Gnome's Best of the Smokies
Backpacking Trip

October 26-29, 2024

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited National Park in the nation, with over 13 million visitors in 2023 alone. Matt "Gnome" Dobson has put together a loop of some of his favorite campsites, trails, and peaks to show off why the park sees so many visitors each year. This route includes portions of the Appalachian Trail and Mt LeConte, two of the most well known attractions in the park. Trip also includes some of Gnome's favorite "hidden gem" trails. This is a moderately challenging trip, that is most well suited for folks who have some backcountry experience and/or a high level of fitness.

For all trips within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, we register for a backcountry permit 25 days before the trip starts. The itinerary is not finalized until that date.

This trip is in the late fall, and has elevations ranging from under 2,000ft to over 6,500ft. All participants should be prepared for cold weather, including temperatures below freezing and the possibility of snow and/or ice. If special equipment is necessary (ex: footwear traction devices), it will be provided with the trip gear.

"This is a 5 star company and we had a fantastic time. I highly recommend Blue Ridge Hiking Company to beginners through advanced hikers/backpackers and those training to eventually thru-hike the AT or simply learn the necessary skills to hike on their own." - NZ, Private Backpacking Trip, August 2022

Cost:

$1135/person
Scholarships and Sliding Scale Fees are available for this trip.  For more information, please reach out to our office at 828-713-5451 or trips@blueridgehikingco.com.

This trip requires a minimum of 2 hikers in order to run. If the minimum has not yet been met, we'll reach out to the registered hiker about 4 weeks before the trip to discuss options. As of 6/14/24, this trip has met its minimum and will run! The maximum group size is 6 hikers. 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, all necessary backcountry permits and fees, and lodging the night before the trip.  It does not include personal items 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 desired trip start date (October 26, 2024).  You will find the trip listed there. 

Before the start of the trip, we will be in contact via email with an information packet and a form for you to fill out.  This form includes a waiver, health form, and information about gear needs and dietary restrictions.  Please complete and return this form at your earliest convenience.  The information packet also includes an itinerary of your trip and a packing list.
 

Itinerary:

Trip meets at 8am at Embassy Suited in Gatlinburg, TN. You are responsible for booking your own lodging in Gatlinburg.

You will begin your day with a pack shakedown.  Your guide will hand out your gear, go over necessary packing items, and discuss safety, weather, and logistics for the trip. He 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 10am, you will head to Huskey Gap to begin your hike. Shuttle time is approximately an hour and a half.

You'll hike 31 miles with 6,500ft of elevation gain over 4 days, ranging from 4 to 11 miles per day. A short but somewhat steep hike the first day is a great warmup for the trip to come. As the trip progresses the second day, you'll be treated to rich fall color, old growth forests, and iconic views of Chimney Tops and Mt LeConte. The third day offers a break from the climbing as you spend a relatively leisurely day hiking the Appalachian Trail. If you want, you can head to Charley's Bunion after setting up camp for an epic westward view. The final day of the trip is a long one, but includes a summit of Mt LeConte and a descent of the popular Alum Cave Trail.

Hike will finish late afternoon on the last day.  Itinerary is subject to change based on a variety of factors, including weather, campsite availability in the National Park, trail conditions, and participants needs and abilities.  Please inform the 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 6 out of 10, and this trip is ideally suited for hikers with a fitness level of 7-8.  This is a novice to intermediate trip, meaning hikers should have some previous backcountry experience, and are comfortable on trail.  For more information about our difficulty and experience level ratings, please see our Trip Difficulty page.
 

Guide:

Your Guide for this trip will Matt "Gnome" Dobson. Having moved around the world pursuing other professional interests, Matt has decided Western North Carolina is the place for him and helping to expose others to our natural world is the perfect way to spend his time. A Triple Crowner, with thru-hikes of the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail, he has over 16,000 miles on those legs. Matt has a Plant Sciences degree from the University of Tennessee and has spent many of his hours in nature studying its science and history.
 

What we Provide:

Food: BRHC provides all on-trail food. Your guides 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 try to cater to dietary requests, but options are limited because it is important to keep food lightweight. If you have food allergies or sensitivities, please notify us ahead of time. 

Individual Use Gear: BRHC provides high quality, ultralight, cottage industry backpacking gear to make your experience as comfortable as possible.  You are welcome to bring your own gear, however we strongly recommend using ours!  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 with sleeping bag liners. We have 0 degree bags available if needed for weather.
Sleeping Pads - These will insulate you from the ground and provide some cushion and comfort. This trip includes the use of upgraded inflatable sleeping pads.
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 before the trip. You are expected to bring your own clothing, personal gear (such as headlamps and water bottles), medications, and approved optional items. We will send a detailed packing list with your trip information packet after you book. Generally, comfortable walking 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 and one outfit to sleep in, plus a raincoat, and a warm layer. Overnight temperatures can be cool at higher elevations; we recommend packing a set of baselayers, a warm hat, and a pair of lightweight gloves. 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!
 

Cancellation Policy:

Trip cost includes a 15% non-refundable administrative fee. Hikes may be cancelled up to 1 month before the trip for a refund (minus the 15% admin fee). Within 1 month, a 50% refund will be offered. Within 1 week, a refund will only be offered if Blue Ridge Hiking Company cancels the trip due to severe weather. We are unable to offer exceptions to this policy due to extenuating circumstances; we strongly recommend all hikers purchase travel insurance to cover their trip.

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 rescheduling fees.

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.  During your pack shakedown, we'll ensure you have the necessities packed, and will encourage you to edit extra items.  With our focus on lightweight gear, our goal is for your pack to weigh around 25-30lbs (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 us by phone at 828-713-5451 or by email at trips@blueridgehikingco.com.