition, there is short trail to Savage Forge Site and Raven Rock which starts at this bridge near the Ice Mine.
Due to my ankle, I did not go which is why I want to go back to the park. Rumor has it that Edger Allen Poe visited Raven Rock just before he wrote the poem, “The Raven”. Raven Rock is a nesting site for Ravens.
Paradise Furnace and Cemetery
The history of Trough Creek State Park was that of the Native populations using the are for hunting and fishing. But they were forced out of the area by European settlers just after the American Revolutionary War. The land was cleared for farming and they built gristmills along the creek about 1780.
In 1790, Nicholas Crum built a furnace which produced 100 pounds of iron per day. In 1827, Rueben Trexler built the Paradise Furnace which started to produce 12 short tons a day. Savage Forge was built in 1832. to turn cast iron into wrought iron.
By the 1850, the furnace was closed but the community that surrounded it disappeared. The community had thrived prior to the closer. The Furnace was once again opened during the Civil War but it again closed at the end of the war.
The forest in and surrounding Trough Creek State Park that was cut down to feed the Paradise Furnace has been growing back until 1910s. During the 1910’s, the mountains were stripped, a railroad was built to the area to hall away timber after it was cut at the sawmill that was built near Paradise Furnace.
The area would have a massive wild fires that would be ignite by the treetops that were left behind to dry. The area would struggle to regrow with the streams dying and the wildlife being scarcely found.
In 1933, the CCC would bring in men to clear the streams, create roads, clear paths, replant trees, create facilities, and so much more. Three years later, the park would formally open to the public. The park is listed several times as one of the top park in the State to visit.
Just beside the furnace is the Paradise Cemetery Trail. I did a bit of it but had to turn back back or at least take the road back because of my ankle started to swell twice it normal size.
But one of these days, I will go back and camp in one of the 29 sites with electric for a few days which is around $22 per day and they have weekly rates at about $148.00. They also have a lodge which sleeps up to ten people for just over $80 per night with 2 double beds, 2 bunk beds, and 2 single beds. Perfect for a trip with a large family or a few friends.
Books
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Edger Allan Poe wrote, The Raven. It was published in 1845. It is one of his most chilling and well known poems. He was the Steven King of his day. I actual memorized Annabelle Lee which is another poem of his back in high school. I still remember a few lines from it to this day and it chills me to the bone.
James Earl Jones reads The Raven in the YouTube above.
But I like Vincent Price’s reading better. How about you?