The Green River Game Lands-that name totally intrigued us. My husband and I were looking for somewhere fun to go explore and literally saw this on the map in a spot that looked somewhat close to Greenville (roughly 1 hour away). When I researched it a bit, we saw that there are multiple trails in the Game Lands and the whole area has a lot to offer. The Green River Narrows, famous for whitewater kayak racing, are nestled in this parcel of land and that ended up being our destination. We visited in early summer and did the Green River Cove trail to Pulliam Creek  as well as the loosely marked dive into the gorge in order to see the Narrows. What a cool spot! It is a surprisingly rugged, steep descent involving cables and requiring some careful stepping, but that only added to the wild isolated feel we were enjoying.

 

We ran as much of this as we could given our time and the terrain.  It ended up being about 8-9 miles round trip including the trail to the Narrows. Much of the  trail winds pleasantly along the river across rolling hills, but at the Narrows everything opens up giving the feel of a larger more substantial gorge. There was a fantastic waterfall pouring into the river and massive rocks were tumbled everywhere. It felt epic and we were the only ones there to enjoy it.

At the end of our run, we back tracked to a little parking area right before Wilderness Cove Tubing and Campground that provides access to the river via a short trail. This was a great cool down, but even better (if you have the time) is a 2 hour float down the Green River provided by Wilderness Cove Tubing. We tubed on a Sunday afternoon late in the summer and had a blast. It was relatively busy, but the river didn’t feel crowded. The rapids were fun without being scary-big and two hours was more than enough time to enjoy the scenery and soak up the cool water.

 

We hit two different restaurants on our return journeys, both of which were delicious! After the run, we caught pizza night at Wild Flour Bakery in Saluda, NC. Wednesdays and Fridays they offer wood-fired pizza from 5-8. It was truly delicious and relatively close to the Game Lands. After tubing, we visited Green River BBQ in Saluda. With live music and some of the best ribs I’ve ever tasted, it too hit the marks for convenient proximity and tasty food.

Altogether, this is an awesome little afternoon or day-trip. The drive to the Game Lands is relatively short, but quite scenic. The trails and the river are fantastic and the proximity to the cute mountain town of Saluda with multiple yummy restaurants sealed the deal. We will definitely return.

Keep looking for adventure far and nigh!

Getting There:  The parking area for Green River Cove trail access is off of Green River Cove Rd. just past Wilderness Cove Tubing and Campground. You can plug that address (3772 Green River Cove Rd. Saluda NC 28773 US) into your GPS, go just past it (maybe .1 mile or less) to a small pull-off on the right and park there.  Cross the road and you will see a private property drive. The entrance to the trail is off of that drive on the left.

We ran the Green River Cove Trail  about 3.5 miles, until we reached an intersection with Pullium Creek Trail veering to the right. We took this split and went about .75 miles on Pullium until we came to some pink tape (on our left) marking the trail down to the Narrows. This treacherous, rooty trail was between .25-.5 miles straight down to the river. Be very careful if you decide to attempt it, especially with a dog. It’s very steep, tricky footing.

 

Seasonal Considerations: Hunting is permitted in the Game Lands  from September through May. If you’re planning to visit during this time, be sure to wear bright clothing or go on Sunday when no hunting is allowed. For more details on the hunting particulars and  trail information, I found this  online document  extremely helpful.

Also, there appeared to be a good amount of poison ivy in places during the late spring/early summer months, so be on the lookout for that if you’re sensitive to it.