High Peaks of Pisgah Backpacking Trip

May 22-25, 2026

Pisgah National Forest is known for its sweeping mountain views and plentiful wildflowers. Spend 4 days hiking in a remote and rugged part of Pisgah, combining portions of the Art Loeb Trail and Mountains to Sea Trail to summit 7 of the area's 6,000ft peaks - Cold Mountain, Shining Rock, Grassy Cove Top, Tennent Mountain, Black Balsam Knob, Sam's Knob, and Mt Hardy. 

Because this trip is at high elevation, participants should be prepared for cold overnight temperatures. It is possible for temperatures to be near or below freezing year round.

"Was it tough? Heck yeah, but so rewarding. WE CAN DO HARD THINGS!" - PH, Women's Max Patch Backpacking Trip, October 2025

Cost:

$1140/person
Payment plans, 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 1 month before the trip to discuss options. 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, 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 desired trip start date. You will find the trip listed there. 

A few weeks before the start of the trip, we will be in contact via email with a pre-trip email that includes all information for you to prepare for your trip, a waiver packet for you to complete (waiver, health form, and gear request form), and a detailed packing list.

Itinerary:

This trip meets at 8am in Asheville, NC.

You will meet your guide at our shop in downtown Asheville (70 College Street, Asheville, NC 28801). 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 10am, you'll head to Camp Daniel Boone, shuttle time is approximately an hour. You'll hike 31 miles with 8,700ft of elevation gain over 4 days, ranging from 4 to 12 miles per day. Begin with a hike up Cold Mountain (namesake of Charles Frasier's novel) on the first day. The second day, you'll continue on the Art Loeb Trail past Black Balsam Knob, then hike to Sam's Knob before arriving at your creekside campsite. On the third day, cross into Middle Prong Wilderness and hike to Mt Hardy and camping nearby. Finish the trip on the Mountains to Sea Trail to the trailhead on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Participants should be able to complete a 15 mile day hike over hilly or mountainous terrain, or a 17 mile walk on flat ground.

Hike will finish late afternoon on the last day, then the group will shuttle back to Hot Springs. 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 out of 10. This is an Intermediate trip, meaning hikers should have some previous backpacking experience. All participants in our group backpacking trips should be comfortable by themselves on trail for at least 30 minutes. 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 knowledge and experience, and are certified in Wilderness First Aid (or higher) and CPR.

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, 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 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 us by phone at 828-713-5451 or by email at trips@blueridgehikingco.com.