Backpacking Western N.C. (etc)

Please join us for a pretty hike on the Appalachian Trail. We'll gradually ascend through (in the fall) a colorful maple and oak forest to reach the expansive summit of Big Bald. We’ll emerge from the forest on a lofty grassy bald at 5,516 feet, where we’ll have 360° views of the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. Although Big Bald is a tall peak itself, we’lll be dwarfed by the Black Mountains (southeast) and Great Smoky Mountains (southwest). We’ll also have clear views of the Roan Highlands, Great Craggy Mountains, Bald Mountains, and Newfound Mountains from the summit.

I’ll be hiking a moderate pace of around 35-min miles uphill and 25-min miles down hill. Want to hike faster? No problem. Just be prepared to navigate for yourself. Want to hike slower? I don’t mind waiting a few minutes each mile or two for us to re-group. Otherwise, you make sure you can navigate yourself to camp and come along with us!

Hike Level – Intermediate -- typically hiked at 30-35 minutes/mile uphill & 25 mins/mile downhill

Itinerary:
Saturday, November 15, 2025 9:30 am - meet at parking area at Sam's Gap just off of I-26 at the Tennessee border. We’ll depart at the AT Trailhead (mile marker 320.0 in Far Out) for camp at Bald Mountain Shelter (m.m. 327.7 ) 7.7 miles, 2,600’ AEGain & 700’ AELoss.

Sunday, November 16 – break camp and return via the same trail 7.7 miles, 700’ AEGain and 2,600’ AELoss.

Water:
Plan to carry the water you need for the 7.7-mile hike. We will have water to filter close by once we arrive to camp.

Disclaimers:

• Know your abilities. This is a moderate hike typically hiked at 30-35 minutes/mile uphill
• We do not wait at trail intersections. Be prepared by having a map (or map app) and studying the route. Each mile or two we tend to wait 3-5 minutes for folks to re-group, but we don't wait too much more than that. Be prepared to navigate yourself.
• Hike organizers are in no way responsible for you, your health, or safety. By attending this event you acknowledge that the organizers assume no liability for you or your gear.

Directions to parking:
In Google Maps type in “Appalachian Trail - Sams Gap.” The parking area is at 4460 Flag Pond Road, Mars Hill, NC 28754. The parking is at AT mile marker 320.

Hike off your turkey and pie in the Smokies with us on a 2 night 17 (+/-) mile backpacking trip. This is one of the best backpacking loops in the entire park! First, we'll hike along the lower reaches of Gabes Mountain, passing Hen Wallow Falls and entering virgin woodland to camp at Sugar Cove. Next, we'll head up Maddron Bald Trail to Albright Grove, which contains some of the park’s largest trees. We'll camp along resonant high-country Otter Creek. We'll surmount Maddron Bald, which sports awe-inspiring views. We'll return via the rugged Snake Den Ridge Trail, where more vistas open on heath balds.

Total Ascent: 6,632 ft
Total Descent: 6,612 ft

Parking pass required to park in GSMNP. See Logistics notes below.
Campsites require paid reservations in GSMNP. The campsite reservation fee is $16 per person. See Logistics notes below.

If you want to join this trip please join the Waitlist. I’ll message the first 8 vetted people with how to pay the $16. Once I receive your camping reservation payment I’ll move you to the Going list.

*See logistics notes below about side trips on adjoining trails to work on the 900 Mile challenge. These are also noted for each day.

Day 1:
4.9 miles
Meet at 12PM at the Cosby hiker parking lot B
We'll walk a short distance up the road then turn onto the Gabes Mountain Trail. We'll follow this trail, taking a right turn to stay on the main trail after about .3 miles. We can pause to enjoy the view at Hen Wallow Falls. We'll keep going until we reach campsite #34 Sugar Cove (3,061 ft elevation) where we'll camp for the night.

Day 2:
~7 miles
We'll take our time getting started and continue on the Gabes Mountain trail. We'll take a left onto the Maddron Bald Trail where it intersects with the Old Settlers Trail. We'll continue on Maddron Bald trail and those interested can take the 0.6 mile Albright Grove Loop Trail* where we'll meander through old growth forest that boasts some of the park's most diverse plant communities. If you prefer not to make this side trip you can continue on the Maddron Bald Trail until you reach our camp for the night, #29 Otter Creek (4,528 ft elevation).

