COVID-19 information for parks under phase 3
Posted on: Monday, October 5, 2020 - 2:12pm |
Directions
Trails and restrooms are open. The picnic shelters are open and available for reservations; please observe the maximum outdoor gathering limit of 50 people.
The visitor center is open, but the exhibit area, classroom, and auditorium remain closed. A properly worn mask or face covering, covering both the nose and the mouth, is required to enter the visitor center.
All campsites are open. Raymond Fisher campsites can be reserved online or campers can bring exact change ($15 per night per site) and register in-person at the trailhead. Other backcountry campsites are available for free on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please note that this alert is updated only when something changes. Generally, state parks are following the phased reopening statewide. As of October 3, we are following modified Phase 3.
Last updated on: Monday, October 5, 2020Due to increased visitation, several parks are reaching parking space capacity and are having to close temporarily on weekends to incoming traffic. Gorges State Park is seeing high visitation on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with the park filling up by noon until around 3 p.m. Please visit the park during the week when possible; plan to arrive early morning or late afternoon on weekends; and/or have a backup plan in case the park is full when you arrive.
Last updated on: Wednesday, September 30, 2020
Contact the park
828-966-9099
gorges@ncparks.gov
Addresses
Visitor center
976 Grassy Ridge Road
Sapphire, NC 28774
GPS: 35.0960, -82.9510
Frozen Creek access
Frozen Creek Road
Brevard, NC 28712
GPS: 35.1086, -82.8837
Hours
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- 7:00am to 9:00pm
- Closed Christmas Day
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- 8:00am to 6:30pm
- Closed Christmas Day
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- Open daily:
9:00am to 5:00pm
- Closed Christmas Day
Area information
Gorges State Park is located in Sapphire, NC in Transylvania County. The park is approximately 45 miles southwest of Asheville. Follow Hwy 64west out of Brevard until you reach Sapphire, turn left on Hwy 281south, the park entrance is .7 miles on your left. The Visitor Center is located .5 miles inside the park on Grassy Ridge Road.
From Asheville, reach the park from I-26, taking exit 40 onto NC 280 and traveling west toward Brevard. Turn west on US 64 and travel toward Sapphire. To reach the Frozen Creek Access (east side of the park), turn left onto Frozen Creek Road, which is approximately two miles past NC 178. The east entrance is three miles on the right. To reach the Grassy Ridge Access (west side of the park), turn south on NC 281 in Sapphire; the western park entrance is .7 miles on the left.
From Atlanta, GA, reach the park from I-85, taking South Carolina exit 1 onto SC 11 and traveling north toward Walhalla, SC. Turn north on SC 130, which becomes NC 281 at the North Carolina state line. Continue north on NC 281. The Grassy Ridge Access (west side of the park) is approximately seven miles north of the state line on the right. To reach the Frozen Creek Access (east side of the park), turn east on NC 64 in Sapphire. Travel toward Brevard approximately eight miles and turn right on Frozen Creek Road. The east entrance is three miles on the right.
From Charlotte, reach the park by traveling west on NC 74 to I-26. Turn west on I-26, traveling toward Hendersonville. Take exit 49B to NC 64 and travel west through Brevard toward Sapphire. To reach the Frozen Creek Access (east side of the park), turn left onto Frozen Creek Road, which is approximately two miles past NC 178. The east entrance is three miles on the right. To reach the Grassy Ridge Access (west side of the park), turn south on NC 281 in Sapphire; the western park entrance is .7 miles on the left.
From Greenville, SC, reach the park by traveling on US 276 north to SC 11. Take SC 11 south toward Walhalla, SC, and turn north on SC 130, which becomes NC 281 at the North Carolina state line. Continue north on NC 281. The Grassy Ridge Access (west side of the park) is approximately seven miles north of the state line on the right. To reach the Frozen Creek Access (east side of the park), turn east on NC 64 in Sapphire. Travel toward Brevard approximately eight miles and turn right on Frozen Creek Road. The east entrance is three miles on the right.
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