Gorges State Park Campground, near Sapphire, North Carolina, is a fantastic destination for those who love the great outdoors. This campground is known for its pristine environment, featuring clean sites and easy access to numerous hiking trails and stunning waterfalls.

The campground offers a mix of tent and RV accommodations, with some sites boasting full hookups. Visitors rave about the immaculate bathhouse and the well-maintained facilities, making it a comfortable place to unwind after a day of adventure. One camper noted, “The park has a great visitors center, lots of trails for hiking and seeing waterfalls, campground is pristine.”

For those who enjoy hiking, you’re in luck! The area is packed with trails leading to breathtaking waterfalls, including the famous Rainbow Falls. Reviewers have highlighted the peaceful atmosphere, with one stating, “The peace and quiet from being out in these woods was wonderful.” 

While the campground is primarily a hike-in location, it’s worth the trek for the tranquility and natural beauty that awaits. Whether you’re looking to relax by the fire or explore the surrounding wilderness, Gorges State Park Campground is a great choice for your next outdoor adventure.

SAPPHIRE, NC  
General Park Hours: 7am to 9pm  
Picnic & Day Use Areas: 7am to 8:30pm  
Visitor Center: 9am to 5pm with extended hours during the summer season  
The Park is open every day. For specific park information please call (828) 966-9099.

There are eight designated sites with fire rings, picnic tables, lantern hooks and a bear proof storage bin. A pit privy is also available. Follow the blue circle markers on the Raymond Fisher Trail for 3/4 of a mile. While camping, visitors can enjoy the scenery and peaceful nature of the small Ray Fisher pond located within the camping area. These sites are available only by reservation (with a fee).

  
 **Campground Rules**  

**Park visitors are responsible for knowing and following all state park rules and regulations**

- Camping is allowed in designated areas by permit only. Fires are permitted only in designated areas and must always be tended. 
- There is a maximum limit of 6 people, and 2 tents per campsite. All camping equipment must be on the campsite pad and not spread out in the woods. 
- All food, coolers, trash, scented items, and etc must be stored in bear proof storage container at site. Campsites always need to be clean and free of trash. 
- Possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited, and visitors shall not be or become intoxicated while within any state park or recreation area.
- Firearms and other weapons are prohibited except that those with a proper permit may possess a concealed handgun in permitted areas and under the requirements of North Carolina G.S. 14-415.11. All firearms and weapons are prohibited in state park visitor centers and park offices. (EXCEPTION: Federal law (36 C.F.R. 327.13) prohibits loaded firearms or ammunition on those lands and waters at Falls Lake, Jordan Lake and Kerr Lake state recreation areas managed by the state parks system and owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.)
- Fireworks, cap pistols, air guns, bows and arrows, slingshots and lethal projectiles or missiles of any kind are prohibited on all properties managed by the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.
- Quiet hours are from 10pm until 7am. The production or emission in any park or recreation area of noises, amplified speech, music or other sounds that annoy, disturb or frighten park visitors is always prohibited.
- Pets are permitted in parks so long as they are on an attended leash no longer than 6 feet and under the constant control of the owner, and on all pedestrian trails.
- Overnight, pets must be confined to the owner's tent. Pets are not allowed in the bathhouses or swimming areas.
- Unlicensed vehicles and motorcycles, golf carts, ATV's and mini-bikes are prohibited except for mobility-aid devices used by a mobility-impaired person. 
- All vehicles are prohibited from walkways, trails and other areas not designated for such purposes.
- The removal, destruction or injury of any tree, flower, artifact, fern, shrub, rock or other plant or mineral in any park is prohibited unless with an approved collection permit for scientific or educational purposes.

Gorges State Park Campground

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Lake Toxaway

The Best Camping Near Lake Toxaway, North Carolina

Was not clearly marked, if at all that these campsites are a 2 mile hike from parking. Would have packed differently had we known! Once we got over the shock and set up, it ended up being one of the most peaceful and scenic sites that I have ever been to. There is no immediate water access but plenty of hiking trails that led to beautiful waterfalls and swimming holes.

Hike in sites only. 

This is one of North Carolina’s best waterfall parks. Rainbow Falls, Turtel Back Falls and Bust your Ass Falls. The Visitors Center has free parking for RV’s and Vans theirs numerous primitive sites and I found a Gem of a site about 2 miles from the parking lot. 

