Great Smoky Mountains Wildflowers and Waterfalls Backpacking Trip
April 28-30, 2023
This trip includes lodging at the Appalachian Trail-er on April 27, 2023
Spend 3 days backpacking in one of the most wildflower diverse areas of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, taking time to stop and learn to identify the wildflowers you see along the way. This trip takes place in the Big Creek area of Great Smoky Mountains National park - featuring Midnight Hole Falls and Mouse Creek Falls the first day, a strenuous hike up to Mt Sterling the second day, and finishing down the Baxter Creek Trail the last day. This itinerary is considered moderate difficulty, with lower mileage (18 miles total) and more elevation gain (4,000ft elevation gain). It is a good first backpacking trip for people with hiking experience or a regular fitness routine. It is also tons of fun for people with backpacking experience to share their love for the trail with others. This trip includes a copy of the Wildflowers of the Smokies Field Guide for each hiker.
Spring 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.
"The BEST trip! A huge thank you to Blue Ridge Hiking Company for helping to create a truly unforgettable
trip with family and friends. BRHC not only made us feel incredibly prepared and capable of several nights
in the woods, but also helped us gain so much backpacking knowledge to be able to backpack on our own one day.
We absolutely loved our guides and our experience in Western NC." - H.H., Private Backpacking Trip, July 2020
Cost:
$780 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 2 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 6 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 for the trip, all on-trail food (Friday lunch through Sunday lunch), transportation between the meet-up location and the trailhead, any necessary backcountry permits, and lodging the night before the trip. Price also includes a copy of Wildflowers of the Smokies field guide and an insulated mug. It does not include 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 (April 28, 2023). 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 April 28 in Hot Springs, 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 Big Creek, where you will start your hike! After 3 days of hiking, you'll return to the Big Creek trailhead and take a shuttle back to Hot Springs, NC. Each day of hiking is 5-7 miles. The first day will be gentle elevation increase past 2 waterfalls to the campsite. The second day will have significant climbing up to the Mt Sterling ridgeline! We've kept the mileage shorter so the group can move slow on the way up. The second night, you'll camp near the Mt Sterling Firetower, with the option to climb and check out the view. The last day of hiking will be consistent downhill to the trailhead. Hikers wishing to join this trip should be fit and able to climb 10 flights of stairs without having to take a break. Hikers 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.
Trip Difficulty Rating:
Participants on this trip should have a minimum fitness level of 4 out of 10, and this trip is ideally suited for hikers with a fitness level of 5-6 out of 10. This is a Novice trip, meaning hikers should have some previous hiking experience, but may or may not have backpacked or camped before. 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 15,000 trail miles on his legs, including thru-hikes of the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Pacific Crest 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. Because temperatures in April can be cool, you should also pack a set of baselayers, a hat, and a pair of gloves. We recommend bringing at least 1 hard-sided plastic water bottle (ex: Nalgene) to use as a hot water bottle in your tent/sleeping bag if overnight temperatures are cold. 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:
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 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.