John Rock Watercolor Backpacking Trip

May 3-5, 2024

Heidi Nisbett, an accomplished backpacker and talented artist, will guide you on a 3-day backpacking trip in Pisgah National Forest near John Rock and teach you the basics of watercolor painting and painting outdoors along the way.  We've kept the mileage pretty low - around 15 miles total - to leave a couple hours each day for painting.  You'll leave the trip with at least 2-3 finished paintings (and the materials you'll need to keep painting on your future hikes), drawing inspiration from subjects including waterfalls and the beautiful spring wildflowers.  This is a beginner-friendly trip, or a chance for more experienced backpackers to try something new. No prior painting experience is necessary.

"This experience taught me a lot about how to properly backpack, and I look forward to more adventures with them in the future." - R.R., Intro to Backpacking

Cost:

$745 per person
Payment Plans, Scholarships, and Sliding Scale Fees are available for this trip.  Please email our office at trips@blueridgehikingco.com for more information.

This trip will run if there are a minimum of 2 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 6 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 all painting supplies and instruction.  Price also includes an insulated mug for each hiker.  It does not include personal items (clothing, shoes, toiletries, etc) or 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 (May 3, 2024).  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.  At that time we will also send a detailed packing list and any trip-specific information.
 

Itinerary:

This trip meets at 9am on Friday May 3 at Sycamore Flats Picnic Area in Pisgah National Forest. Your guide will hand out your gear and food, go over necessary packing items, and discuss safety, weather, and logistics for the trip. She'll 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. Once everyone is packed, you'll head to the trailhead to start your hike!  The trailhead is a short (~10 minute) drive from the meetup location.

Around 11am, you'll start your hike!  This is a basecamp-style trip, meaning you'll hike in to your campsite, then explore the area on a few day hikes, carrying just that day's essentials (food, water, layers, and paint supplies).  After 3 days of hiking, you will have completed 12-16 miles of trail in Pisgah National Forest, near John Rock and Cedar Rock. The terrain will include waterfalls and stunning views of the surrounding mountains. Early May is peak wildflower season, too! Daily mileage ranges from 4-7 miles per day.  Each day, participants will have the option to focus on more hiking or more painting, so the group may split up at some points.

Hike generally finishes around lunchtime on 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.
 

Trip Difficulty Rating:

Participants on this trip should have a minimum fitness level of 3 out of 10, and this trip is ideally suited for hikers with a fitness level of 4-5.  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 Trip Difficulty Page.
 

Guide:

Your guide for this trip will be Heidi Nisbett.  Heidi grew up in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and is proud to call North Carolina home.  After graduating from Winthrop University with a BFA in Painting and Printmaking, she found herself falling in love with hiking and the outdoors.  She thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2018 and kept a detailed sketchbook of watercolor paintings to document her travels.  She has since hiked a number of shorter trails and enjoys finding new ways to incorporate her creative practice into hiking.  Her artwork can be viewed at www.sketchingsummits.com.
 

What we Provide:

Food: BRHC provides all on-trail food. You will have the ability to choose your own food from our wide selection, and you will carry your own food during the trip. We do our best to cater to requests, though it is important to keep to lightweight foods appropriate for backpacking. If you have food allergies or dietary restrictions, please inform our team in your pre-trip paperwork.

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 provide a one-person tent, or and two-person tent if you are sharing with a partner or friend.
Sleeping Bags - We use a 20 degree synthetic sleeping bag with sleeping bag liners.
Sleeping Pads - We provide hikers with a closed-cell foam pad, for its excellent combination of weight and durability. Inflatable sleeping pads are available for an additional rental fee
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, camping stoves and fuel, bowls, utensils and cups; trowels, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer; first aid kit; and navigational aids.

Painting Supplies: BRHC provides all necessary watercolor painting supplies.  We will provide backpacks with removable sit pads that are perfect for painting.  If you bring your own backpack, you may want to pack a sit pad or lightweight backpacking chair to use while painting.
 

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 (synthetic or wool) 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. Because temperatures in early May can be cool, you should also pack a set of baselayers, a hat, and a pair of gloves. We recommend bringing two 1-liter water bottles. A Nalgene or disposable Smart Water bottle are good option 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!
 

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. Hikers may reschedule their trip once (at least 2 weeks before their trip) free of charge. Additional changes to their reservation date may result in a rescheduling fee.

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 25lbs (or no more than 25% of your body weight).

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.