Women’s Fall Colors in the Smokies Backpack
Guided Backpacking Trips
4 Days, 3 Nights 22MI / 35KM
Trip Highlights
There’s no better way to enjoy the explosion of fall colors in the Great Smoky Mountains than on a womens-only backpacking trip, far from the Park’s busy highways and crowded boardwalks. On this trip we hike into the backcountry for 4 days past waterfalls, along mountain ridges, near the shores of pristine creeks, to breathtaking views from high mountain meadows, and along a dramatic section of the Appalachian Trail to a historic fire tower. We’ll be surrounded by the explosion of colors the Smokies are famous for from mid October through early November. Trees like the sugar maple, scarlet oak, sweetgum, red maple, hickory and more transform from summer shades of green to reds, purples, oranges, pinks, yellows and more, turning the mountains into a kaleidoscope of colors that dazzle the senses.
Be ready to hike, enjoy, photograph and revel in the wonders of the Appalachian fall foliage season on this fall colors backpacking tour you’ll never forget!
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Womens Only Adventure
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Dramatic Fall Colors
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High Mountain Meadows
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Pristine Creeks
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Breathtaking Views
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Appalachian Trail
Book This Trip
View Dates
Trip Details
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Trip Type
Guided Backpacking Trips -
Trip Length
4 Days, 3 Nights -
Daily Hiking Distance
4-7 miles -
Group Size
1-6 Guests
Receive a PDF info packet via email which includes:
- day by day itinerary
- logistical and travel information
- gear and clothing lists and more
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Is This Trip Right For me?
This hike travels along a wide very well maintained trail all the way to the first camp. Day 3 will have us crossing two creeks right out of camp and then making a short but steep climb to the ridge. Once summiting the top, a quick drop down to camp for night 3. Day 4 will be down hill along a maintained trail back to the trailhead.
Difficulty Level
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Solitude Level
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Trip Itinerary
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. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
Day 1
Shuttle to the trailhead: 2-hour drive from Asheville
Hiking Mileage: 4.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 1200 feet
On this backcountry Smokies fall foliage tour we begin our hike on a historic gravel road build in the 1930’s. Rocks cut by the Civilian Conversation Corps during the Depression give us a glimpse of the fascinating geology of the ancient Appalachians. It won’t be long before we arrive at Twenty Mile Cascade, a charming waterfall deep in the diverse forests of the Smokies. We’ll relax by the waterfall, enjoy a picnic lunch and soak up the fall colors reflecting off the surface of the water. The rest of our first day’s hike is along a creek which gives us almost constant opportunity to appreciate and photograph the fall colors from close up. Eventually we will arrive at camp and settle in for a relaxing evening and our first Appalachian dinner prepared by your guide.
Day 2
Hiking Mileage: 6.5 miles
Elevation Gain/Loss: 1550 feet
Yesterday we enjoyed close up views of the fall foliage as we hiked in dense Appalachian forests and along creeks. Today is a layover day to earn landscape-level views of the color explosion. After a delicious, hot breakfast, we will don our day packs and hike to a junction with the Appalachian Trail (AT). We will follow the AT to an amazing, historic fire tower for breathtaking views of the fall colors. Soaring over the tree tops at almost 6 stories tall, the tower gives us an unparalleled vantage point from which to gaze over the surrounding mountains, including Fontana Lake. We will have lunch here, soaking up the spectacular scenery, then return to camp for another relaxing evening and tasty dinner.
Day 3
Hiking Mileage: 4.6 miles
Elevation Gain: 2120 feet
Today we break camp and make our way to one of the Smokies’ high mountain meadows, called “balds” that will give us more views of the fall colors that surround us. After a hot breakfast we’ll hike uphill along the same mountain creek we followed on Day 1. We’ll reach Long Hungry Ridge, whose namesake is a group of men who were hunting bears in the early 20th century and became stranded for days in inclement weather. We’ll hike by Rye Patch, a historic site that was planted with rye before the Civil War by an ambitious, early Appalachian settler. After approximately one more mile we’ll arrive at Gregory Bald, where we’ll revel in the amazing views of Cades Cove thousands of feet below us and the mountains that surround us in all directions. We’ll enjoy lunch in the tall grass of the bald, surrounded by wildflowers and fall foliage views, before hiking to our campsite a short distance away. We’ll set up camp and return to the meadow for a spectacular sunset dinner and evening photography opportunity, weather permitting.
Day 4
Hiking Mileage: 6.8 miles
Elevation Loss: 3320 feet
Shuttle to Asheville: 2-hour drive to Asheville
Our final morning begins with a leisurely breakfast, after which we’ll begin our long descent out of the mountains. We’ll hike through another bald, with more 360° views, then continue our trek down a ridge on a historic road, constructed by a 1920’s logging company, to a pristine mountain creek. After crossing the creek several times, we will arrive back at our starting point. With phones or cameras full of spectacular fall foliage images, and our hearts, minds and bodies rejuvenated by the natural rhythms and beautiful settings nature provides, we’ll return to Asheville for the conclusion of our fall colors tour.
Trip Dates
Click on a date to register. You can also click here to request new dates or book through customer service.
Scroll horizontally to view all dates
What's Included
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Top-of-the-line tent, backcountry sleeping pad and multi-day backpack
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High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use)
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Use of trekking poles
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All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
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Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
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Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Asheville, North Carolina to the trailhead and back
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Entrance fees and national park permits
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Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device
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Mandatory 5% national park fee that passes through directly to Great Smoky Mountains NP
What's Not Included
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Clothes, raingear, and footwear -
Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
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Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
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Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
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 synthetic-fill 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
Campsites vary 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 trekking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Logistics & FAQs
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.
Travel to Asheville, NC
All North Carolina 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, 828-231-1053) and Harry’s Car Service run (828-774-8178) 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.
CAR RENTALS
Avis: 800-331-1212; Hertz 800-654- 3131; National: 800-227-7368; Thrifty: 800-367-2277; Alamo: 800-327-9633
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 Precautions
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. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 8 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
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