| Lower Cascades | |
|---|---|
 Lower Cascades, September 2005 | |
 | |
| Location | Hanging Rock State Park, Stokes County, North Carolina |
| Coordinates | 36°24′54″N80°16′07″W / 36.414907°N 80.268480°W |
| Type | Cascade |
| Total height | 35 ft (11 m) |
| Number of drops | 1 |
Lower Cascades is a waterfall in North Central North Carolina, located in Hanging Rock State Park in Stokes County.
The falls were first seen by Europeans when they were discovered by German naturalist Lewis David von Schweinitz. They were originally named Schweinitz Falls (or Cascades). [1]
The waterway is Cascades Creek, which flows through Hanging Rock State Park. The falls have a large plunge pool at the base with an overhanging bluff.
The falls are open to the public and are accessible beginning at a parking area on the side of Hall Road. Visitors may take a moderate-difficulty 0.3-mile (.5 km) trail to the falls. The trail used to be extremely difficult at the end with a dangerous cliff scramble, but has been made much easier by the addition of a set of stairs to the plunge pool.
Hanging Rock State Park hosts 4 other waterfalls: