Visit The 'Grand Canyon Of The East' At North Carolina's Waterfall Gorge
By Jenna Busch
VACATIONS
North Carolina's Linville Gorge has waterfalls, a large gorge, a powerful river, and great camping. It is often called the "Grand Canyon of the East" for its depth and beauty.
Inside the gorge, the Linville River drops down from Linville Falls with a sparkling 90-foot cascade. There are overlooks, hiking trails, and 12,000 acres of wilderness to explore.
You can also find a virgin forest to trek through, fishing (with a permit) for brown and rainbow trout, camping, and animals like deer, hawks, turkey, and raccoons.
Before camping or hiking in Linville Gorge, note that the trails are not maintained, the primitive campsites require a free permit, and there are black bears in the area.
If you're not into primitive camping, there is more developed tent, RV, and cabin camping at Linville Falls Campground. The site has laundry, flushing toilets, and drinking water.