Roan Mountain One-Night Backpacking

NOTE: Start time changed to 8 am so group the is backpacking can hike into camp with the group that's day-hiking (posted as a separate event).

Spend a night under the stars on one of the most scenic segments of the Appalachian Trail - the grassy balds of the Roan Highlands. We'll meet early on Saturday morning to grab parking spots at Carver's Gap on the NC/TN line. Then we'll backpack 2.6 miles in Saturday and 2.6 miles out Sunday for 1,099 ft elevation gain over Round and Jane Balds on an out-and-back route that takes us to Grassy Ridge. Once we've set up camp, we can hike on with light packs to explore more of the trail or just relax in camp! The day hike group will be hiking another 2-3 miles to Yellow Mountain Gap, a great addition to the backpack in to camp.

Sunday morning will be leisurely start with time for breakfast and breaking down camp before the hike back to the trailhead. If time allows, we'll stop at Mountain Harbour Hiker Hostel for a burger and beer before heading home.

I'm rating this as an intermediate trek for backpackers either with experience or a strong desire to get into the sport and the gear, mainly due to the elevation change while carrying packs and the fact that we have to carry our own water into the campsite.

You must provide all your own gear, food and water. There aren't reliable water sources at the campsite! Have your pack loaded and be ready to get on the trail at 8:15 am sharp. Message me if you have questions, about gear of anything else I might've forgotten to mention. I'll be in touch about carpools closer to the event.

Here's the full AllTrails description:
The trail begins with a series of wooden steps leading up to the summit of Round Bald. Due to the beautiful views and the short distance (roughly 0.7 miles), this first summit can be quite crowded at times. The farther you walk, however, the less crowded it becomes. Continuing northbound along the Appalachian Trail for another 0.7 miles (technically walking eastward) you reach Jane Bald. In between Round and Jane you lose and regain about 200 feet before reaching the 5807-foot summit of Jane Bald. Partially overgrown by rhododendron, the bald area atop Jane is much smaller than its two neighbors. Local legend has it that the peak received its name after a woman named "Jane" died of milk sickness while crossing the mountain. Milk sickness is poisoning by milk from cows that have eaten white snakeroot. Coming off Jane Bald you descend about 100 feet before beginning the final climb of almost 500 feet to the summit of Grassy Ridge Bald. At roughly 1.9 miles the Appalachian Trail takes a turn towards the left. At this junction you'll see a spur trail that continues straight ahead. This will take you to the summit of Grassy Ridge Bald - the trail cuts through rhododendron thickets. After a relatively stiff climb you reach the huge grassy meadows atop the peak. The panoramic views from the summit area are spectacular, giving you a feeling of the Swiss Alps. On a clear day you can see Grandfather, Beech and Sugar Mountains towards the east, and Mt. Mitchell and the Black Mountains towards the south. Grassy Ridge Bald dominates the center of Grassy Ridge.