Included: An experienced, local hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area 3-day Pisgah National Forest backpacking trip Accommodation for 2 nights in backcountry camps All trail food Backpacking gear (backpack, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, trekking poles) Transportation between Asheville and the trailhead Backcountry permits and fees A pre-trip video call Not included: Transportation to and from Asheville Personal clothing, footwear, and toiletries Anything not mentioned in the “Included” section above Insurance — recommended, available to add at checkout Guide gratuities — optional

How fit do I need to be?

Basic fitness is required for this Pisgah National Forest backpacking trip, along with a willingness to carry your own gear and food across 3 days on trail. No prior backpacking experience is necessary, but a baseline of hiking fitness and comfort being active multiple days in a row makes for a better trip. Want to see what else is there in the area? Discover more hiking vacations in the USA here!

What do I need to bring?

Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring: Trail-appropriate clothing and footwear (synthetic or wool, not cotton) A raincoat and a warm layer A beanie and lightweight gloves for cool mountain nights Two 1L water bottles A headlamp Personal medications and toiletries Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.

Group sizes and age requirements

Group sizes and pricing For this Pisgah National Forest backpacking tour , the usual client-to-guide ratio is 6 :1. It takes a minimum of 2 people for this tour to operate. The maximum group size is set at 6 participants . A Pisgah National Forest backpacking tour can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements. Min. age requirements If you are older than 18, you’re good to go. Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the Pisgah National Forest backpacking tour on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian. If your group has participants under the age of 18 , contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

Is a single occupancy room available?

A single occupancy room is not available on this Pisgah National Forest backpacking tour because we’ll be sleeping in tents .

Getting there and meeting location

The starting point of your Pisgah National Forest backpacking tour is Asheville, North Carolina . To get there, most people fly into Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) or Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) . From there, you can take a shuttle service, public transport, or rent a car to reach Asheville. You will meet your guide at 9 am at the shop in downtown Asheville on Day 1.

Safety measures and insurance

We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout. Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations! Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.

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PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST | USA

Pisgah National Forest Backpacking: The Waterfall Route

3 days | Easy | 5.00

From $810 ()

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Pisgah National Forest earns its reputation one waterfall at a time, and this 3-day route stacks up more than its fair share. We trace the Mountains-to-Sea Trail past Skinny Dip Falls and through Graveyard Fields before climbing onto the open, grassy summits of Black Balsam Knob and Sam’s Knob, where the Blue Ridge unfolds in every direction. Gear and food are handled from the first morning, so what’s left is straightforward: walk, camp beside a creek, wake up and do it again. It’s an easy entry point into backpacking, built for hikers who are fit, curious, and ready to carry their own weight for a weekend.

Anna

Adventure Highlights

The view without the crowds: Reach wide-open, grassy summits that open up to Blue Ridge views in every direction
Backcountry, zero hassle: Skip the gear research and meal planning entirely, since everything is sorted in advance
World of waterfalls: Pass Skinny Dip Falls and roll straight into the wildflower meadows of Graveyard Fields on day one

Duration

3 days

Season

May through September

Group size

Up to 6 people

The adventure, day by day

Download itineraries

This 3-day, 2-night trip covers a classic stretch of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail through Pisgah National Forest, starting and ending in Asheville. We’ll carry our own gear and food across rolling, forested terrain, past waterfalls and through high-elevation balds, camping creekside both nights. The pace suits all hikers who are fit but new to backpacking. Guides handle all logistics, gear, and meals on trail, leaving us free to focus on the walk itself.

Day 1: Meet in Asheville and hike to Graveyard Fields

We meet at 9 am in downtown Asheville, where our guide hands out gear and food and walks us through packing, safety, and trail logistics. By late morning we’re on the Blue Ridge Parkway and starting the hike, following the Mountains-to-Sea Trail past Skinny Dip Falls and through Graveyard Fields to our first camp for the night.

Meals: Lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Backcountry camping (tent)

Day 2: Black Balsam Knob, Tennent Mountain & Sam's Knob

We climb over Black Balsam Knob, Tennent Mountain, and Sam’s Knob, three of the most open, view-heavy stretches of the route, before dropping down to a second creekside camp for the night. Wildflowers line the trail in spring and summer, and the open summits give us some of the widest mountain views of the trip.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Backcountry camping (tent)

Day 3: Return via the Mountains-to-Sea Trail

We rejoin the Mountains-to-Sea Trail for our final push back toward the trailhead, wrapping up the loop through Pisgah’s forests and ridgelines. The hike generally finishes around lunchtime, so plan accordingly if you have onward travel that day.

Meals: Breakfast

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Lodging

Backcountry camps, fully equipped

Both nights are spent at creekside campsites tucked into Pisgah’s forest, the kind of spot where running water lulls you to sleep and mountain air wakes you up.

Each hiker gets a lightweight 60L pack, a 1- or 2-person tent, a 20-degree synthetic sleeping bag with liner, a closed-cell foam sleeping pad, and trekking poles, all provided and ready to go. Camp itself runs on the guide’s setup: stoves, water filters, and all the shared gear needed to turn a clearing by the water into a proper basecamp for the night.

Adventure, packed to go

Pisgah National Forest Backpacking: The Waterfall Route

Adventure Brochure

Adventure brochure

Download to share and explore full itineraries, key info, FAQs, and guide details.

