Gorges State Park

Gorges is a state park in the southwest part of the state on the South Carolina state line. The nearest town is Sapphire and the park is about 30 minutes from Brevard and an hour from Asheville. It is the furthest-west park in the system and the only state park west of Asheville.

Gorges State Park is home to numerous waterfalls and due to high rainfall, has a temperate rainforest climate. Gorges and the surrounding area in Transylvania County has the highest rainfall and the greatest concentration of waterfalls in the eastern US. This is due to its location at the southern end of the Blue Ridge Escarpment. Gorges is also one of the newest of North Carolina's state parks and as such, is still in a state of development. The land that is now the park was flooded in 1916 when the Lake Toxaway dam broke and flooded the area. The land was bought by Singer Sewing Company and logged, then sold to Duke Energy in the 1940s and 50s for potential hydroelectric generation. In the 1990s, Duke Energy sold the land to conservation groups and the state and Gorges State Park was formed in 1999.

Contact Information:

976 Grassy Ridge Road

Sapphire, NC 28774

Phone: (828) 966-9099

Email: gorges@ncparks.gov

GPS Coordinates: 35.09600, -82.95100

Directions:

Frozen Creek Access:

Frozen Creek provides access to Augur Hole Trail and Foothills Trail. From Brevard, head west on US-64 for about 9 miles and turn on Frozen Creek Road. Go 3 miles and the parking area for the state park will be on the right.

Grassy Ridge Access:

Grassy Ridge is the main access point to the park, with the visitor center and access to the popular Rainbow Falls Trail. From Brevard, head west on US-64 for about 18 miles. After passing through Lake Toxaway, turn left on NC-281 south. Go under a mile and turn left into the park.

Map:

Hiking:

There are several miles of hiking trails within the park, most notably the Foothills Trail that winds through North and South Carolina. Like the Foothills Trail, many of the trails in the park continue outside the park the boundaries. See the list of trails below for information about individual trails.

Augur Hole Trail:

Length: 7.2 miles (one way)

Difficulty: Strenuous

Blaze: Orange Squares

Augur Hole Trail is a multi-use trail for hiking, biking, and equestrians. The trail starts at Frozen Creek Access and cuts through the heart of the park to Turkeypen Gap and terminates at Foothills Trail. A landslide in 2019 closed the trail from Wintergreen to Turkeypen Gap.

Rainbow Falls Trail:

Length: 1.5 miles (one way)

Difficulty: Strenuous

Blaze: Orange Circles

The Rainbow Falls Trail leads from the Grassy Ridge parking area to Rainbow and Turtleback Falls. About half way, the trail leaves Gorges State Park and enters Pisgah National Forest (Forest Trail #499), where it more closely follows the Horsepasture River. Along the way are some of the most popular waterfalls along the Horsepasture River, including Stairawy, Hidden, Rainbow, Turtleback, and Drift Falls. See the Waterfalls descriptions below for information about individual waterfalls. The trail ends at the National Forest boundary just before Drift Falls - do not attempt to go past the property line as No Trespassing is strictly enforced.

Wintergreen Trail:

Length: 1.1 miles (one way)

Difficulty: Moderate

Wintergreen Trail splits from Augur Hole Trail about 3 miles from the trailhead at Frozen Creek. The trail follows an old logging road upstream along Toxaway River, ending at a primitive camping area.

Waterfalls:

Although Gorges State Park is best known for its waterfalls, many of the most popular waterfalls are actually outside the boundaries of the park. Specifically, the waterfalls along the Horsepasture River (Drift, Turtleback, Rainbow, Hidden, Stairway, Sidepocket, and Windy Falls) are outside the park in Pisgah National Forest and Toxaway Game Lands. However, the only legal way to see these waterfalls is to start at the park, so they are described here. Many of the other waterfalls are in the rugged interior of the park and are much more difficult to access.

