Ancient Appalachia Loop
Asheville, NC
5.0 (1 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Fulfilling Adventure
- Old Growth Forests
- Sweeping Views
- Mountain Solitude
- Stunning Waterfall
- Amazing Natural & Cultural History
Description
The Ancient Appalachia Loop Smoky Mountains backpacking trip combines solitary trails, old growth forests, and some of the most beautiful views in the Smokies in a short, action-packed hike! This trip is an excellent choice for first-time backpackers, families, or for those who’d like to see first hand why this park is the country’s most ecologically diverse – and most visited – national park.
We’ll begin along the lower reaches of Gabe’s Mountain, passing Hen Wallow Falls on our way through virgin woodlands to our first night’s camp at Sugar Cove. The next morning we’ll head up the Maddron Bald Trail to the Albright Grove Loop, where we’ll appreciate a collection of the park’s largest and most magnificent trees. We’ll camp along a mountain creek and climb to the top of Maddron Bald for out-of-this-world views. A day hike with light packs on the famous Appalachian Trail on day 3 is the highlight of the trip for many guests. Our final day brings us down to our starting point ending our Great Smoky Mountains backcountry adventure.
$1005 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 3
Our difficulty ratings are based on a scale of 1-5, tours with a rating of 1 being least difficult, tours with a rating of 5 being most difficult
- Backpack Weight:
- 25-35 pounds
- Daily Hiking Distances:
- 5-10 miles
- Most Elevation Loss:
- 2560 feet
- Most Elevation Gain:
- 3040 feet
- Quality of Trails:
- Well maintained
- Additional:
- This trip follows great rock and dirt trails, but requires some strenuous climbing and descending over relatively long distances (up to nearly 10 miles on the day hike).
Participants should:
- be active and healthy
- regularly exercise vigorously
- be comfortable hiking 6-8 miles per day in hilly or mountainous terrain with a 25-pound backpack
SOLITUDE LEVEL 2
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Great Smoky Mountains backpacking trip a solitude 2. You can expect as much as an hour of solitude at a time.
Learn More about our Rating SystemTRAVEL TO ASHEVILLE
All Smoky Mountains National Park trips begin and end from Asheville, North Carolina. Asheville has an airport served by Allegiant Air, Delta, United, and US Airways. One can also fly into Greenville, South Carolina or Charlotte, North Carolina and drive to Asheville. It is a 1.5-hour drive from Greenville to Asheville and a 2-hour drive from Charlotte on good roads.
FROM ASHEVILLE AIRPORT
Asheville Airport Express (http://www.ashevilleairportexpress.com, 1-828-691-1121) runs shuttles to and from downtown. Also a number of taxis are usually available on the curb in the Arrivals area.
FROM GREENVILLE/CHARLOTTE
Asheville Airport Express also runs daily vans from Charlotte and Greenville to Asheville. Cost per shuttle is $235 from Charlotte and approximately $120 from Greenville.
CAR RENTALS
Avis: 800-331-1212; Hertz 800-654- 3131; National: 800-227-7368; Thrifty: 800-367-2277; Alamo: 800-327-9633
TAXES AND FEES
North Carolina does not charge sales tax on services, so there is no sales tax for this trip.
All trips in Great Smoky Mountains National Park have a 5% fee required by the National Park Service. This fee is applied when your reservation is made and is passed through directly to the national park.
There are no other taxes or fees associated with this trip. Feel free to give us a call at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) with any questions!
Private Trips
Traveling in perfect company is a wonderful thing! With our private trip offerings you can book a trip exclusively for your group. Whether it’s with family, friends or colleagues, private trips are a fun and enriching way to explore the outdoors.
Private trip pricing is based on a sliding scale, depending on the number of people in your party. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax and national park fees (where applicable) or guide gratuity. Give us a call at 800-715-HIKE to get the ball rolling!
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2
- 3 People: Rate x 1.3
- 4 People: Rate x 1.1
- 5+ People: Rate x 1
*all rates are per person
Backcountry Campsites
Our Great Smoky Mountains National Park backpacking trips primarily utilize backcountry campsites vs. shelters. The shelters – particularly along the popular Appalachian Trail – are very crowded and often plagued by rodent infestations and other undesireable qualities. The backcountry campsites on the other hand have wonderful solitude, are often nestled near creeks, and in general offer a cleaner, much more authentic and rewarding wilderness experience. Our backpacking itineraries therefore may follow the Appalachian Trail (which requires staying in shelters) for a day or part of a day, but in general we have decided on quieter, more scenic loop hikes that provide quality camping and a genuine wilderness experience.
