The Linville Gorge Wilderness area has become so popular that rangers gave out parking tickets for the first time “in a long time” this past year, according to Grandfather District Ranger Nicholas Larson.
While exact visitation numbers aren’t available, Larson said he’s noticed a clear uptick in visitation from all sorts of folks enjoying the Linville Gorge, from backpackers and climbers to hunters and anglers to tourists and leaflookers, over the past couple years.
“It’s been huge. We’ve seen obvious marked increases in visitation in the past two years, and the hard part, one of the challenges we have, is providing parking and access for the number of people coming, especially during peak leaf season,” Larson said.