More than just a campground

We loved this place. It is a hike-in campground so know that before you go, probably 1.5 mile hike so nothing crazy. Once there the sites are nice and cozy with decent space between you and your neighbors. The peace and quiet from being out in these woods was wonderful. Each site has a fire pit and a picnic table. The hikes to the waterfalls are easily accessible and totally worth it. If you aren’t into primitive camping this might not be for you.

Peace, quiet and beautiful waterfalls

We visited this park on Saturday, October 22, and discovered this was the day that reservations were going live to begin reserving the brand-new developed campground(Grassy Ridge Access) for dates starting on October 29. The campground will have five primitive cabins, 16 tent and 14 FHU sites. We were not even allowed to see the campground on this day. 

  

Frozen Creek Access will continue to offer first-come, first-served tent sites free of charge. These are not reservable. There are six designated backpack sites along the Foothills Trail near the southern boundary of the park. Dispersed primitive tent camping is available in Pisgah National Forest along the Rainbow Falls Trail. Access to this trail is from the Grassy Ridge entrance to the park. These sites are not reservable and are free of charge, but you must register at the visitor center or the trailhead. 

  

The Visitor Center is beautiful– not sure when it was completed. There is also a large picnic shelter near the Bearwallow Valley Trail. 

  

We only had time to hike the short trail to Upper Bearwallow Falls but would like to return to camp here and hike to Rainbow Falls so this park is on our return list for sure!

UPDATED INFORMATION!

Great experience at end of May, 2023. The park has had primitive camping for years, but this year is the first season with an area for RVs/trailers and a separate area tent campers. All sites are level with concrete pads, except for the tent site. Fire pit is on bricks. Bathhouse is immaculate. The park has a great visitors center, lots of trails for hiking and seeing waterfalls, campground is pristine, and non-tent sites have full hookups. The park covers 7,000+ acres and hosts the start of the trail into Pisgah National Forest to the famous Rainbow Falls. We have a 17' Casita and stayed in a site with full hookups. Activities in the surrounding area include lots of waterfalls, hiking, mountain biking, golf, shopping and dining in the Highlands, and some great restaurants.

Pristine, quiet, and waterfalls

Very nice ...FULL HOOK UP!♡

This is a great State Park campground. New, clean, lots of hikes and waterfalls. It doesn’t get any better than this !!

Great place to be :

**General:** Newer campground (opened November 2022) with a mix of electric and tent sites plus primitive cabins. 

  

**Site Quality:** All sites have a paved camper pad, a large gravel tent pad, a very generous-sized picnic table, and a fire ring. The tent site camper pads can easily accommodate two cars. Be aware, however, that camper pads on the odd-numbered tent sites (5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15) are **not** level, but Sites 1 and 3 plus the even-numbered sites have level parking pads. This is only a concern if, like us, you are in a campervan; tents would have no problem. 

  

**Bath/Shower house:** Extremely clean. It is a bit of a hike from the tent sites to the bathhouse, which is ¼ mile from Site 6. The shower was one of the best campground showers we’ve experienced– nicely tiled, long bench, several hooks, immediate warm water, and nice water pressure. Since the bathhouse was so far from the tent sites, it would have been nice to have a vault toilet in this area. 

  

**Activities:** There are several trails in this park, however, they are a bit of a distance from the campground, so unless you want a longer hike, you need to drive to the trailheads. The best one is to Rainbow and Turtle Back Falls, a somewhat challenging 4-mile round trip hike, but well worth it. 

  

We had planned a return to this campground specifically to hike to Rainbow Falls. Our stay was very pleasant (despite periodic downpours!), and Connie, the camp host, was one of the best we’ve encountered in a campground.

"Gorgesous" campground!

This campground would’ve gotten five stars except for the road getting there was pretty exciting. The last 10 miles out of Brevard were curvy and had some grades. And the last 2 miles into the campground had I would guess a couple of 10% grades both up and down. Other than that, this campground was super nice. Has the nicest showers I have ever seen in a campground. All the sites for RVs are on concrete pads with electric, water, and sewer. This was a great staging point for our trip up to the great Smoky Mountains. The visitor center was very informative. 


Photos of Gorges State Park Campground

Real photos from real campers