Recreation
Gorges State Park is open for year round recreation including, camping, hiking, mountain biking, and fishing. Primitive camping is available in several different natural environments. The Ray Fisher Place campground is located in the Grassy Ridge Access area. It is a hike-in campground with six primitive campsites, each with a picnic table, fire ring and lantern hook. Ray Fisher Place has been closed indefinitely due to construction activities in the park. Another camping area is near the shores of Lake Jocassee, along the Foothills Trail. These campsites are also primitive and hike-in. Dispersed camping is also permitted in the adjoining Pisgah National Forest, and backpackers may register and leave their vehicles in the park. Lake Jocassee is a deep man made lake which forms much of the park's southern boundary, and it is open to trout and bass fishing. The streams of Gorges State Park are all designated Wild Trout Waters. Many miles of trails are open to hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding.
The Grassy Ridge Access off North Carolina Highway 281 in Sapphire is the park's primary access. This area is most well known for providing the principle access to Rainbow Falls and Turtleback Falls on the Horsepasture River. These falls are in the Pisgah National Forest, but it is not uncommon for visitors to mistakenly think the falls are inside the park because the park provides the only easy, legal access to them. Upper Bearwallow Falls is located in the access area, and it currently is the only waterfall in the park, which has an official park trail leading to it. The access area is still development and parts of it may be temporarily closed due to construction.
The Frozen Creek Access off Frozen Creek Road in Rosman is the park's secondary access, and the park's longest trails are reached from it. Both the Auger Hole and Cane Break trails start at the access, and they end at different points along the Foothills Trail. The Auger Hole Trail is the park's only multi-use trail and it is open to hikers, horse-back riders, and mountain bicyclists.
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