Experience an all-women's backpacking adventure through the stunning Roan Highlands, where you'll soak in panoramic vistas and traverse scenic rolling hills over 3 days and 16 miles/ 25 km. This trip is perfectly timed for early fall colors and less crowded trails during the week. Enjoy the camaraderie and support of a women-only group, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the beauty of the Highlands and step confidently into the world of backpacking with ease.
Arrive in Hot Springs, NC in the afternoon or evening hours and meet your guides at their bunkhouse. Pack your things for tomorrow and have a good rest at the bunkhouse for the night.
You can also meet your guides in the morning of Day 1 if this suits you better.
No meals are included on this day.
Meet your guide and fellow hikers at 8am to start your trip! Your trip begins with a pack shakedown. Your guide will pass out your gear and food, teach you how to pack your backpack and go through what you’ve packed to make sure you don’t bring too many extra items. Around 10am, you’ll shuttle to the trailhead to start your hike (drive time is 1.5 hours). You’ll hike over Jane Bald and Grassy Ridge Bald before arriving at your campsite.
Meals: Lunch, dinner
Hiking: 3.5 mi
Elevation gain: 650 ft
Elevation loss: 1,100 ft
Wake up and break down camp. After a hearty breakfast, hike a short distance to your second campsite and set up camp, then continue hiking to Little Hump and Hump Mountain without your backpacks. After enjoying the view, return to your campsite.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Hiking: 2 mi with and 7 mi without backpacks
Elevation gain: 200 ft with and 1900 ft without backpacks
Elevation loss: 650 ft with and 1900 ft without backpacks
After breaking down camp and breakfast with a view, we’ll return to the trailhead via the AT. The shuttle will take us back to Hot Springs, NC. The hike generally finishes early afternoon on the last day.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Hiking: 5.5 mi
Elevation gain: 1,750 ft
Elevation loss: 850 ft
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.
Included:
Add-ons (available to add at checkout)
Not included:
As for the Roan Highlands & Max Patch itineraries, participants should be comfortable by themselves on trail for at least 30 minutes. While backpacking is incredibly rewarding, it’s still an endurance sport, and it can be challenging and/or uncomfortable at times. Maintaining a positive mindset, even when it is uncomfortable, is key to enjoying your time in the wilderness.
3-Day Roan Highlands Backpacking
Participants should have at least a moderate level of fitness—around 4 out of 10—with the trip best suited for those at a 5–6 out of 10. Some prior hiking experience is required, previous camping or backpacking experience is recommended. Over 3 days, you’ll cover 16 miles (26 km), with daily elevation gain of up to 1,900 ft (580 m), but without the heavy packs (Day 2). You should be able to walk 14 mi (22.5 km) on flat ground. You’ll be carrying a 25-30 lb (11.5-13.5 kg) backpack, apart from Day 2.
3-Day Max Patch Backpacking
Participants should have at least a moderate level of fitness—around 4 out of 10—with the trip best suited for those at a 5–6 out of 10. Some prior hiking experience is required, previous camping or backpacking experience is recommended. Over 3 days, you’ll cover 20 miles (32 km), with daily elevation gain of up to 1,350 ft (415 m). You should be able to walk 12 mi (19 km) over hilly or mountainous terrain, or 14 mi (22.5 km) on flat ground.
4-Day Great Smoky Mountains Hiking
Good fitness and some hiking experience is required. Over 4 days, you’ll cover 24 mi (38 km), with daily elevation gain of up to 2,200 ft (670 m). You will be staying at the same cabins during your tour, meaning that all you’ll be carrying during your hikes is a daypack filled with things you might need throughout the day.
Check out the itineraries to learn about day-by-day distances and elevation changes.
3-Day Roan Highlands and 3-Day Max Patch Backpacking itineraries:
4-Day Great Smoky Mountains Hiking
Group sizes and pricing
Min. age requirements
If your group has participants under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
This depends on which tour you choose.
If you’re joining the Roan Highlands or Max Patch Backpacking tour, you’ll spend the night prior to the tour at the guide’s bunkhouse. This is a shared bunkhouse and a single occupancy room isn’t available. However, you’ll spend 2 nights camping, and your guides are providing tents free of charge—you can either choose a single or a double tent!
If you’re joining the Great Smoky Mountains Hiking tour, the price is based on twin-share cabins. A single occupancy cabin is available to arrange, and you can add this to your booking at checkout.
The starting point depends on the tour you choose.
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.