Blue Ridge & Great Smoky Mountains Walking & Hiking Tour
Blue Ridge & Great Smoky Mountains Walking & Hiking Tour
5 days
4 nights
Activity Levels 2-4
Casual Hotels
2025: Sep-Oct2026: May-Jun, Sep-Oct
National Park Adventures in North Carolina & Tennessee
Witnessing the dark-blue tint of the Blue Ridge Mountains from a distance and smoke-like fog rolling over the Great Smoky Mountains in the wee morning hours—just two reasons this is one of our favorite hiking destinations. Once you've explored the rhododendron-shaded trails, felt the mist of waterfalls on your face and witnessed the undulating valleys and majestic peaks of the Appalachian Mountains, we're willing to bet you'll add them to your favorites list.
Highlights
- Explore the breathtakingly beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains with waterfalls, oak and pine trees, and endless vistas
- Follow wooded trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, home to elk, black bears and over 200 bird species
- Kick up your feet and relax on porch swings at charming cabins tucked into forest settings and sit down to fine southern cooking
- Hike through high-country alpine forest, along pristine streams and rivers, and amid natural beauty along the Appalachian Trail
Start/End Asheville
* Start/End locations may vary. Do not book flights until your trip details are confirmed.
Itinerary
Days 1-2
Meet in Asheville—a town with an appealing blend of Jazz Age sophistication and bohemian eccentricity • Soak up the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with stretch-forever vistas of valleys, mountains, woodland, waterfalls and historic sites • In the Great Balsam Mountains, keep an eye out for migratory birds as you scan alpine views • Our walk through pine and hemlock woodland in DuPont State Forest is all about waterfalls—four postcard-perfect cascades that range from 8 to 120 feet • Trek to Bridal Veil Falls to witness its waters rushing down exposed granite • Take in the forest surroundings from the private porch of your cabin in Pisgah Forest • End the day with a lively bluegrass performance during dinner.
Nights 1-2
Bordering Pisgah National Forest, the modern cabins at Pilot Cove are designed to blend into their verdant setting and have easy access to area trails.
Days 3-5
Step into Tennessee for our first hike in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, an International Biosphere Reserve with hundreds of miles of breathtaking backcountry • Climb the famous Appalachian Trail for views of the Smokies, including Mount Le Conte and Myrtle Point • Pass through Fraser fir and red spruce woods, keeping an eye out for wildlife from deer to bears • Arrive at the rugged rocky outcrop of Charles Bunion to take in the impressive panorama • Hike through an old-growth forest along a creek to a formation of black slate dubbed Arch Rock • Climb stairs carved into the stone to catch sight of the mountain scenery, including the Eye of the Needle—a hole in the top of the rock at Little Duck Hawk Ridge • Gaze above for passing peregrine falcons • Admire Alum Cave, a massive concave overhang towering 80 feet high • Walk along trails that show off their seasons—blooming dogwoods and azaleas in spring, bright mountain laurel and rhododendron tangles in summer and spectacular foliage displays in fall • Discover geologic formations at the top of Mount Le Conte, one of the highest Smoky Mountains • Savor handcrafted cocktails and dishes inspired by the region at Dancing Bear Lodge • Gather around as an Appalachian storyteller brings the region's culture and history to life • Salute the sun with an optional outdoor yoga class • Hike to one of the most scenic falls in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Nights 3-4
With rocking chairs and simple charm, the contemporary cabins at Dancing Bear Lodge offer rustic comfort in a serene setting.
What's Included
See moreStraight Talk
We want to make sure you're on the trip that's right for you. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
In order to bring you to our favorite corners of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, we spend more time shuttling on this trip than on a typical Backroads trip. These strategic shuttles enable us to explore the best hikes this region has to offer.
While this trip’s activity level is based on mileage and elevation gain, some terrain may feel more challenging than those suggest.
Hotels
Adventure-Ready Hotels
Ideally located with ready access to trip activities, our Casual hotels are also known for their character and charm.
Hotels may vary based on departure. Any variations will be displayed when selecting a departure under Dates & Prices.
Nights 1-2
*Deluxe Hotel
Bordering Pisgah National Forest, the modern cabins at Pilot Cove are designed to blend into their verdant setting and have easy access to area trails.
Nights 3-4
Casual Hotel
With rocking chairs and simple charm, the contemporary cabins at Dancing Bear Lodge offer rustic comfort in a serene setting.
