Hanging Rock, also known as Bear's Paw (Yonah‑wayah in

Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...

), is a mountain in the

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

High Country, next to the town of

Seven Devils Seven Devils is a solitaire game in the style of Canfield played with two decks of playing cards. It is considered to be a very difficult solitaire game.Thomas WarfieldThe 4 Solitaire Games You Should Win Before You Die 24 March 2015. Rul ...

. It is along the Avery and

Watauga Watauga can refer to: ;Places *Watauga, Kentucky * Watauga County, North Carolina * Watauga, South Dakota * Watauga, Tennessee * Watauga, Texas ;Bodies of Water * Watauga Lake in Tennessee * The Watauga River in North Carolina and Tennessee ;Shi ...

border. Its elevation reaches . The mountain generates feeder streams for the

Elk The elk (''Cervus canadensis''), also known as the wapiti, is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. The common ...

and

rivers. In 2008, Bear Paw State Natural Area was established on the mountain by the

North Carolina General Assembly The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, State government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...

. The

High Country Conservancy The Blue Ridge Conservancy is a non-profit land conservation organization based in Boone, North Carolina that works to preserve working farmland and natural areas in western North Carolina. The organization's focus is on land in Alleghany, Ashe ...

acquired the initial for the state, and the park now encompasses . The natural area is located just north of

Grandfather Mountain State Park Grandfather Mountain is a mountain, a non-profit attraction, and a North Carolina state park near Linville, North Carolina. At 5,946 feet (1,812 m), it is the highest peak on the eastern escarpment of the Blue Ridge Mountains, one of the major ch ...

, and it protects Hanging Rock Ridge and the

headwater The headwaters of a river or stream is the farthest place in that river or stream from its estuary or downstream confluence with another river, as measured along the course of the river. It is also known as a river's source. Definition The ...

s of Dutch Creek. It is managed by

See also