Feel free to give us a call at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) with any questions you have about campsites or our use of the Appalachian Trail!
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private TripsItinerary
Day 1
- Shuttle to the trailhead: 1.5-hour drive from Asheville
- Hiking Mileage: 4.8 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1060 feet
On this multi-day Great Smoky Mountains backpacking trip we start hiking at a remote ranger station and work our way up a beautiful mountain trail. 2.1 miles into our hike we hit the spur trail for Hen Wallow Falls. This spectacular waterfall drops 90 feet and is one of the most impressive water features in the Park. After enjoying the falls, we’ll continue uphill, past hardwood old growth forest with truly massive trees. Eventually we’ll reach our campsite, a highly sought after site in a stunning forest setting. After getting settled we’ll explore the mountain creek near camp, relax over a hearty dinner, and turn in for the night.
Day 2
- Hiking Mileage: 6.2 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1320 feet
Day 2 starts with a delicious Appalachian breakfast, after which we’ll continue hiking past more old growth forest and negotiate several creek crossings. Our trail, due to the extraordinary work of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, is one of the best trails Great Smoky Mountains National Park has to offer. After 1.7 miles on this spectacular trail, we’ll come to one of the Park’s most impressive old growth forests. We’ll enjoy lunch in this forest under Carolina Silverbells, Hemlock, Beech, and Tulip trees spared from the logger’s axe a century ago. This grove of giant trees is considered one of the best East of the Mississippi. After lunch we’ll continue on to our second night’s camp on the edge of a mountain creek. After setting up camp we’ll hike to the top of Maddron Bald for an outstanding view of the Appalachians.
Day 3
- Hiking Mileage: 9.5 miles
- Elevation Loss/Gain: 2061 feet
Today is a layover day set aside to celebrate this amazing landscape with a day hike you’ll never forget! After another tasty breakfast we’ll set out to traverse a ridgeline section of the Appalachian Trail beneath the towering Mount Guyot to Tricorner Knob. This section features absolutely awe-inspiring views of the forested folds and high peaks of the Great Smoky Mountains. Don’t forget your camera today – you’ll want it!
After returning to camp, we’ll enjoy a final backcountry dinner and relaxing evening before turning in for a peaceful sleep.
Day 4
- Hiking Mileage: 6.8 miles
- Elevation Gain: 940 feet
- Elevation Loss: 3040 feet
- Shuttle to Asheville: 1.5-hour drive to Asheville
Our final morning we’ll break camp and hike up the Maddron Bald Trail to another rugged, adventurous trail. As we descend this trail we’ll soak up amazing views of the crest of the Smokies while passing through beautiful Spruce and Fir forests. We eventually pass through Hemlock groves in the lower altitudes and end up at our staring point. From here we enjoy a scenic drive back to Asheville, giving us time to contemplate the amazing four days we’ve just experienced.
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes.
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- Top-of-the-line tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, and technical backpack
- Use of trekking poles
- All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
- A professional, knowledgeable, certified Great Smoky Mountains hiking guide
- Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Asheville, North Carolina to the trailhead and back
- Entrance fees and national park permits
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and satellite phone
- You will receive a Lifetime Hiking Membership entitling you, your spouse and kids to a lifetime discount of 10% off any Wildland Trekking hiking trip after your first one!
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear, and footwear (Oboz hiking shoes and boots recommended)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.
Meals: What to Expect
All of our hiking and backpacking tours include a diversity of tasty meals packed full of critical carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We carry foods that travel well in the backcountry – rice, pastas, lentils, beans, couscous, packaged meats, nuts, breads, oatmeal, granola, and more.
For optimal taste and energy, we supplement all our meals with spices, herbs, oils, cheeses, butter, sugar, and fruits and vegetables (fresh and dried). In addition, we provide you with with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
Gear We Provide
We provide all group gear which includes the following:
- Deuter or Osprey backpacks
- Sierra Designs, Kelty or Big Agnes tents
- Sierra Designs, Kelty, Big Agnes and Mountain Hardware sleeping bags
- Thermarest or Big Agnes sleeping pads
- Leki or Black Diamond trekking poles
- Cooking stoves and cookware
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device(s)
What Gear to Bring
We ask that you supply a couple of gear items on your hiking tour. These items are two 1-liter water bottles per person and either a headlamp or flashlight per person. Basic items like sunscreen, bug repellent, lip balm, and toiletries are also important. All of these items are available online at Wildland Trekking Outfitters.
