Great Smoky Mountains Blue Ghost Firefly Backpacking Trip
May 25-26, 2024
Head into the backcountry for a chance to see one of Great Smoky Mountains National Park's most magical natural phenomena - Blue Ghost Fireflies! This 2-day, 9.5-mile trip takes place in the Elkmont area of the park, featuring waterfalls, wildflowers, and riverside hiking on easy-moderate terrain. Elkmont was once a bustling logging community and the adjacent Daisy Town was a popular tourist destination for wealthy families. This laid back trip is suitable for beginners or families, and is a fun trip for more experienced backpackers to kick back and relax while enjoying a truly special natural phenomenon!
While we have planned this trip during the season when blue ghost fireflies are most active and in an area they're known to inhabit, we cannot guarantee firefly sightings.
"Hands down one of the most magical experiences of my entire life!" - AW, Private Firefly Backpacking Trip, June 2023
Cost:
$655/person
Scholarships and sliding scale fees are available for this trip. Please reach out to use at trips@blueridgehikingco.com for more information.
This trip has a minimum group size of 2 hikers and a maximum group size of 5 hikers. If the minimum group size has not yet been met, we'll reach out to the registered hiker 2 weeks before the trip to discuss options.
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, and all necessary backcountry permits. It does not include personal items (clothing, shoes, toiletries, medications, headlamp, water bottles) 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 25, 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. 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 May 25 in Asheville, NC.
Your guide will hand out your gear and food, go over necessary packing items, and discuss safety, weather, and logistics for the trip. They'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.
Around 11am, you'll head to Elkmont to start your hike! Drive time is approximately 2 hours. You'll hike approximately 4.5 miles the first day and 5 miles the second day, with approximately 1400ft of total elevation gain during the trip. The trail is mostly wide and well graded, with some short sections of narrow, rocky trail (mostly on the second day). Hikers should be able to complete a 6 mile day hike with a regular daypack. Because synchronous fireflies are active after dark, hikers should also be comfortable with a small amount of night hiking!
Hike generally finishes early afternoon the last day. Itinerary is subject to change based on a variety of factors, including weather, campsite availability, 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 3 out of 10, and this trip is ideally suited for hikers with a fitness level of 4-5 out of 10. This is a beginner trip, meaning hikers don't need any specific hiking or backpacking experience. For more information about our difficulty and experience level ratings, please see our Trip Difficulty Page.
Guide:
Your guide for this trip will be 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. Matt has over 12,000 trail miles on his legs, including thru-hikes of the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, John Muir Trail, and Long Trail. He 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 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! We recommend packing a lightweight camp chair for this 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.
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, 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 us by phone at 828-713-5451 or by email at trips@blueridgehikingco.com.