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The strange stone “buildings” of Rocktown

At the north end of the gravel parking area, enter the trail (Waypoint 1). Soon you will cross a branch of Allen Creek and take an easy, pleasant walk over fairly flat ground populated with Virginia pines, oaks, and hickory trees. The forest is fairly open with ferns, as well as stands of mountain laurels, lining the path. At 0.5 mile (Waypoint 2), you’ll soon pass between two rock formations. Keep going, because the main area known as Rocktown is a half mile ahead.

At 1 mile, you’ll reach the first stone formations in the main Rocktown collection (Waypoint 3). The sandstone and conglomerate stones display a variety of colors, from dull grays to shades of red and brown. The rust color in some of the stones hints at the fact that iron ore was once mined in the surrounding area.

Continue ahead to further explore the many “streets,” or trails, that wind among the stones. Those interested in climbing should download the Rocktown map at drtopo.com, which includes sketches of the various rock formations and identifies the locations of many bouldering problems, such as the Scoop (V3), Croc Block (V5), Bermuda Triangle (V7), and the Orb (V8). The topo provides unofficial names for many problems as well as difficulty ratings.