Extended Intro to Backpacking Trip

August 1-3, 2025

This Extended Intro trip is a great way to learn how to backpack on your own! You'll hike 18 miles over 3 days, with only 2,500ft of elevation change, and along the way you'll learn how to read a trail map, how to carry a pack, how to hike with trekking poles, how to set up a tent, how to cook and properly sore your food, and more - with a focus on lightweight techniques. All while being surrounded by some of the best views in the Southern Appalachian mountains! This trip is a great option for hikers who are looking for something that falls in between our 2-day Intro trip and our popular 3-day Appalachian Trail trip in length and difficulty. You'll leave empowered to hit the trail again soon!

This trip stays over 6,000ft for the majority of the trip. Hikers should expect temperatures to be about 20 degrees cooler than in Asheville. It can get near freezing overnight even in the summer!

"This was our first time on the trail and we definitely plan on coming back. The perfect balance
between education, fitness and beauty." - L.M., Women's AT Backpacking Trip, August 2022

Cost:

$715 per person
Payment Plans, Scholarships, and Sliding Scale Fees are available for this trip.  Please contact our office 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, food while you're on trail, transportation between the meet-up location and the trailhead, and any necessary backcountry permits and fees. Price also includes access to a pre-trip Zoom call, where you can ask questions about your upcoming 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 trip start date (August 1, 2025). 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 Friday August 1 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 backpack, 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 the trailhead where you will start your hike! Drive time is just over an hour. Your trip is a loop near Sam's Knob, covering 18 miles in 3 days with only 2,500ft elevation gain and loss throughout the trip. Each day of hiking is 5-8 miles. The first day, you'll hike along Flat Laurel Creek to your campsite. Once camp is set up, hike to Sam's Knob and return to camp. The second day, hike a loop up Tennent Mountain and Black Balsam Knob, then return to camp. Because you'll be at the same campsite two nights in a row, hikers have the option of taking their pack with just the essentials for the day (layers, food, water, etc) or practicing carrying their full pack. The last day of the trip, leave the campsite and hike to Devils Courthouse, then follow the MST to the trailhead where you'll finish your hike. Hikers wishing to join this trip should be should be able to complete a 10-mile day hike with a regular daypack.

Hike generally finishes mid-afternoon 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 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 to have any previous hiking, camping, 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 has not yet been determined. All of our guides have extensive backcountry experience and are passionate about sharing their knowledge with other people. All of our guides have Wilderness First Aid (or higher) and CPR certifications. 

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.

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, a headlamp, two 1-L water bottles (Nalgene or disposable Smart Water bottles are good options), personal medications/toiletries, and approved optional items. Generally, comfortable trail shoes are better than heavy hiking boots. Please pack synthetic or wool athletic clothing rather than cotton. Cotton does not dry quickly and will not keep you warm when wet.  For most trips you will need only one outfit to hike in, one outfit to sleep in, a raincoat, and a warm layer.  A beanie and lightweight gloves are appropriate in most seasons as temperatures cool down in the mountains at night. You will not need a new set of clean clothes for each day, 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, no refunds will be offered. If Blue Ridge Hiking Company cancels the trip due to severe weather, we'll offer a refund less the 15% admin fee. We are unable to offer exceptions to this policy; we strongly recommend all hikers purchase travel insurance to cover their trip.

Hikers may reschedule their trip once (at least 1 month 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 you are 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.