Horsepasture River:

The Horsepasture River begins near Cashiers and flows into Lake Jocassee in South Carolina. The area from NC-281 downstream to Lake Jocassee is protected as a state and national Wild and Scenic River. Although technically not in Gorges State Park, the only legal access to the waterfalls is through the park and so I've included directions here. The waterfalls are located in order from upstream to downstream.

Drift Falls:

Drift Falls is the highest waterfall along the the Horsepasture River before it crosses NC-281. From the Grassy Ridge Trailhead, follow Rainbow Falls Trail past Rainbow and Turtleback Falls to the National Forest property boundary (which is impossible to miss with the numerous No Trespassing signs). At the end of the trail, there is a side trail out to the river to get views of the falls while staying on public property. In the past, this was a popular swim hole and water slide, sometimes referred to as Bust-Yer-Butt Falls. However, the land changed hands and is now on private property and No Trespassing is strictly enforced. In the right conditions, it is possible to get a decent shot of the falls from public property, especially in the winter months when there is less foliage to block the view.

Turtleback Falls:

Turtleback Falls is a 20-foot waterfall along the Horsepasture River. The water flows over a big sloping rock until it falls directly into the "chug-hole" or pool at the basin. The shape of the rock, similar to a turtle's shell, gave the falls its name. To reach the falls, follow the directions above to Drift Falls and Turtleback will be on the way.

Although dangerous, swimming and sliding down the falls are very popular activities in the summer months. Do so at your own risk and use extreme caution, especially when water levels are high. The currents are strong and it is easy to pulled downstream past the chug hole and over Rainbow Falls. Here's a video I made sliding down Turtleback.

Rainbow Falls:

Rainbow Falls is a spectacular 125-foot tall waterfall along the Horsepasture River. To view the falls, start at the Grassy Ridge Trailhead and follow the Rainbow Falls Trail past the park boundary. After about a 1.5 miles, the falls will be to the left. There is no missing it! There is also a small and steep trail that leads down to the base of the falls and swimming is popular in the falls basin. If you chose to swim, do so at your own risk, as the currents can be strong and dangerous if water levels are high. Also, avoid going near the top of the falls. There are really no great views or photo opportunities to be had, and a slip over the falls will lead to certain death.

Hidden Falls:

Hidden Falls is a very small waterfall just downstream of Rainbow Falls. Just before reaching Rainbow Falls, a scramble path on the left leads down to the river just below Hidden Falls. The pool at Hidden Falls is popular as a swim hole.

Stairway Falls:

Stairway Falls is a series of cascades with a final plunge along the Horsepasture River. To visit the falls, start at the Grassy Ridge Trailhead and follow the Rainbow Falls Trail. Shortly after crossing the state park boundary, the main trail will curve to the right, with a smaller trail leading straight/left. Follow this steep and poorly-maintained trail for about a quarter mile until you reach a primitive campsite next to Horsepasture River near the top of the waterfall. Turn left to follow a path downstream along the falls to the base. It's a little steep towards the end. In times of heavy water flow, the falls look like a series of six or seven steps, hence the name. The first picture shows the falls where the stairs are distinct. In dryer times, as shown in the second picture below, the stairway is not so obvious.

Sidepocket Falls:

Sidepocket Falls is less known waterfall on Horsepasture River, downstream from Stairway Falls. To visit the falls, start at the Grassy Ridge Trailhead and hike down the Rainbow Falls/Raymond Fisher Trails for about a quarter mile. Turn left at the intersection to stay on the blue-blazed Raymond Fisher Trail. Where the trail crosses Chestnut Mountain Road, turn right and hike down the gravel road about 0.1 mile to a path on the right. There was a big pile of gravel in front of the turn when I visited. In about a quarter-mile, a second old road comes in from the left. At this point, get off the trail to the right and pick up an overgrown path. There was flagging tape to mark the path and I thought it was pretty easy to follow. The trail passes between two knolls and then heads up a ridge before descending to river level. The descent is quite steep, but we found spots to switchback around the steepest parts. When the path comes out at the river, follow it upstream a short ways to the base of Sidepocket Falls. There's also an upper section that you need to climb up the rocks to view.