Gallery
Review Snapshot
by PowerReviews
Reviewed by 12 customers
Beautiful area to hike
The trip says Casual accommodations but I really enjoyed where we stayed. With Backroads, you have options on the hikes which I appreciate. It was a hot week at home, but the hikes were in the 70s and there was a lot of variety
Great Hiking
This was a perfect way to experience the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains! Backroads and our fantastic trip leaders have done all the work in planning perfect hikes that give you gorgeous views and vistas, even with occasional rain. The evening entertainment was a highlight and the food was fresh, delicious, and abundant. We loved this trip and the experience of getting to know a new national park.
Fabulous Trip!
Absolutely loved this trip! The hiking was stunning with interesting terrain and the perfect level of challenge for me. Loved the food (the catered dinners were incredible!) and of course the special picnics. Highly recommend! (Bring rain gear...we got lots of afternoon rain).
Great Trip in a Lovely Part of the Country
I really enjoyed this trip! It's quicker than many other Backroads trips at only four nights, but it felt like we got great exposure to the western NC/ eastern TN mountains. The scenery is beautiful, and the hikes really highlight the best of what the area has to offer. The lodges are "casual", as advertised, but the rooms are very comfortable and spacious. The dinners were excellent with food representative of the area but with enough options for everyone. As always, the guides were excellent, and they made sure we were all well taken care of. If you are Appalachia-curious, I highly recommend this trip!
My first trip with backroads and it exceeded my expectation
The leaders, the food, the hiking and the accommodations were all amazing! I was unsure of what to expect since this was my first trip- and it was especially meaningful for me because last year I suffered a traumatic accident that took a good year to recover from physically- so this was an amazing and successful challenge for me in my recovery- thank you to one and all
Exceptional
Best vacation my wife and I have had in many years. Fun group of people and great leadership by your staff. Would be difficult to plan a trip individually with similar routes , high quality food, and lodging, and guides for same or lower price
Wonderful Trip
Excellent hiking in beautiful area; the leaders were remarkable at customizing the experience for different levels and ensuring everyone had a great time!
Skip this one
The food on this trip did not come close to what I have experienced on other Backroads trips. The first two breakfasts were awful and dietary restrictions were confused in the delivery. The after hike snack was cheese curls served in a big bowl. The second nights dinner was wonderful, but don't expect many healthy choices in the " apple-at-cha" diet. The pre packaged kale salad was wonderful, but there weren't enough of them to go around. The mystery meat served at the last days lunch left only peanut butter and jelly for a sandwich option. The blue grass band was great as was the dulcimer player. The lodges we stayed in were wonderful, but there were too many things in the " didn't live up to what I have experienced with Backroads in the past.
Backroads Guest Services
Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your valuable feedback about your recent Backroads trip. We genuinely appreciate your candid insights, and we regret that we fell short of your expectations, especially in terms of the culinary experience. We apologize for the challenges you faced with the breakfasts and the confusion in delivering dietary restrictions. Your comments are crucial, and we will review our processes to ensure a smoother and more accurate service in the future. Each of our regions present a host of their own strengths and potential drawbacks. The Smokies are a stunning landscape, but we acknowledge the food in the Appalachian region is not on the same level as the food on some of our trips. We understand the importance of having more healthy choices available and will strive to improve in this moving forward. On a positive note, we're thrilled that you enjoyed the entertainment with the bluegrass band and dulcimer player. We're also delighted to hear that you found the lodges to be wonderful.
I was disappointed....
The hikes were pretty much UP or DOWN, some in very rocky places. Some longer more level options would have been very welcome. The first two breakfasts were disappointing. The second two breakfasts did not take into account dietary restrictions. When I asked in the restaurant, they said " we were not told about any dietary restrictions." Lastly, we spent too much time in the vans.
Backroads Guest Services
We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the accommodations on your trip. Though we're sorry to hear the hiking was too up and down and rocky for your taste. Our itineraries do include a variety of terrains, including challenging up and downhill hiking, to provide a diverse adventure, but we understand that preferences vary- we'll work on clarifying the nature of this terrain further in our travel planner. We also strive to minimize van time to make the most of your outdoor experience, and we'll continue to refine our itineraries to strike the right balance between driving to the best trailheads and minimizing van time. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us and we hope you'll consider joining us on another adventure in the future.
Beautiful scenery, great food and wonderful accommodations!
What a beautiful part of the US! This trip was a great sampling of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains. The hikes are very doable with lots of options. Day two is waterfall heaven! I especially enjoyed the cabin accommodations in both North Carolina and Tennessee. Very comfy and private. The food was incredible and we had three nights of homegrown entertainment to go with it. Backroads guides were great as well as always!
Dates & Prices
Dates & Prices
Click on dates for pricing, itinerary variations (if any) and to book your trip. Price is per person, double occupancy in USD.
Please Select a Group Size
Group size is required to show per-person pricing. Your group size can be approximate and can change.
