Join us for a group 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. The timing of this trip is perfect for early fall colors and less crowded trails during the week. Group tour means that you’ll meet other like-minded outdoor enthusiasts and step 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.
Accommodation: Bunkhouse
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 (5.6 km)
Elevation: +650 ft (200 m), -1,100 ft (225 m)
Accommodation: Single or double tents
Wake up and break 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 (3.2 km) with and 7 mi (11.2 km) without backpacks
Elevation with backpacks: +200 ft (60 m), -650 ft (200 m)
Elevation without backpacks: +1,900 ft (580 m), -1,900 ft (580 m)
Accommodation: Single or double tents
After breaking 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 (8.9 km)
Elevation: +1,750 ft (535 ft), -850 ft (290 m)
Itinerary is subject to change based on a variety of factors, including weather, trail conditions, and participants needs and abilities. Please inform us 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:
3-Day Roan Highlands Backpacking
Although no backpacking experience is required, good fitness and some prior hiking experience are. 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 have to be comfortable enough on the trail to hike up to an hour on your own. You’ll be carrying a 25-30 lb (11.5-13.5 kg) backpack, apart from Day 2.
3-Day Max Patch Backpacking
Although no backpacking experience is required, good fitness and some prior hiking experience are. Over 3 days, you’ll cover 20 miles (32 km), with daily elevation gain of up to 1,350 ft (415 m). You have to be comfortable enough on the trail to hike up to an hour on your own.
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).
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.