Included: An experienced, local hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area (all guides are certified in Wilderness First Aid (or higher) and CPR) 3-day Pisgah National Forest backpacking trip Accommodation for 2 nights in backcountry camps All food while on trail (lunch on Day 1 to lunch on Day 3) 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?

In order to join this backpacking tour, good fitness is required, but no backpacking experience is necessary. The most you’ll hike within a day is up to 8 miles (12.9 km) with a full backpack , with up to 1,500 ft (457 m) of elevation gain . This trip is approachable and encouraging, and perfect for beginners who want to expand their comfort zone, practice skills, and experience the rhythm of a multi-day backpacking trip. Expect rolling terrain with a few noticeable ascents and descents and a pack of around 25 lb (11 kg) with all the gear, food, and water. You should be comfortable completing a 10-mile (16 km) hike on hilly terrain or a 12-mile (19 km) walk on flat ground. 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. A detailed packing list is sent by the guide several weeks before departure.

Group sizes and age requirements

Group sizes and pricing For this Pisgah National Forest backpacking tour , the usual client-to-guide ratio is 7 :1. It takes a minimum of 2 people for this tour to operate. The maximum group size is set at 7 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 older than 14 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 8 am in downtown Asheville. The exact meeting address is sent in the booking confirmation and pre-trip emails.

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.

2026 is sold out — book 2027, or find a last minute deal.

PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST | USA

Pisgah National Forest Backpacking: Balds & Blue Ridge Views

Name: Backpacking Pisgah National Forest: 3-Day Trip
Brand: 57hours
Availability: InStock
Rating: 5 (3 reviews)

3 days | Moderate | 5.00

From $840 ()

Book a call

Pisgah National Forest holds some of Western North Carolina’s best-loved high country, and this route takes in the views that put it on the map. We follow the Art Loeb Trail over the open, grassy summits of Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mountain, camp near the white quartz outcrop of Shining Rock, and finish with 360-degree views from Devil’s Courthouse before returning on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Daily mileage stays between 4 and 8 miles, with wildflowers in spring and summer and foliage in the fall. Your gear, food, and permits are all taken care of, which makes this a great way for fit hikers to learn backpacking, no experience needed.

Adventure Highlights

Grassy balds, big views: Cross Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mountain, two open summits with Blue Ridge views in every direction
Backcountry, zero hassle: Skip the gear research and meal planning entirely, since everything is sorted in advance
Devil’s Courthouse finale: Finish on a rocky summit with 360-degree views before the last stretch on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail

Duration

3 days

Season

May through October

Group size

Up to 6 people

The adventure, day by day

Download itineraries

This 3-day, 2-night guided backpacking trip takes us into the high country of Pisgah National Forest, just outside Asheville. We follow the Art Loeb Trail over Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mountain, camp near Shining Rock, and wrap up with 360-degree views from Devil’s Courthouse before returning on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. Daily mileage runs between 4 and 8 miles, mostly over rolling terrain, with two nights in backcountry tent campsites. Backpacking gear, food on trail, permits, and transportation between Asheville and the trailhead are all included, so all you need to bring are your personal items and some good fitness.

Day 1: Meet in Asheville and hike to Shining Rock

We meet at 8 am in downtown Asheville, where the guide hands out gear and food and goes over packing, safety, weather, and logistics for the trip. We also walk through how to pack a backpack properly and may look over what you’ve brought to make sure you’re not carrying extra weight. Around 10 am, we head to the trailhead off the Blue Ridge Parkway and start hiking. We follow the Art Loeb Trail over Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mountain, two grassy balds with wide-open views, before arriving at our campsite near Shining Rock, a striking white quartz outcrop.

Meals: Lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Backcountry tent campsite

Day 2: Level hiking to a creekside camp

Day 2 is a gentler one. After breakfast, we enjoy level hiking from Shining Rock to a creekside campsite, where we set up for our second night. If you want a little more, there’s the option to climb to the top of Sam’s Knob, another of the area’s open summits, before settling in by the water. Expect cool, crisp mountain air along the way, with wildflowers lining the trail in spring and summer and foliage turning in the fall.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Backcountry tent campsite

Day 3: Devil’s Courthouse and return to Asheville

On our final morning, we pack up camp and make our way to Devil’s Courthouse, a rocky summit with 360-degree views across the surrounding mountains. From there, we return to the trailhead via the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, and the hike usually wraps up around lunchtime before we head back to Asheville. If you have a time constraint on the last day, let us know ahead of time.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Meet Scout, your adventure agent

Tell it what you’re after. You’ll have a day-by-day trip in a minute, quoted by a certified local guide.

Let’s build your itinerary. What are you into?

Talk to Scout

Photo gallery

Lodging

Backcountry camps, fully equipped

Both nights are spent at campsites tucked into Pisgah’s forest, the kind of spot where 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: Balds & Blue Ridge Views

Adventure Brochure

Adventure brochure

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

Download now

Meet your guides

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

5.00

Anna

Backpacking guide

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

Backpacking guide

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

Reviews Coupons

Things to know

Included:
- - An experienced, local hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area (all guides are certified in Wilderness First Aid (or higher) and CPR)
  - 3-day Pisgah National Forest backpacking trip
  - Accommodation for 2 nights in backcountry camps
  - All food while on trail (lunch on Day 1 to lunch on Day 3)
  - 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
In order to join this backpacking tour, good fitness is required, but no backpacking experience is necessary. The most you’ll hike within a day is up to 8 miles (12.9 km) with a full backpack, with up to 1,500 ft (457 m) of elevation gain.

This trip is approachable and encouraging, and perfect for beginners who want to expand their comfort zone, practice skills, and experience the rhythm of a multi-day backpacking trip. Expect rolling terrain with a few noticeable ascents and descents and a pack of around 25 lb (11 kg) with all the gear, food, and water. You should be comfortable completing a 10-mile (16 km) hike on hilly terrain or a 12-mile (19 km) walk on flat ground.

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.

A detailed packing list is sent by the guide several weeks before departure.

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 7:1.
  - It takes a minimum of 2 people for this tour to operate. The maximum group size is set at 7 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 older than 14 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 8 am in downtown Asheville.

The exact meeting address is sent in the booking confirmation and pre-trip emails.
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.
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.
- If canceled within 48 hours of booking, a full refund will be issued.
- If canceled 60 or more days before departure, a 70% refund of the total trip price will be issued.
- If canceled within 59 days of departure, no refund will be issued.
- Booking fees are non-refundable after a 48 hours grace period.

Have more questions?

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

Book a call

Book This Adventure for a Private Group

Book a fully private 57hours adventure for your group. We customize dates, group sizes, terrain, guides and accommodations — so your adventure fits your people and your goals.

Talk to an Adventure Planner