Topics Related to Gorges State Park

Join us at Gorges State Park for the 2026 annual First Day Hike.

Join us at Gorges State Park for the annual First Day Hike.

Join Ranger Hill for a hike to the Upper Bearwallow Falls Overlook.
Please be prepared for a moderate, 30-minute hike, with proper footwear and water. We will be meeting at the Upper Bearwallow Picnic Shelter.

Autumn is in full swing and animals are on the move, come and help identify the wildlife around the park using only their tracks to find them!

Gorges State Park in Transylvania County will host its third annual Mountain Monarch Festival on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the park’s visitor center. The festival celebrates the monarch butterfly during its migration and bring attention to the species’ declining numbers.

Due to expected impacts of Hurricane Helene, Gorges State Park and Mount Mitchell State Park will be closed Thursday and Friday, Sept. 26-27. The Mountain Monarch Festival at Gorges, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28, has been cancelled.

All North Carolina state parks west of Interstate 77 are closed through at least Oct. 31.

Crowders Mountain, Gorges, Grandfather Mountain and Lake Norman state parks, as well as Rendezvous Mountain, will reopen at least partially on Nov. 1.

Elk Knob, Lake James, New River, and Stone Mountain state parks will reopen at least partially on Nov. 15; three parks will remain closed until further notice and face long-term closures: Chimney Rock, Mount Mitchell, and South Mountains.

State Parks Director Brian Strong provides additional information on post-Helene rescue and recovery efforts and the status of western state parks.