Smokies in a Day Private Tour
Asheville, NC
5.0 (8 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Waterfalls
- BIG Appalachian Views
- Hiking & Exploring
- Comprehensive Experience of the Smokies
- Top-shelf Backpack & Trekking Poles
- Amazing Natural & Cultural History
- Tasty Trail Snacks & Picnic Lunch
Description
If you want to enjoy a comprehensive experience of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in one day, this tour is for you! Picking you up at your hotel in Asheville, we take you to many of the Park’s most spectacular waterfalls and amazing high country views. We hike, we sight see, we learn, we eat, and we enjoy all the Smokies have to offer!
This trip begins with pickup from your hotel in Asheville, where we proceed to the Oconaluftee entrance to the Park. Enjoying the Blue Ridge Parkway for part of this scenic drive, your guide will begin introducing you to the history, ecology and beauty of the Smoky Mountains. We will serve breakfast at one of the many overlooks along this famous road, then continue to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, Mountain Farm Museum and the Mingus Mill. At these phenomenal historic sites we will explore the lives and remnants of the earliest inhabitants of the Smokies. We’ll even visit a cemetery from these early settlers.
Our next destination is the big view from Clingman’s Dome, the highest point in the Park. From the parking lot we’ll enjoy a hike to Andrews Bald, taking us through a unique Great Smoky Mountains ecosystem. We’ll enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch, prepared by your guide, before heading back to the lookout tower on the summit of Clingman’s Dome. After taking in the sweeping views from the tower, we’ll head back down the mountain to the multiple waterfalls in the Deep Creek area of the Park near Bryson City, NC. Eventually we’ll head back to Asheville, ending our full day exploration of the North Carolina side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park!
(Important: We run hikes in almost all weather conditions and very rarely cancel. See our terms and conditions for information on cancellations and refunds.)
$210-$340 Per Person
Season: Year Round
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 2
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
This day hike will be a long day seeing most of the Smokies. Van touring, a short hike to a grassy along a well maintained trail and then visiting some easy accessed waterfalls make for a full day in the park.
Hiking Distances:
4+ mi
Backpack Weight:
8-12 lbs
Terrain:
Moderately Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
900 ft
Heights Exposure:
None
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 8-12 lb backpack for 2-4 hours
- Maintaining balance and footing on moderately rugged terrain
SOLITUDE LEVEL 2
- Level 1: around other hikers the entire time
- Level 2: around other hikers most of the time
- Level 3: around other hikers some of the time
- Level 4: see a couple other groups during the hike
- Level 5: most likely to have the trail to ourselves
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private TripsRates
- 2 people: $340 per person
- 3 people: $280 per person
- 4-5 people: $240 per person
- 6-7 people: $210 per person
- 10 and younger: $150 per person
Private day hike tours are only open to your party.
*Prices do not include gratuity for your guide
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
This tour is booked on a custom basis for private groups so does not have set dates (requested dates are almost always available). Give us a call at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to schedule your hike!
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
- A professional, knowledgeable, medically trained, friendly wilderness guide.
- Transportation for the duration of the tour (pickup and drop off in Asheville, NC)
- A commitment to make the tour as exciting, challenging, informative, and full as you’d like, and as is possible in a day
- Trail snacks and a picnic lunch
- Use of a top of the line, technical day pack
- Use of trekking poles
- Mandatory 5% national park fee that passes through directly to Great Smoky Mountains NP
What's Not Included
- Clothing and personal items
- Water (2 liters capacity)
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Food: What to Expect
Day hike tours include energizing trail snacks and a delicious picnic lunch. Your guide will customize the food for your hike, but a typical lunch consists of gourmet sandwiches or wraps, fruit, veggies, chips, drinks and a dessert. On wintery or cold days you may be treated to soup or a hot, freshly cooked lunch (if you’d prefer a hot meal, please let us know!)
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.
Trip Logistics
How Do I Register?
Ready to hike? Day hike reservations are made through our Adventure Consultant 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 make your payment.
Feel free to call us for more info – we’re here 7 days a week!
Where Do We Meet?
We will pick you up at your hotel in Asheville, NC. Your guide will be in contact approximately 7 days prior to your hike to coordinate the exact time and location of your rendezvous. This is a full day tour – the pickup time will be around 6:30 AM, and ending times can vary but are often after 6:00 PM.
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 all tours carry an emergency communication device. 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.
Group Size and Age Restrictions
The maximum group size on this hiking tour is 7 guests. 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:
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval on a case by case basis
Weather in The Great Smoky Mountains
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) | ||||||
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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°
|
||
Trip Reviews
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Donna J.
Fantastic
One would never be Disappointed in booking with Wildland trekking company. If I could use one word to describe our trip it would be fantastic.
Lucy N.
Excellent, Knowledgeable Guide
Kyle Nush is a knowledge guide. Called us to introduce himself, and get meal ideas. explained the day at pickup. Taught us about the local plants. Ensured we stayed safe from the large crowds. We were excited to know that Kyle would be our guide on the second trip.
Katherine C.
Will definitely hike again.
Really had a great first time hiking experience. This hike is full pack with experiences to offer. We went to different places as mentioned in the itinerary and they were wonderful. Our guide, Dan Reinis, showed great knowledge and expertise with regards to the Smokies, its history, what can be found in the mountains, and gave us some hiking 101, which can be useful for our future hiking trips. He was so considerate with our requests especially with my meal preference and then food were great with lots of snacks. The entire team were also responsive with your questions and they even accommodated me even though i booked close to the trip date. Thank you Dan and the entire Wildland Trekking team, it was a nice reboot for me from the city stress. Forest bathing is really effective. Will definitely hike again.
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