Bearwallow Creek:

Bearwallow Creek is a tributary of Toxaway River with a number of waterfalls along its course. They are listed in order from upstream to downstream.

Upper Bearwallow Falls:

Upper Bearwallow Falls is accessed from the Bearwallow Valley section of the park. The short Bearwallow Falls Trail leads about a quarter-mile to an overlook for the falls. The picture below is from the overlook - it's not a great view.

We tried to bushwhack down to the creek for a better view. We ended up at the very base of the waterfall as in the picture below and couldn't see any of the waterfall above. We'll have to come back and explore more!

Indian Camp Falls:

Indian Camp Falls is the first of four waterfalls along a short stretch of Bearwallow Creek, that were formerly known as Paw Paw Falls, collectively. To visit the falls, start at the Grassy Ridge Trailhead and begin the hike on the Rainbow Falls/Raymond Fisher Trails. At the split, turn left and follow the blue-blazed Raymond Fisher Trail across Chestnut Mountain Road and down to the pond and campground. Follow the service road to the right of the information kiosk for a quarter-mile and make a sharp right at the intersection. From here, follow the road for about a half-mile and go left at the intersection. In another quarter-mile, turn left again. The road is rather steep as it heads down to a ford over Bearwallow Creek. Once across the creek, get off the road and bushwhack downstream along the creek. Stay close to the creek and you'll reach Indian Camp Falls in about a quarter-mile from the ford. The creek slides down and makes a sharp left turn. For a good view of the falls, get on the rock ledge immediately in front of it.

Split Rock Falls:

Split Rock Falls is just downstream of Indian Camp Falls. Follow the directions to Indian Camp Falls and continue downstream a short ways. You'll have to go up a bit to get around some rocks and then come to the base of Split Rock Falls. The water slides down a split in the rock face, hence the name.

Chute Falls:

Chute Falls is downstream of Split Rock Falls. From Split Rock Falls, you'll need to climb up the ridge to continue downstream. I thought this was the most difficult part of the bushwhack and you'll be high enough that you can't see the creek. It's about 0.15 miles downstream from Split Rock Falls to Chute Falls. This was my favorite of the waterfalls along this stretch of creek, but a big tree had fallen at the base and made pictures difficult.

Lower Bearwallow Falls:

Lower Bearwallow Falls is a spectacular waterfall along Bearwallow Creek. Unfortunately, it's very difficult to access and it's still up in the air whether the park will prohibit access in the future. As such, I'm not going to publish directions. It is located on my park map below and the location is also on the NC Waterfalls map. But be warned - it is a difficult bushwack to get down to the falls and there is very delicate vegetation along the path, so use extreme caution if you choose to visit.

Toxaway River:

The Toxaway River flows from Lake Toxaway through the park and into Lake Jocassee.

Toxaway Falls:

Toxaway Falls is a tall waterfall in several sections flowing under the bridge on US-64 below Lake Toxaway. The west side of the falls is private property but the east side is in Gorges State Park. There is a pull off just east of the bridge to park and view the falls from the road. A very steep scramble path leads down the waterfall. I have not made it all the way down yet.

Twin Falls:

Twin Falls is a scenic 20-foot waterfall just downstream of Toxaway Falls. The water splits into two drops, hence Twin Falls. The hike is about 1.5 miles round trip and difficult. Park at the trailhead for Toxaway Falls, carefully cross US-64 and get behind the guardrail. Hike east about 0.2 miles to a gravel road and a wooden gate. Follow the old road behind the gate to follow a ridge down to Toxaway River downstream from Toxaway Falls. The road becomes difficult to follow at points but just keep going down. There was flagging tape when we visited. Once at the river, turn left to go downstream a short ways to the top of Twin Falls. Cross the river and climb down the river-right side of the falls. It's very steep and a rope is needed to safely descend.

