The first time you camp out in the wilderness is something you never forget. Soothing sounds of nature, the crisp mountain air, unspoiled surroundings—it’s a dream come true for those wanting to disconnect from their daily routine, even if only for two days. Make your first backpacking experience even more unforgettable by joining us in the Smoky Mountains in May or June, which is when fireflies illuminate the mountains and give us a natural light show! It’s a spectacle not to be missed, and if you still need a bit more convincing to spend the night in the backcountry, you should know that we take care of everything—the permits, tents, sleeping bags, walking poles, transfers to the trailhead, meals. Just show up!
The Great Smoky Mountains are renowned for its fauna and flora diversity, and it’s a terrific place to have your first overnight experience in the backcountry! Join us on this 2-day trip where we’ll take our time, enjoy the wilderness, and show you the ropes of life in the wild. We’ll go in May or June, when thousands of fireflies will lighten up the darkness of the forests, creating a true spectacle. We’ll secure the permits, organize trailhead transfers, all meals, and provide you with all the camping equipment you need.
We will meet at our shop in Asheville at 9am for a pack shakedown. The guide will pass out your gear and food, and teach you how to pack your backpack. Once all your gear is packed, you’ll move your vehicles to an overnight parking area, and then drive to the trailhead (1 to 2-hour drive) in our shuttle vehicle. From the trailhead, hike to the campsite along mostly wide and well-graded trails.
Meals: Lunch and dinner
Hiking: 2-4.5 miles / 3.2-7.2 km
Elevation gain: 350-700 ft / 105-215 m
Accommodation: One or two-person tents
Pack up camp and hike back to the trailhead. Hike generally finishes mid-afternoon on the last day. Itinerary is subject to change based on a variety of factors, including weather, trail conditions, and participants needs and abilities. Please inform our admin team ahead of time if you have a time constraint on the last day of your trip.
Meals: Lunch and dinner
Hiking: 2-4.5 miles / 3.2-7.2 km
Elevation gain: 350-700 ft / 105-215 m
Accommodation: One or two-person tents
Itinerary is subject to change depending on campsite availability and the securing of permits. Itineraries will be finalized 25 days at the latest before the trip departure.
Born in the Catskills of NY and raised in the Blue Ridge of NC, Adam has always called the mountains of Appalachia home. Having survived a childhood of blissful, unsupervised galavanting through the local woods, he derives great joy in sharing his love of the natural world with others, and has yet to meet an outdoor activity he doesn’t like!
Heidi grew up in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and after graduating from Winthrop University with a BFA in Painting and Printmaking, she found herself falling in love with hiking and the outdoors. She thru-hiked the A.T. in 2018 and kept a detailed sketchbook of watercolor paintings to document her travels. She has since hiked a number of shorter trails and enjoys finding new ways to incorporate her creative practice into hiking.
Born and raised in South Carolina, Amy grew up hiking in the Carolinas. Her love for backpacking started on the Appalachian Trail with her first overnight trip in 2012. Since then, she has thru hiked all of the triple crown trails - Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail - along with other trails throughout the US, totaling over 8,000 miles of backpacking.
Born and raised in Georgia, Hannah’s love of the outdoors began while digging for worms in the mud and playing in the red clay. Her passion for being in nature has grown since then and she has backpacked over 3,500 miles including a southbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2013, sections of the Pacific Crest Trail, and many smaller backcountry trails in between!
It was magical 2 days of hiking. Being in the mountains is an absolute joy .. the magnificent sights and cool breeze is a cherry on top! loved the great smoky mountains and Pisgah national forests :)) We had Bev as our hiking guide and we couldn’t have asked for a better travel companion. She is a very experienced hiker, who knows the trails so well and points out great spots and ensure we always get breathtaking views. Her energy, knowledge and compassion are unparalleled. She comes “highly recommended!!” Me and my fiancé had the time of our lives. We take back amazing memories embedded in our heart and deep in our soul forever.
Mel set up a great hike for my husband and myself. We had never been to the area so great to have a local lead the way. Beside reaching out to us a couple days before she also gave us some great tips to the area. Would definitely use BRHC again and certainly reach out to Mel.
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
This Smoky Mountains backpacking trip is ideally suited for hikers who have good fitness. This means that you’re active 3-5 times a week (like walking for 30 minutes) or you’re someone who works an active job.
This is a beginner-friendly trip, meaning that hikers don’t need any specific hiking or backpacking experience. Over 2 days, you will hike between 4 and 9 miles (6.5-14.5 km).
You will receive a detailed packing list for this Smoky Mountains backpacking trip a few weeks before the trip, but here’s a good overview of what you need to bring:
You will not need a new set of clean clothes for each day, make-up, hair products, scented products or deodorant. Just bring a toothbrush and toothpaste and enjoy going all natural for the trip!
Group sizes and pricing
Smoky Mountains backpacking trips can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
To get to your Smoky Mountains backpacking trip, you first have to get to Asheville, NC. To get there, most people fly into Asheville Airport (AVL).
You’ll meet your guides at 9am at their shop (Blue Ridge Hiking Company (70 College Street, Asheville, NC 28801). If you’re flying in, make sure to do so at least a day earlier, since you’ll be starting your trip at 9am on Day 1.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both emergency medical and travel insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, we partnered up with Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!
Redpoint tailors their insurance 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.
Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s insurance. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!
Deposits
You can secure one of the set dates with a 30% deposit upon booking. The remaining 70% of the trip price is to be paid 90 days prior to departure, at the latest.
Cancellations
Booking fees are non-refundable in all cases. During checkout, however, you can choose one of 57hours’ flexibility options:
Basic
Flexible
Super Flexible
5 stars all the way. Registered for my first overnight. I was beyond excited to experience the feeling of carrying a packed backpack and spending the night in the forest! Bev was our guide. What a wonderful experience she made this. Kind, caring and friendly! Equipment was well kept and up to date. I highly recommend this company and Bev. One of the greatest experiences of my life! Thank you! My heart is full! Kim Smith