Backpacking
For those outdoor enthusiasts who truly want to get out and avoid the noise of bug zappers and the electric amber glow of propane lanterns hissing in the evening air, then backpacking the High Country is your ticket to the peace and tranquility of nature that can only be found in the backcountry. There are multiple backpacking possibilities throughout the region, some more rugged than others.
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Grandfather Mountain:
Backpacking along the trails of Grandfather Mountain is permitted by permit only. This gorgeous privately owned biopreserve offers numerous well maintained trails and campsites.
Contact:
P.O. Box 129 - US 221 & Blue Ridge Parkway
Linville, NC - 28646
Phone: 800-468-7325
Fax: 828-733-2608
Email: nat...@grandfather.com
Web: http://www.grandfather.com/
The Appalachian Trail:
The Appalachian Trail runs approximately 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine and along the way it meanders through several parts of the High Country. The trail runs through Roan Mountain State Park across one of the famed southern Bald’s. Roan Mountain is located on Route 19E along the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. The trail also runs North of Ashe Country in the Grayson Highlands State Park of Virginia.
Contact:
Phone: (304) 535-6331
web: http://www.appalachiantrail.org.
The Mountains to Sea Trail:
The North Carolina Mountains to Sea Trail runs 908 miles and through 37 counties from Clingman’s Dome in the Great Smokey Mountains to Jockeys Ridge on the Atlantic Coast. Within the High Country the trail runs through Pisgah National Forest, across Beacon Heights along the Blue Ridge Parkway and over Table Rock within the Linville Gorge.
Contact:
P.O. Box 10431
Raleigh, North Carolina 27605
Phone: 919-698-9024
Email: kdi...@ncmst.org
Web: http://www.ncmst.org/
Linville Gorge:
This spectacular gorge offers 39 miles of trails, many of which can challenge even the most experienced hiker. Primitive camping is permitted throughout the gorge, with permits required on weekends and holidays from May 1st to October 31st. Walk-in permits are available at the Linville Gorge Information Center located along the Kistler Memorial Highway in Linville Falls.
Contact:
109 East Lawing Drive
Nebo, NC 28761
Phone: (828) 652-4841 x2144
Web: http://www.nchikingtrails.com
Wilson Creek/Lost Cove:
25 miles of trails wander through the deep valleys and gorges of the Pisgah National Forest, located 45 minutes from Boone in Avery County. The are offers some excellent out of the way primitive camping options with waterfalls and wildlife in abundance. No permits are required for backpacking in Pisgah National Forest.
contact:
Phone: (828) 652-2144
See also:
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