This 3 day / 2 night guided backpacking trip is perfect for beginners or first time backpackers! You'll hike alongside an experienced backpacking guide for approximately 15 miles over the course of 3 days on the Appalachian Trail. Explore the beautiful rolling hills, wide-open mountain views, and winding woodland trails of the Appalachian Mountains along the TN/NC border, one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world.  Start the hike by soaking in the 360 degree mountain views from a series of wildflower covered, grassy mountain balds of the Roan Highlands, then camp in a tent overnight under the stars.  The next day, wake up to the sounds of nature and then hike over another mountain bald before descending into the woodlands below, where you’ll see an abundance of flora and fauna native to southern Appalachia.  You’ll camp a second night, and finish the hike on the third day with a series of small creek crossings.  You’ll learn how to set up camp, filter water, cook meals, and practice safe backpacking skills with your guide.  Trip includes full gear rental (a comfortable backpack, trekking poles, tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, and cook kit), breakfast, lunch, and dinners during the trip, shuttle service to trail heads, and a video orientation before the trip to discuss planning and preparation. 

Itinerary:

• Day 1- Meet & Greet, Carver's Gap (5.6 Miles, 873’ Elevation Gain): Meet your guide in Roan Mountain, TN around 9 am.  Before we get on the shuttle, we will distribute your rental gear (backpack, tent, sleeping pad and bag, cook kit, trekking poles) and do a gear “shakedown”, where your guide will help make last minute adjustments to your packs.  Then, we’ll take our shuttle to the trailhead (about a 30 minute drive) and start hiking to our first campsite.  The first day includes some big climbs, but the mountain views at the top are worth it!  We’ll go over the summits of Round Bald and Jane Bald, stopping for lunch halfway and taking plenty of breaks to soak in the views. When we get to camp, you’ll learn how to set up your tent, filter water, and cook dinner.  We’ll eat together and spend some time around the campfire before heading to bed.

• Day 2: Mountain Views and Woodland Trails (6.2 Miles, 1,447’ Elevation Gain:  We’ll make breakfast, break down camp, and make our way through the forests to the next set of mountain balds, with their grassy, wildflower covered summits. We will stop for lunch and take breaks along the way, then set up camp for the night. We may wind down with some games or a campfire before heading to bed in our tents.

• Day 3: Hike Out (3 Miles, 115’ Elevation Gain): The last day is short, so we can sleep in a bit before we make breakfast, break down camp, and finish the hike.  This day is mostly downhill, through the winding forest trail and past a few creeks.  We’ll finish the trip back at our cars around 12 pm.  At the end of the trip, feel free to stick around and celebrate with lunch from a nearby food truck!

Daily mileage may vary.  Your guide may make adjustments to the itinerary to best fit the group's needs and experience level.

What to Bring:

Your guide will provide you with a detailed gear checklist a few weeks before your trip that’s tailored to your trip location and expected weather.  You’ll be expected to bring your own clothing, footwear, and personal items such as medications.  You will also have the opportunity to ask specific gear questions during your Pre-Hike Virtual Orientation with your guide.  Here are some general guidelines for your gear:

• Clothing: You’ll need a system of layering for your backpacking clothes.  Remember that cotton kills!  Cotton clothing has a tendency to absorb water, become heavy and uncomfortable, and takes a long time to dry!  Athletic clothes with breathable fabrics are much better.  You won’t need to bring a clean set of clothing for each day.  Instead, you’ll want to pack an outfit for hiking, an outfit for sleeping, a warm layer, and a rain jacket.  An extra pair of socks and underwear are a good idea, too.  

• Shoes:  Generally, a pair of comfortable running shoes or trail shoes along with a pair of wool hiking socks are better suited for the terrain and weather of the Appalachian Mountains than heavy hiking boots.  Many backpackers also choose to bring a pair of lightweight sandals or camp shoes to wear in the evenings.  Whatever you wear, make sure to test them out at home before bringing them on a week-long trip!

• Toiletries: Toilet paper, toothbrush and toothpaste, a small bottle of soap, and hand sanitizer are all you need!  Leave the deodorant, make-up, hair products, lotions, and other scented items at home.  Embrace your natural self while backpacking! 

• Food:  On trail meals are included in this trip (Day 1: lunch and dinner, Day 2: breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Day 3: breakfast).  Meals are designed to be lightweight and easy to prepare in the backcountry.  Each hiker in the group will be responsible for carrying some part of the group meals (for example, a container of peanut butter or pack of tortillas).  You will also need to bring your own snacks for the trip.  We recommend 2-3 snacks per day, which could be energy bars, trail mix, beef jerky, etc. 
  

Meeting Location:

This trip will meet in the small mountain town of Roan Mountain, TN.  We recommend that you book a stay nearby the night before your backpacking trip so that you can start your hike well rested.  There are several lodging options in Roan Mountain and also in the nearby town of Johnson City, TN.  If you are flying, the nearest airport is in Blountville, TN (the Tri-Cities Regional Airport), which is about a 50 minute drive from Roan Mountain.

Cancellation Policy: 

• Your trip cost includes a 15% non-refundable booking fee.  
• Participants may cancel a trip up to 60 days before the start date of the trip for a refund, minus the 15% booking fee.  
• If a participant cancels a trip between 59-30 days before the start of the trip, a 50% refund will be offered.
• If a participant cancels a trip between 0-29 days from the start of the trip, no refund or trip credit will be offered.
• We hike rain or shine! Backpacking is a challenging endurance sport, and it can be uncomfortable during inclement weather.  We do our best to make sure hikers are adequately prepared for adverse weather.  However, safety is our biggest priority.  In the case of severe weather that could affect the safety of our hikers, our guides have the discretion to cancel a trip.  In this case, a full refund or transfer credit will be offered.

Trip Transfer Policy:

• A participant may request 1 transfer from one trip to another according to the Transfer Policy.  A second transfer request will be treated as a cancellation according to the cancellation policy.
• A participant may make a transfer request more than 60 days from the start of the trip with no additional fee.
• A transfer request made from 30-59 days before the start of the trip will incur a $100 per person transfer fee.
• No transfer requests can be made from 0-29 days prior to the start of the trip.  This will be treated as a cancellation, with no refund or transfer credit offered, according to the cancellation policy.

Our guides work hard to provide you with excellent service, professional guidance, and a safe and memorable backpacking trip.  If you feel your guide has done an exceptional job, please consider showing your appreciation with a tip.  The industry standard for tipping backpacking guides is 15-20% the total cost of the trip.