Hey Kopper99, didn't see your post. Hopefully you and your better half made it out to the Gorge. If you haven't made it yet, here's some ideas. Someone was asking for directions, here's the gps coordinates for one of the two entrances (North Entrance: 35.951333, -81.934876; South Entrance: 35.771610, -81.902682)
If it's your first time out you should stop by Wiseman's view (35.9033, -81.9075). Nice stop, gorgeous during the day and magical at night. There's a couple of campsites just down the road both north and south from there that are pretty good if you want to stay near your vehicle. You asked about hiking into the gorge and sleeping by the river. Hiking in the Gorge can be tough. For an average hiker, meaning you can normally hike between 2-3 miles per hour on flat terrain, it's normally recommended to plan for 1 mile per hour in the Gorge. It's not that the Gorge is some crazy tough place to hike, but it can get steep and sometimes the trails aren't marked well. Only giving the warning because I and many I know have had their butts kicked in the Gorge more than once. Ok, disclaimer done.
If you're on 105, in my opinion the two easiest routes down to the river are Conley Cove (35.8902, -81.9063) and Bynum Bluff (35.9324, -81.9284). Good camping spots at the bottom of both, although Conley is a little more flexible. There are campsites both North and South of where the trail hits the river. For that reason it gets more traffic.
Hopefully that helps. Reach out if you want any specific info. I'm in Charlotte, so we're not far apart. NC has so many awesome spots, we're a lucky bunch.
Good luck, Brian
