Jocassee Gorges Trip Reports
My first trip to the Jocassee Gorges came in the late '90's. Myron was leading a backpacking trip to Lake Jocassee. The idea of spending 3-days hiking along a lake wasn't very inspiring. It was January though, and I didn't have anything better to do. I came along, and was amazed at what we found. Jocassee isn't your ordinary Carolina lake. It is surrounded by rugged mountains and deep gorges carved by whitewater streams. Our first visit took us to the Laurel Fork Gorge, Lake Jocassee, and the Toxaway River. I was fascinated, and planned a return trip the next winter. On our return, we started at magnificent Whitewater Falls and hiked for three days. This route took in Upper and Lower Whitewater Falls, the Thompson River, Hilliard Falls, and the lower Horsepasture River.
|
Most of the Jocassee Gorges area used to owned by Duke Power. in the late '90's, they announced plans to sell a large portion of their property. South Carolina purchased most of the land bordering Lake Jocassee, but North Carolina was slow to act. The conservation community feared that the land would be purchased by developers. That summer, I led a Sierra Club hiking trip there to spur interest in protecting the area. On the first day, we hiked and bushwhacked from Frozen Creek Road to Wintergreen Falls on the Toxaway River. The following day we hiked the upper Horsepasture River to Rainbow Falls, Stairstep Falls, and the brink of Windy Falls. All of the waterfalls were beautiful, but Windy Falls really stirred my imagination. It was a serious adventure just getting to the top of the falls, but getting a view of the elusive cascades proved even more difficult. Finally we settled for a fine view from a cliff above the first drop. As we relaxed on the rocks, we spotted a black bear getting a drink at the base of the falls. This trip began a long running obsession for me with Windy Falls that continues to this day. Later that year, the state purchased the land and created a game land and Gorges State Park. In June, 2018 Team Waterfall did a camping weekend, featuring a flight with John in a small plane over the waterfalls of the Jocassee Gorges. On Sunday we discovered a waterfall in the Nantahala National Forest.     (Photos)
|
The Whitewater and Thompson Rivers
|
The Horsepasture River and Bearwallow Creek
|
The Toxaway River, Rock Creek, and Laurel Fork
|
Back to North Carolina
Back to Hiking and Backpacking Trip Reports
Home
Please remember to Leave No Trace!