Hike the Great Smoky Mountains: Fall Foliage

Welcome to North Carolina! This morning you’ll be picked up from Asheville for a scenic drive up into Great Smoky Mountains National Park where your adventure really kicks off. First stop is Mountain Farm Museum where you can take in some of the agricultural history of this incredible place before continuing into the park and onto your first hike. Hitting the famous Appalachian Trail, you’ll be treated to the panoramic views of surrounding mountains and valleys that make this part of the country so famous. Reaching your destination viewpoint for the day, enjoy a picnic lunch among the sleeping giants of the Great Smoky Mountains, then make your way back to the trailhead. Jumping back into the shuttle, you’ll stop to take in the views from Great Smoky Mountain National Park’s highest peak, Clingmans Dome (Kuwohi). Wrapping up the day, cross the border into Tennessee, checking into your lodge in Townsend, before heading out for a local Appalachian dinner. (B/L/D)

Ever dreamed of sipping coffee in a meadow, surrounded by all the of wonders the Great Smoky Mountains? This morning, your guide will prepare a hot Appalachian breakfast in a meadow-side picnic area, making the perfect starting point for today’s explorations. Keep an eye out for Tennessee locals like black bears, elk, turkeys, deer and more while you wander the meadows, forests and historic buildings of Townsend. Today’s trek takes you up a forested path into the mountains, along mountain streams and towards waterfalls. Home to what many consider the Smokies’ most beautiful waterfall hike, catch all the colours the mountains in autumn have to offer reflecting off crystal-clear creeks. Take a rest for your picnic lunch next to one of the falls before returning to your lodge for an evening of relaxation and a group dinner. (B/L/D)

Following breakfast in a local family restaurant, a scenic drive takes you to the trailhead of the first of two hikes. Feel the mist on your face as you get up close and personal with one of the Great Smoky Mountains’ most unique waterfalls as the trail takes you behind the fall itself. Heading back to your shuttle to hit the road, stop in at historic pioneer cabins and settlements along Roaring Fork, and enjoy lunch by the banks of the picturesque mountain stream. Then lace up for your second and final hike for the day to two more waterfalls. Making your way back to Asheville for the night, catch up with your group for a stroll of downtown and head to tonight’s restaurant. (B/L/D)

Wrap up your trip on a high note by summiting one of the most iconic landmarks in this region of the Appalachian Mountains — Looking Glass Rock. You’ll ascend through deep forest, trekking through the rich colours of autumn. When you reach the summit, settle in for your picnic lunch and bask in the 360 views of the surrounding mountains and Pisgah National Forest. After your descent, stop by the spectacular Looking Glass Waterfall, before piling back into your bus and heading back into Asheville, following the famous Blue Ridge Parkway. Back in Asheville, it’s time to bid your group farewell as your trip comes to an end. (B/L)