Drift Falls, Turtleback Falls, Rainbow Falls on Horsepasture River - Member Hike

Hike Name:	Drift Falls, Turtleback Falls, Rainbow Falls on Horsepasture River
Country:	United States
State:	North Carolina
Nearby Town:	Sapphire, NC
Rating:
Directions:	Note: The directions and trail down to the Horse Pasture River have changed with the opening of Gorges State Park. The old trail head is blocked off. To get to the Park from Sapphire, NC, at the intersection of Hwy 64 and NC 281, go south on 281 for one mile until you reach the entrance to Gorge's State park on the left. From Salem, SC, go north on Hwy 130 for approx 18 miles (SC 130 changes to NC 281 just after entering NC and passing Upper Whitewater Falls) and look for the entrance of Gorges State Park on the right. Once in the park, drive 1.6 miles to the 2nd paved parking lot. The Trailhead is behind the information kiosk at the far end to the parking lot. Although the park closes at night, you can park here if camping overnight along the Horse Pasture River.
Total Hike Distance:	3.00 miles
Hike Difficulty:	Easy to Moderate
Permit Required:	No
Hike Type:	In & Out, Backtrack Hike
Hike Starts/Ends:	Behind kiosk in 2nd parking lot inside the Park
Trails Used:	Grassy Ridge
Backcountry Campsites:	Yes
Backcountry Water Sources:	Rivers
Management:	None
Contact Information:	NC State Parks Gorges state Park NC 281 South, P.O. Box 100, Sapphire, NC 28774-0100 GPS coordinates: 35.1133, -82.9563 Office Phone: (828) 966-9099 Email: gorges@ncdenr.gov
Best Season:	Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
Users:	Hikers
Road Conditions:	Primary Paved Roads
Hike Summary:	From the information kiosk, it is approx a 3-mile round trip to Rainbow Falls. The trail is marked with orange circles while you are in the Park. Once out of the park, the trail remains well-defined and easy to follow. Approx a mile into the hike and before you get to the river, there is a sign directing you to the right for Rainbow Falls. (The trail that departs to the left from behind this sign goes to Stairway Falls.) Continuing on to Rainbow Falls, pass through a campground, and proceed up river to Rainbow Falls. Turtle Back Falls is approx .2 miles further up river and Drift Falls another .25 miles.