Turtleback Falls on the Horsepasture River in Pisgah National Forest is accessed via the Rainbow Falls Trail in Gorges State Park. Directions and pictures of the trail from the Grassy Ridge Trailhead to Rainbow Falls can be found on my previous post.
Note that walking on wet rocks, wading, and swimming above waterfalls is inherently dangerous. Wet rocks can be slippery and one misstep can prove fatal as it has several times at Rainbow Falls and at least once at Turtleback falls in the last few years. Use extreme caution and watch children closely.
The nearly 3.5 mile round trip is listed as strenuous as the trail descends about 400 feet to the Horsepasture River before climbing over 300 feet to reach Turtleback Falls. The additional ½ mile round trip beyond Rainbow Falls is well worth the effort to see another large waterfall. When I was there in July 2017, an extended family was using the falls as a water slide. They graciously offered to stop their play for a few minutes while I captured the video at the end of this post. I continue to be amazed at how often people on a trail are willing to help others enjoy the journey.
Topographic map with GPS route
Elevation profile
Follow the path on the right to Turtleback Falls
Campsite beside trail at the top of Rainbow Falls
Fallen trees across the timber stairs
A closer view of the fallen trees
Top of Turtleback Falls
Turtleback Falls
Entry to Gorges State Park and Pisgah National Forest is free.
One of the more intriguing aspects of Gorges State Park is its cooperation and collaboration with the Pisgah National Forest. Years ago, access to the waterfalls on the Horsepasture River was from a dirt road that looped off of NC 281. Drift Falls is only about 200 feet from the highway and about 600 feet from the northern end of the dirt road. The falls were so popular that parking along the dirt road would fill up and spill out onto the shoulders of the highway. The combination of traffic entering and exiting the dirt road and parking on the shoulder of NC 281 apparently caused some safety issues for the dump trucks entering and exiting the quarry across the highway. When the property containing Drift Falls was offered for sale, the quarry owner purchased it, closed the dirt road, posted no trespassing signs, and patrolled the property with violators being taken to court.
While Rainbow Falls is in the Pisgah National Forest, the only legal access to Rainbow Falls or Turtleback Falls is by way of the Rainbow Falls Trail in Gorges State Park. The old trail to Rainbow Falls was about 1.2 miles round trip, while the current hike is listed as 3.0 miles round trip. The boundary between the state park and the national forest is clearly marked.
To reach the large, paved trailhead parking area from the visitor center, turn right out of the visitor center parking lot keeping right at the next intersection. Drive a total of 0.7 miles on Grassy Ridge Road to the trailhead parking area. This is the first parking area along the road. Currently, Grassy Ridge Road is closed at the south end of the parking lot as work continues on constructing an RV campground further along the road. There are about 45 parking spots plus four accessible spots in the lot. The lot is also used for backpack campers who camp about ¾ mile away at the Raymond Fisher home site. There were less than a half dozen vehicles when I arrived to hike, but the lot was full and a ranger was directing visitors to overflow parking on the closed section of the road when I returned from my hike. Quarry operations were clearly heard at the parking lot and along much of the trail.
Note that the topographic map denotes the land as part of the Nantahala National Forest. In 2007, the Highlands and Wayah Ranger Districts in Nantahala National Forest were combined into the new Nantahala Ranger District. As part of the consolidation, all the Transylvania County lands within the former Highlands Ranger were transferred to the Pisgah Ranger District of the Pisgah National Forest.
Also note that walking on wet rocks, wading, and swimming above waterfalls is inherently dangerous. Wet rocks can be slippery and one misstep can prove fatal as it has at least four times in the last decade at Rainbow Falls. Use extreme caution and watch children closely.
The 3.0 mile route is listed as strenuous as the trail descends about 400 feet to the river before climbing over 200 feet to reach Rainbow Falls. I hiked to the falls in July 2017.
Topographic map with GPS route
Elevation profile
Trailhead at the southern end of the parking area
The trail starts with a short incline
Resting bench for the return trip
Trail junction for backpack camping
Descending along a hillside
A second bench
Small creek crossing
Boundary between Gorges State Park and Pisgah National Forest
Trail conditions are much worse in the forest
More of the same
The side trail to the left allegedly leads to the river
Crossing a larger creek
Trail side campsite
More rocks and roots
Horsepasture River
Timber stairs
Descending timber stairs
Another view of the river
Cluttered view of Hidden Falls
Hidden Falls
Swimming hole below Hidden Falls
Lower end of the swimming hole
Rock across trail resembles a tree trunk
Damp and wet with stairs
More stairs
Still more stairs
Clearing ahead
Falls and fence
Rainbow Falls
Falls and basin
Entry to Gorges State Park and Pisgah National Forest is free.
Gorges State Park in North Carolina is located near the community of Sapphire. From Cashiers, drive 10 miles east on US 64 to the junction with NC 281. From Rosman, drive 10 miles west on US 64 to reach the same junction. Turn south on NC 281 and drive 0.9 miles. Turn left at the park entrance onto Grassy Ridge Road. Continue one mile to the visitor center.
The three paved parking lots contain 78 parking spots. Another parking area provides parking for four vehicles with handicap plates or placards. Parking for recreational vehicles and buses is not available.
The 7,100 square foot visitor center complex houses an information desk, gift shop, exhibit hall, auditorium, outdoor amphitheater, and restrooms with running water. The staff were informative and friendly and the views were outstanding. If this is your first visit to the park, plan to spend at least 30 minutes to an hour wandering through the exhibits, learning about the park, and enjoying the views. I visited the park in July 2017.