Wintergreen Falls:

Wintergreen Falls is a huge waterfall on Toxaway River, roughly half way between the Lake Toxaway Dam and Augur Hole Trail. Although you can get to it heading downstream from the dam, this is extremely difficult and I haven't tried it yet. A more reasonable way is to start at the Frozen Creek Access and hike Augur Hole Trail. From the parking lot, it's about 3 miles down the trail to a gated old road that heads upstream along Toxaway River. If coming from Frozen Creek Access, the turn is right before the trail fords Toxaway River. The road runs for about a mile, heading uphill then downhill to near the river. From here, the trail becomes more of a path. Flagging tape was strung up along the way to help. In about a half-mile from where the road ends, the path crosses Panther Branch then requires scrambling over rocks at a cliff face. Past the cliff, the trail is a little flatter and soon comes out at the huge pool at the base of Wintergreen Falls.

Chub Line Falls:

Chub Line Falls along the Toxaway River is so named because it marks the furthest upstream that chub minnows are able to swim. And seeing the force of Chub Line Falls, it is no wonder that they can't make it further upstream. Chub Line Falls is extremely difficult to visit. It is located on the Toxaway River just north/northeast of the stream crossing at Toxaway River. There is no trail or markers indicating where the falls are, but it's possible to hear it from the trail. From here, it is a steep and difficult bushwack down to the falls. The map below should give you a rough estimate of where it is. At the bottom, you should come out on some rocks above the falls. Unfortunately, I don't know anyway to get downstream of the falls to get a good picture. Just a shot from above on the rocks. There are sheer cliff faces on both side downstream of the falls, so no easy way to get down there for a shot of the falls. Overall, I don't think this one is really worth the bushwack, considering it's not possible to see the falls from base.

Augur Fork Creek:

Augur Fork Creek is a tributary of Toxaway River. Augur Hole Trail roughly follows the creek downstream to Toxaway. There are several waterfalls on the creek and its tributaries.

Double Drop Falls:

Double Drop Falls is a 15-foot waterfall on Augur Fork Creek, not far from the trail. From Frozen Creek access, hike about 1.5 miles on Augur Hole Trail and listen for the waterfall. It may be visible from the trail as well. Look for a spot to get off the trail and descend down to creek level. It's very steep and there's no trail at all, but it's not very far.

Augur Fork Falls:

Augur Fork Falls is located right at the confluence with Maple Spring Branch, which has its own waterfall as well. Two for the price of one! From the Frozen Creek access, hike down Augur Hole Trail just under 2.5 miles to where the trail curves to the right. In the outside of the curve, a steep trail leads down the ridge to the confluence. There was flagging tape on my last visit, so it was easy to follow but very steep. A rope is helpful in a couple spots. You'll come at on Augur Fork Creek at the confluence with Maple Spring Branch. Augur Fork Falls is to the left (west) as is easily visible from creek level.

Maple Spring Branch Falls:

Maple Spring Branch Falls is located at the confluence with Augur Fork Creek. Follow the directions to Augur Fork Falls above and look to the right (east) to see Maple Spring Branch Falls. It's hard to get a good view from creek level; there is an obvious path that goes up along Maple Spring Branch to a point with a good view. Looking across, there's a nice view of Augur Fork Falls from here.

Blog Entries:

13-Oct-2019: Gorges Waterfalls

12-Oct-2019: Gorgeous Gorges

08-Oct-2016: Sidepocket and Paw Paw Falls

28-Jun-2015: Turtleback Falls

20-Feb-2015: Wintergreen Falls

22-Oct-2014: Back to Brevard

16-Mar-2013: Hidden Waterfalls in Gorges

09-Mar-2013: Waterfalls along Horsepasture

07-Jul-2012: Horsepasture & Thompson Waterfalls

External Links:

NC State Parks website: https://www.ncparks.gov/gorges-state-park

US Forest Service website for Rainbow Falls Trail: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nfsnc/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=48438&actid=50

Friends of Gorges State Park website: https://friendsofgorges.org/