place

Linville Gorge Wilderness

1964 establishments in North CarolinaIUCN Category IbOld-growth forestsPisgah National ForestProtected areas of Burke County, North Carolina
Wilderness areas of North CarolinaWilderness areas of the Appalachians
Linville Gorge 27527 3
Linville Gorge 27527 3

The Linville Gorge Wilderness ("The Grand Canyon of North Carolina") is the third largest wilderness area in North Carolina (after Shining Rock Wilderness and Joyce-Kilmer Slickrock Wilderness) and one of only two wilderness gorges in the Southern United States (along with Bald River Gorge Wilderness in Tennessee). Maintained by the United States Forest Service, it comprises 11,786 acres (47.7 km2) around the Linville River, and is situated inside the Pisgah National Forest. The river is approximately 1,400 feet (427 m) below the ridge, thus hiking in and out of the Gorge is challenging and enjoyable for those who like serious hiking. The plant and animal community is extremely diverse, with a dense hardwood/pine forest and a wide variety of smaller trees and other plants as well as bear, fox, raccoon, trout, grouse, wild turkey, vultures, owls, hawks, copperheads, and timber rattlesnakes. Popular tourist attractions in or near the wilderness are: Linville Falls, a waterfall fed by the river and free to the public. Wiseman's View, a rock outcrop near the center of the gorge that gives an excellent view of the interior of the gorge. Linville Caverns, a privately maintained cave attraction accessible by automobile from U.S. Route 221.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Linville Gorge Wilderness (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Linville Gorge Wilderness
Kistler Memorial highway,

Geographical coordinates (GPS) Address Nearby Places
placeShow on map

Wikipedia: Linville Gorge WildernessContinue reading on Wikipedia

Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N 35.906238 ° E -81.914277 °
placeShow on map

Address

Kistler Memorial highway (Old NC Highway 105)

Kistler Memorial highway

North Carolina, United States
mapOpen on Google Maps

Linville Gorge 27527 3
Linville Gorge 27527 3
Share experience

Nearby Places

Linville Caverns
Linville Caverns

Linville Caverns are privately owned active limestone caverns located in northern McDowell County, North Carolina, just south of the village of Linville Falls, on U.S. Highway 221. The caverns are open to the public year-round for guided tours. Linville Caverns have been open for tours since the late 1930s and remain the only show caverns in North Carolina. The caverns were discovered in 1822, by local fishermen and since that time have been of interest to locals and travelers alike. Half hour guided tours escort visitors through the caverns with information about cavern history, resident creatures, and the formations viewed along the way. Formed in a deposit of Shady Dolomite at the base of Humpback Mountain, Linville Caverns offer an environment for the public to explore the subterranean world of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Visitors hear the lore surrounding the caverns, including the tale of the Civil War deserters who used the caverns as a hideout, as well as the geology of the stalactites, stalagmites, and other formations found on the tour route. In the fall and winter months, caverns visitors may be able to view the caverns' most popular residents, the tricolored bats and little brown bats. These insect-eating creatures hibernate in the caverns from late fall until early spring. White-nose syndrome, a disease caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, was discovered among the bats that roost in Linville Cavern during the winter months. While harmless to humans and domestic animals, the fungus is deadly to bats. The visitor center takes steps to mitigate the spread of the fungus by asking guests to step in a bleach solution that kills any fungus on the soles of their shoes.