The Blue Ridge escarpment is notorious for steep, forested walls and deep mountain gorges.

This is where the rugged Appalachian Mountains meet the gently rolling foothills of South Carolina. Cold mountain streams tumble down the escarpment thousands of feet in a few miles.

One of the deepest, most rugged of these is the Green River Gorge near Saluda, NC.

The river is famed for its whitewater rafting and the Gorge Zipline. The gorge also has 9 hiking trails

The gorge also has 9 hiking trails in the Green River Game Lands. The 18,000-acre Gamelands preserve protects much of the gorge.

EARLY ON AN April morning, my friends and I decided to make the 2-hour drive to the Game Lands. We got off the Interstate near Saluda and immediately turned onto an insanely curving road.

The narrow paved road switched back and forth down a steep grade into the gorge.

At the bottom, we found parking by the river.

It was noticeably cooler than just a few miles up the road.

The air was as fresh as it gets.

We walked down a muddy path to the river’s edge.

We found a small beach and the Green River in a wide calm pool.

A rapid dumped crystal clear water into the pool.

It would be the perfect swimming hole if it wasn’t so chilly.

We drove another couple miles to a small pull-off just after a bridge.

I made the mistake of leaving my jacket in the car.

Finding the trailhead was a struggle but soon enough we found it.

We climbed up a set of stairs and into the woods.

We planned on hiking a 10-mile loop using 5 of the preserve’s trails.

WE STARTED ON the Green River Cove Trail which follows the river upstream 3 miles. The early morning light was just starting to reach the deep valley. It was still fairly dark under the canopy of Mountain Laurel along the side of the gorge. Soon the trail descended into the river’s floodplains where we passed the remnants of an old homestead.

Parts of the rock chimney were all that remained.

Several small streams cut across the trail but were easy to cross thanks to well-placed rocks.

Further up the river, we found several good-sized rapids.

We climbed down onto the rocky river edge for pictures.

Shortly after the rapid, we left the Green River and started climbing.

THE PULLIAM CREEK Trail is an old logging road, making for an easier climb. Soon we made it to the junction to the Green River Narrows, where we planned on lunch. We started down the trail and found how long the quarter-mile detour was. The dirt and rock trail was steep. Ropes and trees helped make the descent easier but every step was slow and tedious.

10 minutes later, we were rewarded with an incredible sight.

Pulliam Creek tumbled down a small waterfall into the Green River.

The sight was the Narrows.

The Green River squeezes between huge boulders in the middle of the river, tumbling 20 feet.

Toward the bottom of the narrow, the river pinched into a space only several feet wide.

Rugged mountains rose on either side.

We sat on the river’s edge and ate ham and cheese sandwiches.

Soon it was time to make the difficult climb back to the top.

The climb was steep enough that a slip could cause us to fall back to the bottom.

After a 20-minutes struggle, we reached the top where we took a welldeserved break.

Eventually, the trail met Pulliam Creek. We crossed the creek and followed it upstream.

THE CREEK WAS deep and dark in its own gorge but peaceful with the small tumbling creek and mountain laurel lined walls. Wildflowers were at full bloom. The Trilliums were some of my favorites. After a mile, we turned onto Rockhop Trail and followed a flat trail upstream to another smaller creek.

Soon we made it to an open field where we took a break and checked the map. It was nearing 2 pm and we under

It was nearing 2 pm and we underestimated how long it would take.

We planned on hiking another 5 miles putting us at 12 miles but found a 10-mile shortcut. In the field, we left the trail and back into the woods.

After a short climb, we made it to Long Ridge Trail, a wide gravel road.

By now it was all downhill and we followed the road for about a mile along a forested ridgeline.

AFTER ANOTHER MILE, the road ended at a big clearing. We descended to Stairstep Falls, a 30-foot waterfall tucked ynder mountain laurel.

The last 3-quarters of a mile was a steep descent full of switchbacks along Bluff Trail. We completed the loop and, exhausted, reached our car.

The Green River Gamelands was more than it promised to be.

The gorge is a must-see if you want to escape into the rugged Blue Ridge.

Hike the Green River Cove Trail, zipline the Gorge, or whitewater raft with Green River Adventures.

Email me at cole.lexchron@gmail. com with any questions or comments.