The magic of Hanging Rock lies in its bevy of options. Take a dip in a 12-acre lake, horseback ride along 6 miles of scenic trails, stop by any of the park's five impressive waterfalls, and then ...

The temperature at Hanging Rock at 2 p.m. Thursday was in the low 40s, cold enough to cause some discomfort. The event drew lots of spectators, including John Hege and Rebecca Dresser of Danbury.

Hanging Rock, which was established in 1936, has 7,044 acres. In 2007, it had 474,455 visitors. In August 2008, it had 61,830 visitors, making it the seventh-most-visited park of 36 state parks.