Northeast Mountain Guiding

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a backpackers paradise!

Home to some of the highest peaks in the Appalachian Mountain range, this park is one of the most visited in the US with over 800 miles of maintained trails. From day hikes to multi-day treks you're sure to find enjoyment in this area!

The park is a sanctuary for a magnificent array of animal and plant life. On these backpacking trips you'll learn all the skills you'll need to set out on a trip of your own while enjoying the breathtaking scenery of this national park.

Cosby Loop Overnight

Spring wildflowers, beautiful vistas, flowing streams, what more could you ask for on a backpacking trip!

Trip length: 3 days/2 nights

Ratio: 7:1

Total mileage: 18

Elevation gain: Min.- 2000', Max- 4560'

Cost: $530 USD per person

Dates: April 27th - 29th, May 11th - 13th, August 10th - 11th

Trip description:

Day 1: We meet at the Cosby Pavilion for an orientation, help packing and a short backpacking class. We'll begin our trip on the Gabes Mountain Trail. The trail winds its way through a protected valley formed by Snake Den Mountain (5,500´) on the left and Round and Gabes Mountains on the right. This moist Appalachian Cove is home to a wide variety of plants, including some very large trees. After periods of rain, we have counted over 100 species of mushrooms along this trail to the falls and back. Barred and Long-eared Owls and Pileated Woodpeckers frequent the area.  After enjoying a nice break at Hen Wallow Falls we hike back to the main trail and continue our journey. At this point, you leave the day hikers behind, and the rest of this trail is great for viewing wildlife, or at least signs of their passage. The trail gently rises and falls as you pass through several hollows on your way to Sugar Cove. Here' we'll set up camp for the first night.

Day 2: After breakfast and breaking down camp we'll continue on the Gabes Mountain Trail which turns into the Old Settlers Trail. Along the way we pass settlers cabins, old access routes, evergreen hemlocks and more beautiful Smokies scenery. During our trip we'll join up with the Maddron Bald Trail. After several creek crossings, we'll camp just above Otter Creek.

Day 3: After breakfast and breaking down camp we'll continue on the Maddron Bald Trail to Maddron Bald. Maddron Bald is a heath bald with tightly clustered evergreen shrubs and a great 360 degree view! After taking in the view we'll continue down the trail which turns into Snake Den Ridge trail. Along this stretch we'll ascend into the Southern most extent of the Boreal Forest, a Northern latitute forest that covers much of Canada. As the trail levels out we'll enter a Hemlock forest which gives way to a thick Rhododendron tunnel. From here we'll start to see the Cosby Valley and the Foothills Parkway. The trail continues across old dry stream beds, around some switchbacks and onto Cosby Campground. Passing an old cemetary, one of 100 old cemetaries scattered throughout the park, we continue to the end of the trip.

For more trip dates and locations please see our Course Calendar

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