Great Smoky Mountains Women’s Backpacking

Great Smoky Mountains Women’s Backpacking

Heart of the Great Smoky Mountains

  • Great Smoky Mountains Women's Backpacking is rated 5.0 out of 5 by 2.
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  • Activity Level: 3-4
  • Days: 4
  • Group Size: 4-6
  • Member price: from $799
  • Non-member price: from $878

Perfect for the backpacking adventurer who wants to try the Appalachian Trail, hone multi-day backpacking skills or just disconnect from the day to day, this trip gives you a taste of being a thru-hiker. We wake each morning to the symphony of the forest. Fueled by hot coffee and a hearty breakfast, we backpack to primitive shelters, camp in lush meadows, traversing narrow ridgelines, threading old-growth forests, and pausing to appreciate the grandeur of Great Smoky Mountains vistas.

Along the trail, our passionate expert guides share the Smokies’ history, lore and field-tested backpacking tips. Evenings bring friendly camaraderie around the campfire. The simplicity of trail life soothes stress and helps us be mindful in the here-and-now. Our journey culminates with gratitude for new friends and wild places. Mind clear, spirits renewed, we depart ready to take on life’s next adventure.

Trip highlights

  • Reconnect with Mother Nature on this challenging backpacking adventure
  • Stay in a primitive backcountry shelter and camp in secluded meadows
  • Learn wilderness survival techniques and backpacking tips from expert guides
  • Experience a portion of the famed Appalachian Trail along mountain Peaks
  • REI Women’s Adventure—designed for women, guided by women

Activities

  • Backpacking

Accommodations

Primitive backcountry shelters and tent camping, 3 nights

Adventure Expert

Heather

Backpacking in the Smokies is an incredible opportunity on its own. When you add passionate female guides who’ve spent decades exploring the area to the mix, the experience promises to be life changing.

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Our trip begins at 9am today in beautiful Great Smoky Mountains National Park. After introductions to our fellow travelers and guides and an informational orientation to the weekend's adventure we'll caravan to the trail head and begin our exploration of this spectacular national treasure.

Mileage: varies between 3 – 5.5 miles depending on specific route with +/- 1,500-3,000' elevation change.

Awaken to the symphony of the forest as we ease into our first day of life on the trail. Depending on our route we may find ourselves traversing the slopes of ancient Mount Guyot, the second highest peak in the Smokies, soaking in the spectacular views at Charles Bunion or working on our naturalist skills along some of the most remote trails in the eastern United States.

Mileage: varies between 6.5 – 13 miles depending on specific route with +/- 1,500-3,000' elevation change..

We'll start this morning with a wholesome breakfast and fresh brewed coffee prepared by our amazing guides. Get ready for another day spent in awe as we hike among old growth Boreal forests and continue our journey along sections of the iconic Appalachian Trail. We'll get a feel for the thru-hiker experience and depending on our route may even have a chance to experience the most challenging sections of the AT in Great Smoky Mountains National Park today.

Mileage: varies between 6 – 13 miles depending on specific route with +/- 1,500-3,000' elevation change..

Today's journey is bittersweet as we continue to soak in breathtaking views and panoramas along our last miles back to the trailhead. Regardless of our route, we'll cherish these last few hours spent in the remote corners of the United States' most visited national park with passionate guides and like-minded new friends. Flights out of Knoxville or Asheville can be scheduled after 7pm. Flights out of Charlotte can be scheduled after 9pm.

Mileage: varies between 3-11 miles depending on specific route with +/- 1,500-3,000' elevation change.

Note on Itinerary

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.

Call 1-800-622-2236 to reserve this trip on the phone

Monday-Friday, 7 AM to 5 PM Pacific Time

Price Includes

Accommodations in huts, or tents if required (route dependent); meals as noted in the daily itinerary; professional instruction and guiding; group cooking gear; group first aid kit; water filter or purification system.

