We do not have any vending machines, gift shops or restaurants here at DuPont State Recreational Forest. Please visit the businesses in our surrounding communities to purchase anything that you may need.

Currently, we have traditional restroom facilities at our High Falls/Visitor Center and Hooker Falls access areas. Guion Farm, Lake Imaging, Corn Mill Shoals and Fawn Lake access areas all have portable toilets. We also have a portable toilet located at the High Falls picnic shelter. All restrooms are open year-round.

Visitors to DuPont State Recreational Forest (DSRF) should be prepared for a rugged outdoor experience. DSRF has no food services and limited options for drinking water and trash disposal, so bring your own food and water and take any trash with you when you leave. Boots or athletic shoes are your best bet if you're hiking at DSRF, and be sure to check the weather to see if you need a raincoat for one of our frequent afternoon rain showers. Also, be aware that cell phone service is not available in some locations within DSRF.

DuPont State Recreational Forest is a popular destination. In fact, we have more than a million visitors come see us each year. There's something here for everyone during every season of the year, but there are certain days, times and months that are more crowded than others. July, August, and October are the most heavily visited months, and weekends are busy throughout the year. Most visitors arrive between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., so if you want to beat the crowds, either come early or come late.

• Best months to visit: November -- April.
• Best days to visit: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
• Best times to start your visit: before 10 a.m. or after 3 p.m.
• Best place to park: See the parking section of this FAQ.

DuPont State Recreational Forest (DSRF) provides Commercial Use Permits to individuals, companies, and organizations interested in using the forest and its amenities for business/commercial purposes. Commercial Use Permits are REQUIRED for any person, company, or organization that would like use the DSRF forest and amenities to conduct business or provide services, privileges, merchandise, or any other items for a fee. Commercial users are charged an administrative and use fee for these privileges. Click Commercial Use Permits to find out more.

North Carolina Forest Service rules prohibit cookouts (wood, gas, charcoal, or any other fuel) at DuPont State Recreational Forest (DSRF). Holmes Educational State Forest is about 5 miles away from DSRF and is set up for cookouts with grills, stone fireplaces and a fire ring. In addition, cookouts and campfires are allowed at Pisgah National Forest, which is less than 15 miles away from us.

North Carolina Forest Service rules do not allow visitors to use drones or radio-controlled cars within DuPont State Recreational Forest (DSRF) or any other state forest. Read a complete list of forest rules.

North Carolina Forest Service rules classify all e-bikes, including pedal-assist, as motorized vehicles and only allow them on forest roads that are open to the general public. Currently, we do not have any forest roads open to public vehicles.

There are other options in the area for people who want to ride an e-bike. Pisgah National Forest has many miles of gravel roads that are open to cars, motorcycles and e-bikes. Like DuPont, however, Pisgah National Forest does not allow e-bikes anywhere that a car is not allowed to go. Pedal-assist (Class 1 e-bikes) are allowed at Ride Kanuga in Hendersonville, and all e-bikes are allowed on Fire Mountain in Cherokee and in Buffalo Creek Park in Lake Lure.

DuPont State Recreational Forest offers FREE educational programming for people of all ages. Programming is available on weekdays and can be customized to meet a group's specific needs. Common programming topics include: tree identification, forest ecology, the history of DuPont State Recreatonal Forest, wildlower identification, and more. 
 

If you'd like to inquire about scheduling a program, please use this e-form to provide us with some basic information. If the link to the e-form does not work for you, use the following URL: https://forms.office.com/g/xUiR3TFXjw.

Currently, there are no entry fees associated with visiting DuPont State Recreational Forest.

DuPont State Recreational Forest welcomes meetings, weddings, elopements, ceremonies and other "events" at our Guion Farm Picnic Shelter and its surrounding meadows. Individuals, companies, groups and organizations that would like to hold an event on the forest will work through either the commercial use permit program or the noncommercial special use permit program.  Learn more out about both permit programs on our Permits and Reservations page. Refer to our events policy for more information about the guidelines and restrictions that will apply to events. 

There are also several venues close to the forest, and a quick internet search should enable you to find them. You may also find the information you need on the tourism development authority websites for Henderson County and Transylvania County.

DuPont State Recreational Forest (DSRF) is managed by the North Carolina Forest Service, a division of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Because we are a forest rather than a park, we have fewer amenities like gift shops, lodging or restaurants. We use scientifically-based principles such as prescribed burns and tree thinning to actively manage the forest, and we collaborate with conservation and wildlife organizations to protect our natural environment.

Most of our trails are multiuse trails open to equestrians, hikers, bikers, dog-walkers and other forest visitors. Only three trails are closed to horses and bicycles: Hooker Falls Trail, High Falls Trail, Grassy Creek Falls Trail and the upper section of Stone Mountain Trail. ATVs, UTVs, e-bikes and other motorized vehicles are not allowed to use any of the trails and roads within DSRF.
 

DSRF visitors are encouraged to share the multiuse trails and roads as follows:

• Everyone yields to equestrians.
• Bicyclists yield to hikers and equestrians. Please notify others of your approach and passing.
• Hikers yield to equestrians. Have pets on a leash, and clean up pet waste.
• Equestrians control their horses at all times.

Parking for horse trailers is currently available at the Guion Farm and Lake Imaging access areas.

