4th of July Weekend Backpacking Trip

July 2-4, 2022

Trip includes lodging at the Appalachian Trail-er on July 1, 2022

Celebrate Independence Day Weekend with a classic backpacking trip in the great outdoors! Join us around the campfire for S'mores and good times in nature to celebrate the holiday on the all-American Appalachian Trail. Our planned itinerary will end in Hot Springs, NC around mid-day on July 4th, leaving you plenty of time to make it to evening festivities and fireworks shows in Asheville or the surrounding area.

This is a 3 day, 2 night backpacking trip on one of our favorite sections of the Appalachian Trail. This hike is approximately 20 miles over mostly rolling terrain, with a couple of challenging uphill sections.  Participants will learn all necessary skills to complete a backpacking trip, and will leave empowered to hit the trail again soon.  Because this itinerary is considered moderate difficulty, it is a good first backpacking trip for people with hiking experience or a regular fitness routine.  It is also tons of fun for people with backpacking experience to share their love for the trail with others.

"I can’t say enough how amazing my first experience backpacking was. All the equipment was top notch, and our tour guide was amazing. " - A.W., AT Backpacking Trip, September 2021

Cost:

$610 per person
Scholarships and Sliding Scale Fees are available for this trip.  Please reach out to us at trips@blueridgehikingco.com for more information.

This trip will run if there are a minimum of 3 participants signed up.  If the minimum has not yet been met, we'll contact participants two weeks before the trip to discuss options.  The maximum group size is 7 participants.  If you are traveling in a party of 4 or more hikers, we encourage you to consider a private backpacking trip.  You can find more information about our private trip offerings by sending us an email.

In addition to your guide, this price includes backpacking gear for the trip, all on-trail food, transportation between the meet-up location and the trailhead, any necessary backcountry permits, and lodging the night before the trip.  Price also includes an insulated mug for each hiker.  It does not include gratuity for your guide.
 

Sign-Up Details:

In order to sign up for this trip, please go to our trip calendar and select the trip start date (July 2, 2022).  You will find the trip listed there. 

A few weeks before the start of the trip, we will be in contact via email with an information packet for you to fill out.  This includes a waiver, health form, and gear request form.  Please complete and return this form at your earliest convenience.  At that time we will also send a detailed packing list, and any trip-specific information.
 

Itinerary:

This trip meets at 9am on Saturday July 2 in Hot Springs, NC.

You will meet your guide at our basecamp and bunkhouse, the Appalachian Trail-er (200 Lance Ave, Hot Springs, NC 28743).  Your guide will hand out your gear and food, go over necessary packing items, and discuss safety, weather, and logistics for the trip. They will walk you through how to properly pack your pack, and may look in detail at the items you've packed to make sure you're not carrying too many extra items. 

Around 11am, you'll head to Max Patch, where you will start your hike!  After 3 days of hiking, you'll make your way 20 miles back to Hot Springs.  Daily mileage ranges from 3 to 10 miles per day, with 3 moderate climbs throughout the duration of the trip (the most challenging climbs are Walnut Mountain at the end of Day 1, Bluff Mountain at the beginning of Day 2, and Deer Park Mountain at the end of Day 2).  Hikers wishing to join should be able to walk for around 8 hours in a day and be able to complete a day hike of 12-13 miles (with a normal daypack).  

Hike generally finishes around lunchtime the last day.  Itinerary is subject to change based on a variety of factors, including weather, trail conditions, and participants needs and abilities.  Please inform our admin team or your guide ahead of time if you have a time constraint the last day of your trip.

Elevation profile created with Gaia GPS.
 

Trip Difficulty Rating:

Participants on this trip should have a minimum fitness level of 4 out of 10, and this trip is ideally suited for hikers with a fitness level of 5-6.  This is a Novice trip, meaning hikers should have previous hiking experience, and may or may not have backpacked or camped before.  For more information about our difficulty and experience level ratings, please see our blog.
 

