Included:

• • An experienced, local hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area
  • 3-day Max Patch itinerary or 4-day Roan Highlands itinerary
  • Accommodation as in the itinerary:
    • 2 nights in tents (single or double)
    • 1 night at a bunkhouse before the hike (optional for the Max Patch itinerary, included in the price along with two meals for the Roan Highlands itinerary)
  • All backpacking gear (backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads)
  • All meals while hiking, as listed in the itinerary (plus breakfast & dinner at the bunkhouse if joining the Roan Highlands trip)
  • Trekking poles
  • All necessary backcountry permits

Not included:

• • Transportation to Hot Springs, NC
  • Meals not listed in the itinerary
  • Bunkhouse meals if joining the Max Patch itinerary
  • Personal hiking gear
  • Anything not mentioned in the “Included” section above
  • Guide gratuities — optional
  • Insurance — recommended, available to add at checkout

Both include two nights camping on the AT, and all gear and trail meals are included.

3-Day Max Patch Backpacking

• • Arrival and meals — The pack shakedown starts at 9 am on Day 1, and you hit the trail the same morning. You can choose to arrive the day before (Day 0) and stay at the bunkhouse. Meals are included from lunch on Day 1.
  • Views and difficulty — 360-degree views from the bald summit of Max Patch, then forested ridges before finishing on foot in Hot Springs. You’ll cover 20 miles over 3 days, with up to 1,350 ft of elevation gain per day and a few real climbs over Walnut Mountain, Bluff Mountain, and Deer Park Mountain.

4-Day Roan Highlands Backpacking

• • Arrival and meals — Meet at the bunkhouse at 1 pm on Day 1 for an extended pack shakedown. You’ll have dinner as a group and spend the night at the bunkhouse, then start hiking on the morning of Day 2. Meals are included from dinner on Day 1.
  • Views and difficulty — Wide-open grassy balds and alpine-like meadows along the North Carolina–Tennessee border, including Jane Bald, Grassy Ridge Bald, and Hump Mountain. You’ll cover 20.5 miles over 3 hiking days, with up to 2,150 ft of elevation gain on the biggest day.

Expect full days on trail—you’ll be active and moving consistently, with more mileage and elevation than a casual overnight. These trips reward you with classic mountain scenery and a real sense of accomplishment, but they ask something of you first. Previous camping or backpacking experience helps, but it’s not required.

For both itineraries, you can expect:

• • two nights on trail
  • up to 10 miles a day with a full pack
  • up to 2,000 ft of elevation gain per day
  • rolling terrain with a few real climbs and descents

3-Day Max Patch Backpacking
Over three days, you’ll cover 20 miles (32 km), with up to 1,350 ft (415 m) of elevation gain on your biggest day. You should be comfortable walking 13 miles (21 km) over hilly or mountainous terrain, or 16 miles (25.7 km) on flat ground.

4-Day Roan Highlands Backpacking
Over three days, you’ll cover 19.5 miles (31.4 km), with up to 2,150 ft (655 m) of elevation gain on your biggest day. You should be comfortable walking 10 miles (16 km) over hilly or mountainous terrain, or 12 miles (19 km) on flat ground, while carrying a 25-30 lb (11.5-13.5 kg) pack the whole way.

Check the day-by-day itinerary for exact mileage and elevation on each day.

Equipment to bring:

• • Backpack, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, walking poles — possible to rent from your guides free of charge, or bring your own
  • 2 1L water bottles
  • Lightweight hiking boots or shoes
  • Comfortable “camp” shoes — optional
  • Comfortable hiking clothes
  • Warm spare clothes for layering
  • Waterproof rain jacket
  • Sunhat
  • Beanie
  • Lightweight gloves
  • Toiletries (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bug spray, toilet paper, etc.)
  • Headlamp or flashlight
  • Sunglasses
  • Camera — optional (but recommended)
  • Inflatable sleeping pads — available for an additional rental fee

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Group sizes and pricing

• • For these backpacking trips, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 6:1 for the Roan Highlands itinerary, or 7:1 for the Max Patch one.  It takes a minimum of 2 or 3 people for the tour to operate.
  • Private tours can be arranged—let us know if interested before booking!

Min. age requirements

• • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
  • Minors older than 14 may be permitted to join the hike on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.

These trips are recommended for hikers age 14 and up. All hikers under 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Both the Roan Highlands and Max Patch itineraries are point-to-point backpacking trips with full daily mileage and elevation gain, so kids joining should already be comfortable hiking and carrying a pack.

One night is spent at the guide’s bunkhouse (optional for Max Patch, included with meals for the Roan Highlands). 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! The default is a double tent, so just leave a note at checkout if you’d like to have a single one.

Whichever itinerary you choose, the starting point is the same—Hot Springs, NC. To get there, most people fly into Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), 1 hour away. From there, you can rent a car or take a taxi to get to your meeting point.

You’ll meet your guide at the Appalachian Trail-er Bunkhouse (200 Lance Ave, Hot Springs, NC 28743), but the timing depends on your itinerary:

• • Roan Highlands: Arrive in Hot Springs by 1 pm on Day 1 for an extended pack shakedown. You’ll have dinner together as a group and spend the night at the bunkhouse, and the hike begins on the morning of Day 2.
  • Max Patch: The pack shakedown starts at 9 am on Day 1. You can choose to arrive the day before (Day 0) and spend the night at the bunkhouse.

Your guides provide the shuttle from Hot Springs to the trailhead as part of your trip, at no additional cost.

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.