Gorges State Park

Coordinates: 35°04′12″N 82°55′16″W / 35.07000°N 82.92111°W / 35.07000; -82.92111
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Gorges State Park
North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation
WebsiteGorges State Park

Gorges State Park is a 7,709-acre (31.20 km2)[1] North Carolina state park in Transylvania County, North Carolina in the United States and along with other conservation lands is part of a 100,000+ acre conservation corridor stretching some 80 miles along the NC/SC state line. The land, along Jocassee Gorges, was purchased by the state from Duke Energy Corporation in 1999. It is North Carolina's westernmost state park and one of the state's newest. The park is adjacent to part of the Pisgah National Forest and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission's Toxaway Game Land. Gorges State Park provides the principal access to the Horsepasture River on these adjoining public lands.

History

Duke Energy power lines cut through along Grassy Ridge

The land of Gorges State Park is a thriving second growth forest. It has recovered from the interference of man to provide a thriving and unique habitat.

One of the most damaging interferences to the Gorges environment occurred in 1916 when the dam containing Lake Toxaway broke. Record amounts of water gushed southward down the Toxaway River, destroying the communities in its path, scouring the gorges and leaving piles of debris 15 to 20 feet (6.1 m) high.

Following the flood, local citizens eventually sold large land tracts in the Gorges to

hydropower
projects.

Conservation studies, in Jocassee Gorge, began in the late 1970s. In the late 1990s,

NC Division of Parks and Recreation stepped up to create, with the support of local citizens and the North Carolina General Assembly, one of the newest state parks in 1999.[2]

Recreation

Gorges State Park is open for year-round recreation, including,

hike-in campground with six primitive campsites, each with a picnic table, fire ring and lantern hook, and it was a 0.75-mile (1.21 km) hike from the Rainbow Falls Trail-head. 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.[3]
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 with a maintained trail leading to it.

The Frozen Creek Access off Frozen Creek Road in

hikers, horse-back riders, and mountain bicyclists
.

Temperate rain forest

Rainfall and sciences at the park

The average yearly rainfall at Gorges State Park is over 80 inches (2,000 mm) creating a

precipitation.[5]

Ecology

Gorges State Park is home to a wide variety of habitats due to its differing geologic formations, elevation, and climate. It is located between the Tennessee Valley/Gulf of Mexico and the Savannah River/Atlantic Ocean drainage basins. Five streams flowing through Gorges State Park carry water over the Blue Ridge Escarpment, gradually at first, before plummeting over waterfalls into a series of gorges.[6]

Gorges State Park is home to roughly 125 rare plant and animal species and 12 endangered or threatened plant and animal species.

spores blew in from the tropics. Others think that the species have remained from a time period when the surrounding area was much warmer.[6]

Gorges State Park is also home to an abundance of plant and wildlife that is more typical to the southern Appalachians. Plant species include,

Oconee bells are very rare flowering plants are abundant in the gorges of the park. These flowers are endangered and populations of the plant have been found.[6]

The most common animal species of Gorges State Park are white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, coyote, fox, and wild boar. The park is also home to North Carolina's largest known population of green salamanders. The rare Swainson's warbler and three rare fish, the turquoise darter, rosyface chub and redeye bass are found in Gorges State Park as well.[6]

Nearby state parks

The following state parks and state forests are within 30 miles (48 km) of Gorges State Park:

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Size of the North Carolina State Parks System". North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. January 1, 2015. Archived from the original (XLS) on October 4, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  2. North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
    . Retrieved October 16, 2007.
  3. North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
    . Retrieved October 16, 2007.
  4. North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
    . Retrieved October 16, 2007.
  5. ISBN 0-19-513271-8
    .
  6. ^
    North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources
    . Retrieved October 16, 2007.

External links
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