Hike Location: Gorges State Park
Geographic Location: east of Cashiers, NC (35.08882, -82.95164)
Length: 3.5 miles
Difficulty: 8/10 (Moderate/Difficult)
Date Hiked: June 2018
Overview: An out-and-back, mostly moderate but steep in
spots, featuring two waterfalls on the Horsepasture River.
Park Information: https://www.ncparks.gov/state-parks/gorges-state-park
Directions to the trailhead: From Cashiers, take US
64 east 10 miles to SR 281 and turn right on SR 281. Drive SR 281 south 0.9 miles to the park
entrance on the left. Turn left to enter
the park. Where the main park road
splits after passing the Visitor Center, turn right to head for the hiking
trailhead. Park at the blacktop parking
lot for the Grassy Ridge Trailhead. The
lot is decent-sized, but it can fill on nice summer days.
The hike: The
first of numerous additions to North Carolina’s state park system in the early
2000’s, Gorges State Park has the distinction of being the only North Carolina
state park west of Asheville. Before it
became a park, the land was owned by Duke Energy, who realized that the area’s
steep gorges and high rainfall made it ideal for hydroelectric power
generation. Although hydroelectric dams
were constructed downstream that form Lake Jocassee and Lake Keowee in nearby
South Carolina, the North Carolina part of Duke Energy’s land holding was not
dammed. In 1999, Duke Energy sold 7500
acres of its land to the State of North Carolina to establish the park.
Today
hikers and lovers of the outdoors are thankful for Duke Energy’s decision, for
the Jocassee Gorges that give this park its name are some of the most rugged
and wildest lands in the region. Gorges
State Park is still under development, and at present it offers only a
fantastic Visitor Center, an amphitheater, and some picnic areas for amenities
although a developed campground is planned.
Indeed, most of the land remains backcountry accessible only by rugged
backpacking trails. The famous Foothills
Trail passes through the park’s southernmost portion, while the 7.2 mile
one-way Auger Hole Trail, also open to mountain bikes and horses, slices
through the park’s center.
For people
seeking dayhikes, the Grassy Ridge area in the park’s northwest corner offers
the best opportunities. Nice waterfalls
anchor either end of the area: Bearwallow Falls lies on the east side while
Rainbow Falls lies on the west side.
Bearwallow Falls is featured on the next hike. Rainbow Falls and nearby Turtleback Falls are
featured on this hike, which is probably the best dayhike at Gorges State
Park. As such, this hike is quite
popular, and Turtleback Falls is a popular swimming and diving spot for area
youth on warm summer days.
 |
| Grassy Ridge Trailhead |
The Rainbow
Falls Trail leaves the south end of the parking lot at a well-developed
trailhead. Numerous information kiosks
and picnic tables stand here. The orange
plastic circles of the Rainbow Falls Trail and the blue plastic circles of the
Raymond Fisher Trail run conjointly as the wide gravel trail descends on a
moderate to steep grade. In total, the
trail loses about 200 feet of elevation in the first 0.3 miles.
At 0.3 miles, the Rainbow Falls and Raymond Fisher Trails part ways at a signed trail
intersection. Turn right to stay on the
Rainbow Falls Trail. The descent through
oak and pine forest continues but on a more gradual grade, and more
rhododendron appears in the understory as you get closer to the Horsepasture
River.
 |
| Descending on the Rainbow Falls Trail |
0.8 miles
into the hike, you cross the signed boundary from Gorges State Park to Pisgah
National Forest. Although both
waterfalls on this hike are technically located on national forest land, the
only trail access is from the state park trailhead via this trail. The trail surface now changes from gravel to
dirt, and significant erosion appears in the trailbed. The orange plastic circles that marked the
state park trail also disappear at this point, but the trail remains wide and
easy to follow. Soon the pleasant sound
of water rushing down the Horsepasture River comes within earshot from the
left.
At 1.1 miles, you reach the lowest elevation on this hike where you cross a small
stream on stepping stones. An
established campsite with a nice fire ring and logs for benches sits on the
right just beyond this stream crossing. The
hike now becomes a riverside ramble with the rhododendron-choked river just to
the left for the rest of the way to the falls.
 |
| Horsepasture River |
After a
very brief level section, the trail begins going steeply up and down using many
wooden steps with more up than down going in this direction. Although the difference between maximum and
minimum elevations on this hike is only about 450 feet, the almost complete
absence of level areas makes the going more difficult than you might
expect. This characteristic and high humidity are typical
of hiking in the Jocassee Gorges.
At 1.5 miles, you briefly exit the forest and reach the viewpoint for spectacular
Rainbow Falls. The rocky falls are
nearly 150 feet high, and the Horsepasture River supplies plenty of water to
fall. The rocks at the base of the falls
send a large amount of spray toward the viewpoint, and the cool spray feels
good on a hot summer day. Rainbow Falls
is by far the most scenic waterfall at Gorges State Park, so take some time
here to enjoy the view and spray.
 |
| Rainbow Falls |
Some people
turn around at Rainbow Falls, but there is another smaller waterfall only 0.2
miles upstream. Where the trail seems to
fork at the north end of the viewpoint, choose the higher right option to
emerge at river level above Rainbow Falls.
Do not wade into the river here: exactly 2 days after my hike a man
chose to wade here, got swept away by the current, and fell to his death over
Rainbow Falls. The same thing happened
to another person about 2 weeks later.
 |
| Turtleback Falls |
Climbing
more wooden steps brings you to a rocky outcrop that offers a nice view of
Turtleback Falls. At only 20 feet high,
Turtleback Falls is as much a waterslide as it is a waterfall, and area youth
like to use it as such. I passed several
groups of youths lugging coolers down this trail to this waterfall when I came
here on a warm and muggy Friday afternoon.
Although a third waterfall (sometimes called Drift Falls) exists near SR
281 less than 0.5 miles upstream, the official trail ends at Turtleback Falls. At some point you will have to turn around
and retrace your steps back to the Grassy Ridge trailhead to complete the hike.
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