Rock Hotel Trail

Description

This loop trail visits Rock Hotel, one of two large sandstone rock shelters within the park. Such natural shelters or “rockhouses” as they are frequently called in the southeast, served as temporary dwelling places for both woodland Indians and white explorers. As hikers near the shelter, the trail passes through a veritable rhododendron tunnel nestled beneath the tangled, jungle-like forest shrub layer. Once past the shelter, the trail plummets to the bottom of a moist ravine where a wooden bog bridge traverses a perpetually wet seep area. Beyond, the route ascends and closes the loop rejoining the initial in-bound trail section. Elevation change of 200 feet and marked with lime blazes.