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Meet your guides

Seasoned pros, local legends, and passionate adventurers—your trip is in the best hands.

5.00

Anna

Anna is a thru-hiker who settled in western North Carolina after completing the Appalachian Trail. She's drawn to the quiet she finds in the forest and aims to help every hiker, first-timer or fiftieth-timer, feel that same pull toward the natural world. Outside of guiding, she's a music nerd, a pastry snob, and a dog mom.

5.00

Matt

Hiking guide

Having moved around the world pursuing other professional interests, Matt has decided Western North. He has over 12,000 trail miles on his legs, including thru-hikes of the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, John Muir Trail, and Long Trail. He has a Plant Sciences degree from the University of Tennessee and has spent many of his hours in nature studying its science and history.

5.00

Maria

Maria traded a corporate career for the trail, first finding her footing in Kentucky's Red River Gorge before it grew into a full-blown love of forests and peaks across the country. She works as a health coach and personal trainer, and brings that same focus on moving well and feeling strong into her guiding. Outside of the backcountry, she's a nutrition nerd and a community builder, hosting sober-curious events back home.

What others say about this adventure

5.00 (3 reviews)

Kelsey Terry

The team was great to partner with. They did a fantastic job coordinating all the details ahead of the hike and were great partners on the trail, ensuring we got lots of great photos as a team. I couldn’t recommend this group more.

Maressa Mathura

This was an amazing trip. Anna was absolutely the best guide. Anna is so knowledgeable, funny, encouraging, and knows so much about plants and flowers. It was tough work but absolutely something I am so proud to do with friends old and new. Five stars all around. If you are planning a trip ask for Anna, she will not disappoint.

Reviews Coupons

The whole team was amazing. I have zero experience backpacking and wanted to step out of my comfort zone. I was extremely anxious and did not prepare as well as I had hoped physically for the trip. The whole team was very helpful every step of the way from answering questions on the day of about packing all the way to the end.

Show all reviews

Kelsey Terry

Maressa Mathura

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Things to know

Included:
- - An experienced, local hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area
  - 3-day Pisgah National Forest backpacking trip
  - Accommodation for 2 nights in backcountry camps
  - All trail food
  - Backpacking gear (backpack, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, trekking poles)
  - Transportation between Asheville and the trailhead
  - Backcountry permits and fees
  - A pre-trip video call
Not included:
- - Transportation to and from Asheville
  - Personal clothing, footwear, and toiletries
  - Anything not mentioned in the “Included” section above
  - Insurance — recommended, available to add at checkout
  - Guide gratuities — optional
Basic fitness is required for this Pisgah National Forest backpacking trip, along with a willingness to carry your own gear and food across 3 days on trail. No prior backpacking experience is necessary, but a baseline of hiking fitness and comfort being active multiple days in a row makes for a better trip.

Want to see what else is there in the area? Discover more hiking vacations in the USA here!
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
- - Trail-appropriate clothing and footwear (synthetic or wool, not cotton)
  - A raincoat and a warm layer
  - A beanie and lightweight gloves for cool mountain nights
  - Two 1L water bottles
  - A headlamp
  - Personal medications and toiletries
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans.

Got everything you need? Grab your gear through Active Junky and earn cash back on top outdoor brands — plus a $10 bonus on your first $25+ purchase. Shop now at Active Junky!
Group sizes and pricing
- - For this Pisgah National Forest backpacking tour, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 6:1.
  - It takes a minimum of 2 people for this tour to operate. The maximum group size is set at 6 participants.
A Pisgah National Forest backpacking tour can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

Min. age requirements
- - If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
  - Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the Pisgah National Forest backpacking tour on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.
If your group has participants under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
A single occupancy room is not available on this Pisgah National Forest backpacking tour because we’ll be sleeping in tents.
The starting point of your Pisgah National Forest backpacking tour is Asheville, North Carolina. To get there, most people fly into Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) or Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). From there, you can take a shuttle service, public transport, or rent a car to reach Asheville.

You will meet your guide at 9 am at the shop in downtown Asheville on Day 1.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout.

Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations! Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
Deposits

Secure your spot with a 30% deposit upon booking! The remaining 70% of the trip price must be paid 90 days prior to departure at the latest. If booking within 90 days of departure, the full amount is required at the time of booking.

Cancellations

Booking fees are non-refundable after a 48-hour grace period. During checkout, however, you can choose one of 57hours’ flexibility options—Basic, Flexible, or Super Flexible. Depending on which one you choose, a different cancellation policy will apply to your booking.

Basic
- - If cancelled within 48 hours of booking, a full refund will be issued.
  - If cancelled 60 or more days before departure, a 70% refund of the total trip price will be issued.
  - If cancelled within 59 days of departure, no refund will be issued.
Flexible
- - If cancelled within 48 hours of booking, a full refund will be issued.
  - If cancelled 60 or more days before departure, a full refund of the total trip price will be issued.
  - If cancelled 30-59 days before departure, a 50% refund of the total trip price will be issued.
  - If cancelled within 29 days of departure, no refund will be issued.
Super Flexible
- - If cancelled within 48 hours of booking, a full refund will be issued.
  - If cancelled 30 or more days before departure, a full refund of the total trip price will be issued.
  - If cancelled within 29 days of departure, a 50% refund of the total trip price will be issued.

Have more questions?

Our team is here to answer your questions and plan with you.

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