Guide:

Your guide for this trip will be Jenna Carroll.  Jenna is a formerly Washington, DC-based corporate queen turned artsy outdoor enthusiast. She completed a northbound Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2021, and it totally changed her life. For her, hiking is one of the most joyful ways to gain confidence, channel creativity, and build community with other people. When she's not in the woods, you can find her hanging at a coffee shop in West Asheville or performing spoken word poetry at a local open mic. She is so jazzed to go hiking together!!
 

What we Provide:

Food: BRHC provides all on-trail food. Your guide will pass out the food for your trip on the first morning. You will be expected to carry your own individually packaged food (such as oatmeal packets) and some shared community items (such as a jar of peanut butter or a block of cheese). We do our best to cater to requests, but options are limited because it is important to keep food lightweight and fresh foods can be heavy and bulky. If you have food allergies or dietary restrictions, please notify your guide or our admin team ahead of time. 

Individual Use Gear: BRHC provides high quality, ultralight, cottage industry backpacking gear to make your experience as comfortable as possible.  We offer the following five pieces of gear at no additional cost:
Backpacks - We use a lightweight 60L pack. We will ask for your height and weight in order to fit the pack appropriately to you.
Tents - We have one-person tents and two-person tents available. Please let us know if you would like to share with a friend.
Sleeping Bags - We use a 20 degree synthetic sleeping bag. We also have sleeping bag liners available.
Sleeping Pads - These will insulate you from the ground and provide some cushion and comfort. We provide hikers with a closed-cell foam pad, for its excellent combination of weight and durability.
Trekking Poles - These will provide you with some added stability while hiking, and may be used to set up your tent.

Community Gear: BRHC provides all community gear for the trip, including water filters and back-up chemical treatment; camping stoves and fuel; bowls, spoons, and cups; trowels, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer; first aid kit; and map and compass.
 

What to Bring:

We will send all participants a detailed packing list a few weeks before the trip. You are expected to bring your own clothing/footwear, personal gear (such as headlamps and water bottles), medications, and approved optional items. Generally, comfortable trail shoes are better than heavy hiking boots. Please do not pack any cotton - if it gets wet, it does not dry quickly and will not keep you warm. Athletic clothes are a good option. You will need only one outfit to hike in, one outfit to sleep in, a raincoat, and a warm layer. You will not need a new set of clean clothes each day. You will not need any make-up, hair products, scented products or deodorant. Just bring a toothbrush and toothpaste and enjoy going all natural for the trip!
 

COVID Safety Information:

We follow all local, state, and federal COVID safety guidelines.  As those guidelines change, our policies may change.  Currently, all hikers joining a Group Backpacking Trip will be expected to show proof that they are fully vaccinated against COVID -or- a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of when they arrive for their trip.  Masks are optional during pack shakedown and in our shuttle vehicle. 

If you have questions about our procedures or would like specific precautions to be taken, please contact our office at 828-713-5451 or trips@blueridgehikingco.com.
 

Cancellation Policy:

Payment in full is required to register. Trip cost includes a 15% non-refundable administrative fee. Hike may be cancelled up to 2 weeks before the trip for a refund (minus the 15% fee). Within 2 weeks, a 50% refund will be offered. Within 48 hours, a refund will only be offered if Blue Ridge Hiking Company cancels the trip due to severe weather. 

We hike rain or shine!  While it is incredibly rewarding, backpacking is an endurance sport, and it can be challenging and/or uncomfortable at times.  Maintaining a positive mindset, even when it is uncomfortable, is key to enjoying your time in the wilderness.  With our focus on lightweight gear, our goal is for your pack to weigh around 25-30 lbs or no more than 25% of your body weight, whichever is less.

If your guide does an exceptional job, please show your appreciation with a tip.  Our team of highly trained professional guides never expects but always appreciates a tip.  Industry standard gratuity for a guided backpacking trip is 15-20% of trip price.

If you have any questions regarding this trip, you can reach our office by phone at 828-713-5451 or by email at trips@blueridgehikingco.com.