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Natural Heritage Trail

Green River Gorge

NC Division of Tourism, Film & Sports Development Photo by Ron Ruehl

The remote Green River Gorge, southeast of Hendersonville, North Carolina, is a rugged landscape of steep ravines, coves, and old-growth and mixed hardwood forest which boasts the some of the most popular whitewater rapids in the Eastern United States. At its most impressive point, the Green River drops 400 feet in a distance of one and a half miles and runs through a six-foot wide crevice known as the Narrows.

The Gorge runs through the Green River Game Lands, a state-owned tract of more than 10,000 acres set aside for wildlife conservation and management. Hunting, fishing, and trapping are allowed on the Game Lands, subject to state regulations. The 16 miles of hiking trails in the Game Lands are challenging, and it is recommended that hikers do not attempt the trails alone. During hunting season, which generally runs from mid-September to mid-May, Sundays are the safest day for hiking (hunting is not allowed on Sundays in North Carolina).

The 225-foot-high bridge across the Green River Gorge on Interstate 26 is the highest in North Carolina, and one of the highest in the entire United States.

Green River Gorge Hours of Operation
The Green River Gorge is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Green River Gorge Admission Fees
The Green River Gorge does not require an admission fee.
*Prices are subject to change without notice & from what is listed on this website.

Green River Gorge Location
Access to Green River Cove Trail: From I-26 near Hendersonville, take exit 59. Go east, away from Saluda, and very shortly turn left onto Green River Cover Road. Drive 3.9 miles (many hairpin turns), cross the bridge and park on the right.

NC Wildlife Resources Commission
Division of Wildlife Management
512 North Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC 27604
(919) 733-7291
www.ncwildlife.org

Environmental and Conservation Organization of Henderson County (ECO)
121 Third Avenue West, Suite 4
Hendersonville, NC 28792
(828) 692-0385
www.eco-wnc.org