Great Smoky Mountains Backpack – Appalachian Trail

Great Smoky Mountains Backpack – Appalachian Trail Itinerary:

• Day 1

  We will meet as a group in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at 12:00 p.m. After introductions, we'll go over gear, do an orientation and review medical information. Next, we'll be shuttled by van to the trailhead to begin our adventure on the Appalachian Trail. We'll be starting our hike along the highest stretch of mountains in the East. On a clear day, we'll enjoy breathtaking views of the sea of mountains. We'll backpack between 3 to 5 miles in to the first of our shelters along the Appalachian Trail, where we'll settle in for a backcountry dinner then rest for the second leg of our journey tomorrow. Mileage: 3 to 5 miles; Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,300'; Meals Provided: Dinner and snacks. Lunch will be on your own today.

• Day 2

  After breakfast, we will get deeper into the beautiful boreal forest, forests normally found only in Canada, with wonderful pine smells, old growth trees, some between 400 to almost a thousand years old. The Smokies are home to 90% of all of the Old Growth Forest left in the East and the upper ridges of the Smokies contain several thousand acres of these ancient trees. This is a good area to see deer, foxes and other wildlife as we are in some of the most remote sections of the eastern United States. We'll experience some strenuous stretches of trail, but the rewards are worthwhile with the breathtaking views. Mileage: 8-12 miles; Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,300'; All meals provided.

• Day 3

  After breakfast, we will continue to hike along some knife thin ridges, deep forests and wonderful open high mountain meadows called Balds, a unique feature found only in these Southern Appalachian mountains. In late summer, we'll pick mountain blueberries, blackberries and huckleberries. The trail continues to some other ridges and rocks outcropping with great views on and off until we reach the shelter. Bears, deer and even elk are often our hiking companions. Mileage approx. 8 miles; Elevation Gain/Loss: 1,000'. All meals provided.

• Day 4

  Our day alternates between incredibly diverse and moist forests to open ridges and grassy balds with breathtaking views into valleys rich with Cherokee and Scotch/Irish history. As we begin our decent, we will see plants found nowhere else on earth but the Southern Appalachians. Today's hike will be ecologically equivalent to hiking from Maine to Georgia. Our last mile and a half offers us a great opportunity to dip our feet in a cold mountain stream before we end our trip and get back to reality. Mileage: 8 miles; Elevation Gain/Loss: 3,000'. Breakfast, lunch and snacks provided.

There are multiple routes that we may select from along the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains that will enable us to create a fantastic hut to hut hiking experience for guests, and we may utilize any of those options.  Our final route is determined by our guides and based on the availability of suitable shelter access and other factors which may be beyond our control.  Changes in the availability of shelters from one departure date to the next will necessitate changes to the shelters we use each night, changes to the route and to the number of miles that we hike each day.  Although we do our best to adhere to the schedule listed above, this itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control.  This trip is operated rain or shine.

All accommodations; meals as noted in the daily itinerary; professional instruction and guiding; group cooking gear; group first aid kit, water filter; shuttle between trailheads.

Transportation from your hometown to group meeting point; park entrance fees where required, insurance of any kind; 2 lunches and snack items (see pack list for detailed guidance); alcoholic beverages; soft drinks; guide gratuities and items of a personal nature.

This trip is rated Vigorous (4) as we plan to hike for 6-10 hours per day most days on steep, rocky, sometimes exposed terrain, gaining and/or losing up to just over 3,000 feet in elevation some days.  We will carry packs weighing 30-35 lbs while we hike as well.  To maximize your enjoyment of the trip we suggest that you engage in a regular exercise regimen beginning at least three months prior to your departure.  Most important to your enjoyment of the trip is your overall fitness level.

Daytime temperatures usually range between 50-75 degrees F, with evening temperatures dropping into the 30s - 50s. You may encounter freezing temperatures at some of the higher elevations. Afternoon thunderstorms are a distinct possibility, so adequate raingear is important.

This trip is subject to the booking information set forth in the current REI Adventures Weekend Reservation Information. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A full gear list and detailed pre-trip information is sent upon sign-up. We highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance through REI Adventures. If coverage is purchased within 21 days of your initial reservation, the 'Pre-existing Conditions Exclusion' is waived (certain exclusions apply).

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Why wait? Space is limited, reserve your adventure today.

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