What Clothes to Bring
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with detailed guidance about what clothes to pack (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, and our recommended clothing system. A minimum of three pairs of wool or synthetic hiking socks are also required. All of these items are available online at Wildland Trekking Outfitters.
Trip Logistics
How Do I Register?
Reserve your spot today! In the Trip Dates & Booking section of this page, the green and red dates are bookable online by simply clicking on the date, and blue dates must be booked through our customer service team for a variety of possible reasons. To email our customer service team, you can click here to get the ball rolling. Our adventure consultants will confirm availability, and if you’re ready to register we’ll email you a link to a registration profile. You’ll have 72 hours to complete your profile (and that of any dependents) and pay the deposit.
Feel free to call us for more info – we’re here 7 days a week!
Where Do We Meet?
You will meet your guide and group at the Holiday Inn in downtown Asheville (standard rooms are $99-$140 for our guests, 828-225-5550) for an orientation meeting at 5:00 PM the evening before the trip begins. We’re happy to give you a ride to this meeting if you’re not staying at the Holiday Inn. Your guide will then pick you up the next morning for transport to the trailhead. For Private Great Smoky Mountains Tours your guide can meet you at any hotel in Asheville at an agreed upon time.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Start/End Times
Your guide will inform you of the first day’s pick-up time at the orientation meeting. Generally, you can expect it to be between 5 and 8 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day normally before 5 PM (this time is not guaranteed, as a variety of circumstances can influence our exact return time).
Safety Considerations
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. We’ve developed comprehensive risk management protocols that our guides adhere to in case of an emergency, and most tours carry a satellite phone. If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Guides
Your tour will be led by a trained, experienced professional with a solid guiding background, years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. Check out our Meet Our Team page for staff bios.
Guide Working Parameters
Guides are required to take 8 hours off each 24-hour period to sleep, recuperate, take personal/down time…etc. In addition, as part of the 8 hours off they must sleep/rest or be in their tents/rooms uninterrupted for a minimum of 5 hours each night. We ask guests to respect these requirements and to not interrupt guides’ off time and sleep time unless there is a true emergency.
Group Size and Age Restrictions
The standard group size on Smoky Mountains backpacking trips is 6 guests and 1 guide, with a maximum group size of 6 guests and 1 or 2 guides If you have more questions about group size, please give us a call at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) and we’ll answer all your questions.
Age restrictions are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
Weather in The Great Smoky Monutains
The weather in the Great Smoky Mountains varies greatly by time of year. To be fully prepared, please follow the recommended clothing list closely (this list comes as part of your trip packet when you register). Read below for average high and low temperatures in for low elevations in the Great Smoky Mountains:
| Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit) | ||||
| Month | Low Elev | High Elev | ||
| hi | low | hi | low | |
| January | 51° | 28° | 35° | 19° |
| February | 54° | 29° | 35° | 18° |
| March | 61° | 34° | 39° | 24° |
| April | 71° | 42° | 49° | 34° |
| May | 79° | 50° | 57° | 43° |
| June | 86° | 58° | 63° | 49° |
| July | 88° | 59° | 65° | 53° |
| August | 87° | 60° | 64° | 52° |
| September | 83° | 55° | 60° | 47° |
| October | 73° | 43° | 53° | 38° |
| November | 61° | 33° | 42° | 28° |
| December | 52° | 28° | 37° | 21° |
Accommodations
Backcountry Sleeping
Tent camping
Sleeping on backpacking trips is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
Backcountry Cuisine
FRESH & DELICIOUS
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.
Amazing Campsites
IN THE ACTION
Of course campsites vary tremendously by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your backpacking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Reviews
- SORT BY:
- Most recent
- LOW - HIGH
- HIGH - LOW
Sora S.
Excellent
This trip surpassed my expectations. Francisco was excellent.
See More Guest Reviews!
Go to our reviews pageYou might also like...
- day by day itinerary
- logistical and travel information
- gear and clothing lists and more
Leave a Reply