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Gorges State Park, located about halfway between Cashiers and Brevard, is set in the midst of plunging waterfalls, rugged river gorges, sheer rock walls and a high concentration of rare species. The Park receives over 80 inches of rain each year which is enough rain to qualify the area as a temperate rain forest. Most people are drawn to the park to explore Rainbow Falls, and Turtle Back Falls which lies just upstream, as well as Bearwallow Falls which lies in the northern section of the Park. Backcountry-style recreation has been a hallmark of Gorges with distance hiking & backpack camping…but trout fishing, mountain biking and horseback riding are also welcome in various parts of the Park’s rugged interior.
In this episode, I sit down with Kevin Bischof, the new Park Superintendent for Gorges State Park, and we talk about many of the things that make this park so special. Kevin goes in depth to describe the new front-country campground that is nearing completion, the challenges of managing a remote park that shares a boundary with a National Forest, waterfall & hiking safety, and environmental education programs. I was also surprised to learn there are actually 20 named waterfalls within the park, but due to the steepness and rugged nature of this park, they are only accessible to the most arduous and experienced hiker.
If you’ve been looking for an opportunity to explore the western North Carolina mountains without the large crowds, this episode is for you.
Photo Courtesy: Thomas Mabry
Kevin Bischof
Park Superintendent
Gorges State Park
976 Grassy Ridge Rd.
Sapphire, NC 28774
Tel: 828-966-9099
Fax: 828-966-4526
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Gorges State Park
Hiking in Gorges State Park
Brevard, NC
Cashiers, NC
Rainbow Falls
Turtle Back Falls
Pisgah National Forest
Mike Andress, Host
Exploration Local Podcast
Email: mike@explorationlocal.com
Website: https://explorationlocal.com/
Instagram: explorationlocal
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/explorationlocal/
