Windy Falls (via NC 281)
Gorges State Park
NC 281 South, P.O. Box 100
Sapphire, NC 28774-0100
(828) 966-9099
Gorges State Park is one of North Carolina’s newest state parks. The property was purchased by the state from Duke Energy Corporation, and the transaction includes a 2,900-acre game land managed by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. The 7,100-acre state park has plunging waterfalls, rugged river gorges, sheer rock walls and one of the greatest concentrations of rare and unique species in the eastern United States.
This hike to Ray Fisher pond starts at the Grassy Ridge parking area in the park – which is also the trailhead for Rainbow Falls. The trail shares the path with the Rainbow Falls Trail but quickly breaks off to the left to leave the crowds behind and descend to Ray Fisher Pond. This pond once had an adjacent campsite with picnic tables, fire rings, and a pit toilet, but camping is no longer permitted here although there are other backcountry sites that you can reserve from Gorges State Park. From the pond, you can either backtrack to the trailhead or take a short side-hike to Windy Falls or to a viewing platform at Bearwallow Falls. Both have scenic overlooks, but access to Windy Falls is more difficult due to some challenging terrain and the need for excellent route finding skills.
- click to see photos from this hike in Gorges State Park: August 24, 2002
- click for a detailed trip report of this camping trip at the Ray Fischer backcountry site: August 24, 2002 (password required)
- click to see a trip report from this backpacking trip to Windy Falls: August 24, 2022 (password required)
- click for a park map of Gorges State Park printed in 2023
- click to compare a park map of Gorges State Park from 2013
- click for a topo and profile map of this hike to Windy Falls via NC 281 (password required)
- click for a topographical and profile map of a hike to Windy Falls from Grassy Ridge (password required)
- click for a trail map of this hike to our camping area at the Ray Fisher campsite
- click for a topographical and profile map of the hike to Ray Fisher Pond (password required)
- click for The Camel’s photo journal of our hike to the Ray Fisher Pond in August 2002 (password required)
- click for another hike to Rainbow Falls and Windy Falls in via NC 281 in February 2001
- click to access the guidebook North Carolina Hiking Trails which has details on this destination
- click for other North Carolina hiking and backpacking books