Wilderness Cove

The Green River Game Lands single track mountain biking trails are not for the faint of heart and offer highly technical, difficult terrain. For those prepared for a challenging ride, the Green River is a true hidden gem and is one of the better lesser-known Western NC riding areas. There are ~13 miles of mountain biking trails in our immediate area, there are also plentiful mountain biking opportunities in and around the Pisgah Forest and southern Asheville areas, which are just a short drive away.

Saluda is surrounded by low-traffic mountain roads that pass through protected lands, like the Game Lands and the Greenville Watershed. George Hincapie’s Gran Fondo Greenville (every October) crosses Saluda three times. A choice 25-mile route takes you through the Game Lands along the Green River and climbs the brutal Green River Cove switchback, which boasts 1,000 feet of gain in 2.4 miles.

We adjoin the Green River Game Lands which boast more than 15,000 acres of public game land. The Game Lands boast the densest populations of turkey and white-tailed deer in the state of North Carolina. Infrastructure includes a system of floating waterfowl blinds, 19 public hunting blinds for disabled sportsmen, six wildlife observation platforms and four public WRC shooting ranges.

A challenging bike course that begins and ends at Wilderness Cove, covering approximately 25 road miles through the gorge, Saluda, and the surrounding area.

From waterfall rappelling to the steepest and fastest zipline canopy tour in the United States, the opportunities for adventure at Wilderness Cove are plentiful.

Wilderness Cove offers direct site access to the Green River Game Lands, which consist of nearly 19,000 acres of wilderness. There are 9 connected trails through the Game Lands offering nearly 15 miles of hiking through named trails. The trails of the Game Lands range from moderate to strenuous in difficulty and are better suited to more experienced hikers.

The Green River offers excellent fishing and is home to a variety of fish, including brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and catfish. A fishing license must be obtained from NC Wildlife and can be purchased at the link below.

If you are seeking a higher adrenaline adventure, you can book guided whitewater rapid excursions on the upper Green.

The historic town of Saluda, North Carolina, which has been a popular tourist town since the late 1800’s, is only 15 minutes away. Saluda offers excellent food, live music, arts and entertainment. A must see on your way to or from Wilderness Cove!

Our corner of the Green River consists of three sections. We do all of our tubing on the lower Green, which is approximately 6 miles of Class I & II rapids! The Narrows section upriver is famously known for its Class IV & V rapids. The upper Green is above the Narrows and consists of Class I-III rapids.