Getting to Table rock in March

I'm a college kid from Wisconsin, who has a spring break next week! A group of friends and I are going to linville gorge for hiking and climbing. We really want to do some of the easy multi-pitch routes on table rock. However, it has come to my attention that the gates to get to the parking lot are not open until April first, and we will be there from 3/15-3/20. I see people have ticked some of the routes over the winter on here, so how do they get there? Any help will be seriously appreciated, thank you!

Good thing you are planning a hiking and climbing trip! Park at the gate, don't block it, and hike up the last few switch backs. The pit toilets will be closed also if that matters. Plenty of pullouts to camp in below the gate too if you are looking for camping. Plan on it adding an hour each way for moderate speed hikers with climbing gear. Or if you are planning multiple days you can hike in (or use a wagon, I've seen it) all your stuff to the actual camp ground.

Thanks man!

You can certainly drive to the gate that is locked and park there. The gate is about 7 miles in from Hwy 181. It's about a mile of uphill asphalt from the gate to the regular parking area. Then 10-20 minutes to the climbs, depending on where you are going. So probably a 45 minute total approach.

I prefer an alternate approach. Drive in about 4 miles to the Spence Ridge trail. There is another spur trail running from the parking lot toward Table Rock that parallels the road at first. This trail is flat for 0.6 mile before joining the Mountains to Sea Trail. Then it's another 0.6 mile of uphill to a left turn at the Devil's Cellar. Keep wrapping around the base to pass North Ridge, White Lightning, then the East face. It takes 40 minutes to get to the East face from the car if you're super casual about it. I think it's just as fast or faster than hiking the road and then approaching normally, and it's only half the drive in.