DuPont State Recreational Forest is open to visitors from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the year. Occasionally, we need to close specific trails, and we post this information on our website. For more information about trails, scroll down to the Trail section of this FAQ.

If you're looking for information about area businesses that provide guided hikes, host weddings, offer RV or tent camping, etc., your best bet will be to conduct an internet search that includes DuPont State Recreational Forest and the type of activity that you are interested in. You might also find the information you need on the tourism development authority websites for Henderson County and Transylvania County.

You can request a limited mobility permit to drive your private vehicle from the High Falls/Visitor Center Access Area into the Covered Bridge and the High Falls shelter. Permits are free and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis as follows:

• January: No limited mobility permits are offered.
• February – March: Permits are issued for 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
• April – December: Permits are issued for 9:30 a.m. or 11 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

You can find out more about our limited mobility permit program here.

You can access maps of DuPont State Recreational Forest (DSRF) here. You can also pick up paper copies of the general forest map at the DSRF visitor center, the Brevard visitor center or the Henderson County visitor center. The paper maps are free and were funded in part through a grant from the Henderson County Tourism Development Authority.

DuPont State Recreational Forest (DSRF) has several parking areas that accommodate a wide variety of visitors. All DSRF parking lots are free and open to cars, motorcycles and small vans. DSRF is a popular place, so the best way to make sure you'll have a place to park is to arrive by 9 a.m., to come on a weekday and/or to arrive after 4 p.m.

Hikers wanting to see Hooker Falls will find the Hooker Falls parking area to be their most convenient access point. Depending on their plans, hikers wanting to see High Falls and/or Triple Falls will find that the High Falls/Visitor Center parking area or the Hooker Falls parking area will be good choices.

Bikers will find that the access areas at Guion Farm, Fawn Lake, Lake Imaging and Corn Mill Shoals are their best choices.

Equestrian trailers will find parking at both the Lake Imaging and Guion Farm access areas. 

RV parking is limited at DSRF, and RVs must avoid taking up multiple parking spaces. Large vehicles like RVs are best accommodated at the Guion Farm Access Area.

Buses need to obtain a special use permit for parking at DSRF.

You're welcome to find a quiet place in DuPont State Recreational Forest (DRSF) for your picnic, or you can use the picnic tables available at the Hooker Falls parking area, at the High Falls/Visitor Center parking area or in multiple locations around Lake Julia. 

In addition, we have covered picnic shelters located at Lake Imaging, Lake Dense, Guion Farm, High Falls and Triple Falls. These shelters are available on a first-come, first-served basis, or they may be reserved for a fee. Learn more about reserving a picnic shelter here.

North Carolina Forest Service rules prohibit cookouts (wood, gas, charcoal or any other fuel) at DSRF. Holmes Educational State Forest is about 5 miles away from DSRF and is set up for cookouts with grills, stone fireplaces and a fire ring. In addition, cookouts and campfires are allowed at Pisgah National Forest, which is less than 15 miles away from us.

Finally, because wildlife has too much fun with trash cans in the forest, make plans to take all of your picnic trash with you when you leave.

Occasionally, we need to close trails here at DuPont State Recreational Forest (DSRF). Sometimes we close a single trail that we're working on, but other times we need to close an entire trail. You can find the latest information about trail closures on our website.

In the event that single-track trails are closed due to trail conditions, the following trails usually remain open:

• the Airstrip
  • The paved airstrip is open; the trail is closed.
• Bridal Veil Falls Road, .6 miles
• Buck Forest Road, 3.2 miles
• Camp Summit Road, .5 miles
• Conservation Road, 2.6 miles
• Fawn Lake Road, 1 mile
• Hickory Mountain Road, .9 miles
• High Falls Loop, 2.05 miles
  • Sometimes the spur to the base can be flooded and might be closed. Visitors should pay attention to barricaded areas. The staircase to Triple Falls may also be closed when flooding occurs and water levels rise at the bottom of the staircase.
• Holly Road, 1.4 miles
• Hooker Falls Trail, .3 miles
• Joanna Road, 4.2 miles
• Lake Imaging Road, 1.5 miles
• Lake Julia Road, .4 miles
• Rock Quarry Road, 1.3 miles
• Sheep Mountain Road, 1.6 miles
• Tarkiln Branch Road, 1.4 miles
• Thomas Cemetery Road, 1.6 miles
• Wintergreen Falls Trail, .5 miles
  • Sometimes this trail has a tendency to flood. Visitors should use caution and pay attention should when this area is closed.

The DuPont State Recreational Forest (DSRF) multiuse trail system includes single-track trails, double-track trails and gravel roads, all of which are open to hikers, bikers, equestrians, dog-walkers and other forest visitors. Only four trails are closed to horses and bicycles: Hooker Falls Trail, High Falls Trail, Triple Falls Trail, and Grassy Creek Falls Trail. 

ATVs, UTVs, e-bikes and other motorized vehicles are not allowed to use any of the trails or roads within DSRF.

DSRF visitors share multiuse trails and roads as follows:

• Everyone yields to equestrians.
• Bicyclists yield to hikers and equestrians. Please notify others of your approach and passing.
• Hikers yield to equestrians. Have pets on a leash and clean up pet waste.
• Equestrians control their horses at all times.

The Visitor Center at DSRF is staffed by volunteers, and we're always excited to have new ones join our team. If you're interested,  please click here to access our volunteer interest form.