*Note, we'll be taking the 2nd entrance and backtracking 0.3 to get the full trail miles in for our 900 mile challenge (optional).

Day 3:
~6.4 miles
We'll continue on the Maddron Bald trail where we'll have the opportunity for some expansive views atop heath balds. We'll look for a side trail leading left to an overlook at a rocky point. After returning from the viewpoint we'll continue until we reach Snake Den Ridge Trail*, the high point of the loop, over 5,300 feet, and take this trail back down toward Cosby Campground.

*Note for the 900 mile challenge (optional) we'll be taking the Snake Den Ridge Trail up to the AT and back down for an extra 1.4 miles.

We'll take a left* to stay on the main Snake Den Ridge Trail and head through the campground and back to our cars.

*For the 900 mile challenge, we'll backtrack from the campground and be doing some of the other trails around Cosby Campground to complete these trails for our 900 mile challenge for a total of 10.4 for the day (optional).

Logistics:

Join us for a one-night backpack along the rim of the scenic Linville Gorge. We’ll start at the Table Rock Trailhead (actually, at a gate 1.5 miles before the trailhead), hike through the unique Chimneys, and continue along the rocky rim of the Gorge until we reach our campspot on the southern end of Shortoff Mountain. On Sunday we’ll return via the same route.

The trail is moderately technical at times plus some slick rock surfaces, so I’d recommend hiking poles. We’ll try to keep a moderate pace of about 30-35 minutes a mile uphill and 25-30 min/mile on flat and downhill. We add in time for stops to catch our breath or to take in the views. Faster than that? No problem, just make sure you know where you’re going. Slower than that but want to come along? Make sure you’re able to navigate yourself and come along with us!

Hike Level – Intermediate -- typically hiked at 30-35 minutes/mile uphill & 25-30 mins/mile downhill

Itinerary:
Saturday, December 6, 2025 - We’ll meet at the Food Lion at 120 Bost Road in Morganton at 8:30 am and carpool together to our trailhead. We can't reach the Table Rock parking area this time of year. So we will park along the dirt road prior to where the pavement starts. (This adds 1.5 miles & 1,000' of climb on Saturday and is included in our 8-mile estimate.) From Food Lion in Google Maps type in “Table Rock Summit Trail, Old Table Rock Road, Morganton, NC.”

We’ll start our hike at the gate about 1.5 miles before the Table Rock Trailhead - (in the FarOut App MST Segment 4 mile marker 226.8) and hike to our campspot south of the peak of ShortOff Mountain at approximately mile marker 221.3. Our elevation for our winter camp will be 3,000’. Total for the day 8 miles, 1,700’ Accumulated Elevation Gain and 700’ loss.

Sunday, December 7, 2025 - We’ll return via the same route for 8 miles, 700’ AEGain and 1,700’ AELoss.

Water:
Water has been a challenge of late at Linville Gorge. In the past we’ve filtered water from the magical Water Tree (at MST milemarker 221.5 in FarOut App) and equally beautiful Dwellers Gulp (at MST mile marker 222.2) both near our camp. On September 29, 2025, at both of those trees, water was collecting in clean but still pools with very little active flow. There’s another source that we’ll pass on our way to camp but we’d have to carry water for a ways. All hikers will need to bring bottles/bladders able to hold enough water for dinner, breakfast and the hike out (2 liters? 3??) no matter from which source we’re able to collect water.

Disclaimers:

• Know your abilities. This is a moderate hike typically hiked at 30-35 minutes/mile uphill
• We do not wait at trail intersections. Be prepared by having a map (or map app) and studying the route. Each mile or two we tend to wait 3-5 minutes for folks to re-group, but we don't wait too much more than that. Be prepared to navigate yourself.
• Hike organizers are in no way responsible for you, your health, or safety. By attending this event you acknowledge that the organizers assume no liability for you or your gear.