Smokies Benton MacKaye Trail
Backpacking Trip

August 18-25, 2025

Trip includes overnight lodging at the Appalachian Trail-er on August 18, 2025 and August 25, 2025

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the country's most visited, boasts some of the highest mountain peaks in eastern North America and a fascinating forest ecosystem. It is home to hundreds of miles of world class hiking trails, including 92 miles of the Benton MacKaye Trail, the sister trail of the Appalachian Trail. This trip's planned itinerary is a guided section hike of the BMT, from Fontana Dam to Davenport Gap. 

Please note, this itinerary is dependent on Blue Ridge Hiking Company's ability to acquire the appropriate backcountry camping permits 25 days before the trip. The itinerary is not guaranteed. Should BRHC need to modify the itinerary, the hike may include portions of other trails in GSMNP.

This is a challenging trip with close to 30,000 ft of total elevation gain over 7 days of hiking, ideal for those with a high level of fitness and previous backpacking experience. Weather in the mountains can be unpredictable. Hikers should be prepared for cold temperatures overnight, especially at higher elevations. Temperatures on trail can be 15-20 degrees cooler than in Hot Springs, NC.

"From the excellent equipment they provide, the amazing experience, to the highly knowledgeable and caring
guides....our guide made the trip fun, met us at the level of our skills and showed us some of the most beautiful
sites that we may have never found on our own." - T.C., Intermediate Backpacking Trip, September 2022

Cost:

$1915 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 one month before the trip to discuss options. The maximum group size is 5 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 18, 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. At that time we will also send a detailed packing list and any trip-specific information.

Itinerary:

Trip meets at 4pm on Monday August 18 in Hot Springs, NC.

You will meet your guide at the Appalachian Trail-er for a pack shakedown. Your guide will hand out your gear, 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. You will also pack your resupply bag with food and a change of clothes for the second half of your trip. The group will enjoy dinner in Hot Springs, NC and stay overnight at the Appalachian Trail-er bunkhouse.

At 8am on Tuesday, you will take a shuttle to Fontana Dam where you will start your hike. The shuttle time is 2-2.5 hours. Daily mileage averages 9-16 miles; total mileage is approximately 92 miles. At Smokemont Campground (midway through your trip), your group will meet a resupply vehicle to bring food and a change of clothes for the second half of your trip. You'll finish your hike at the Big Creek Ranger Station, where you'll be shuttled back to Hot Springs. Expect a total elevation gain of approximately 30,000ft, passing iconic viewpoints like the historic Mt Sterling Firetower. This itinerary is as rewarding as it is challenging.

This hike generally finishes late afternoon on the last day. Itinerary is subject to change based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to weather, trail conditions, campsite availability in the National Park, and participants needs and abilities. Please inform our admin team or your guide ahead of time if you have a time constraints 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 7 out of 10, and this trip is ideally suited for hikers with a fitness level of 7-8 out of 10. This is considered an Advanced trip. Hikers should have some previous backpacking experience and be prepared to spend 7 days in the backcountry. 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. 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. 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 1L 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 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 20-25% 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.