Not Included

Transportation from your hometown to group meeting point; park entrance fees where required, insurance of any kind; lunches and snack items; alcoholic beverages; soft drinks; optional guide gratuities; items of a personal nature.

Consider as you sign up

Airline tickets - Please check with us before purchasing your airline tickets to ensure your trip is confirmed with the minimum number of participants required to operate.

Travel insurance - To protect your travel investment, we highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance. Please contact us or see details.

REI membership - Get a member discount on most REI Adventures trips plus other valuable benefits.

REI Co-op Mastercard® - Earn 5% back on REI Adventures trips and all REI net purchases. Learn more.

Additional Information

Cancellation and Transfer Policy

Full payment is due at sign up, fully refundable up to 30 days prior to departure.

If you decide to cancel your trip, the following fees apply and are due when we receive notice of your cancellation:
30+ days prior to departure = $0
15 to 29 days prior to departure = 50% of the total trip cost is non-refundable
0 to 14 days prior to departure = 100% of the trip cost is non-refundable

If you instead transfer to another trip, the following fees are due at the time of the request:
15+ days prior to departure = $0
0 to 14 days prior to departure = 100% of the trip cost is non-refundable

To protect your investment, we recommend that you purchase travel insurance.

Weather

Daytime temperatures usually range between 50-75 degrees F, with evening temperatures dropping into the 20s - 50s. You may encounter freezing temperatures at some of the higher elevations. Afternoon thunderstorms are a distinct possibility, so adequate raingear is important.

Single Travelers

Single accommodations are not available for this trip. Shelters are shared by all members of the group.

General Information

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. Additional trip information will be provided upon sign up. We highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance through REI Adventures. If coverage is purchased at the time 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.

Shar

Beautiful trail, awesome guides

This was an awesome 1st time backpacking experience. The guides were super knowledgeable about the area and all aspects of the trail and hiking. The route gave us a taste of tent camping, the shelters on the AT and va...

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The key to staying comfortable while on an active trip is layering. To get maximum comfort with minimum weight, you need versatile layers that mix and match to create the right amount of insulation, ventilation and weather protection. Try to bring only what is necessary—this will help you and the field staff.

Provided by REI

  • Shelter
  • All Group Cooking Gear
  • Stoves and Fuel
  • Water Filter
  • Group First Aid Kit
  • Tent(s)

Required

Recommended

Optional

Travel Documents

  • Final Bulletin (Emailed Prior to Departure Date)

Contact Us

Feel free to give us a call at 1-800-622-2236 should you have any questions regarding the gear list. The staff at our stores and Direct Sales (1-800-426-4840) will also be happy to help you with gear questions. Or check out www.rei.com/learn. The Expert Advice section on our "Learn" page has great information to help you prepare for your trip.

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Rated 5 out of 5 by from Fantastic Guides! These guides are top notch. They are so knowledgeable, perceptive, and helpful. I could not have made it through the entire trip without their motivation, both physically and mentally. The trek was surprisingly challenging. I work out at the gym at least 4 days a week with both cardio and weights and I still found this to be a strenuous activity. Tip: try to keep your pack as light as possible because they will add 5 pounds of community supplies to your pack as well. I recommend carrying no more than 25-28 pounds including the community supplies. You will be hiking 26+ miles on sometimes steep terrain over 4 days. Also, I recommend wearing trail runners instead of "waterproof" boots. The Smoky Mountains is known for its rain and your boots can still get soaked. If they get wet on the inside, they will not dry out for the rest of the trip. I wouldn't trade this experience for anything, though. It was amazing adventure and the comraderie built with the guides and fellow backpackers was awesome!
Date published: 2017-07-12
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Beautiful trail, awesome guides This was an awesome 1st time backpacking experience. The guides were super knowledgeable about the area and all aspects of the trail and hiking. The route gave us a taste of tent camping, the shelters on the AT and varied beautiful terrain.
Date published: 2017-06-27
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