Top Backpacking Trails in North Carolina
21 routes. Each page shows when we last checked it. Updated October 2026.
North Carolina’s backpacking on this site runs from the Great Smoky Mountains and the Nantahala National Forest in the far west, through the Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge high country, to the Uwharrie Mountains in the Piedmont and the Croatan National Forest near the coast. Mountain trips are steep and often long, with balds, rocky ridges like the Art Loeb Trail and the Black Mountain Crest, and unbridged creek crossings on routes such as Forney Creek and Pole Road Creek that can run high after rain. The Neusiok Trail is flat but wet and boggy, with alligators, cottonmouths, and copperheads along the way.
Camping patterns vary by agency. The Smokies require reserved permits at designated sites, Grandfather Mountain and Stone Mountain state parks take reservations, and Linville Gorge needs permits on weekends and holidays from May through October. Much of the national forest, including Shining Rock, Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock, and the Appalachian Trail, allows dispersed camping or first-come shelters, and black bears are common enough that canisters are required in parts of Pisgah.
Hurricane Helene recovery is still shaping trips: some Smokies trails, a stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Mount Mitchell, and parts of Linville Gorge remain closed. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy reported drought on the southern A.T. in 2026, so springs can run low. Fall brings deer and bear seasons across national forest land, so wear blaze orange.
Quick picks
- Longest trip: Appalachian Trail: Davenport Gap to Hot Springs (Max Patch)
- Shortest overnight: Linville Gorge: Shortoff Mountain via Wolf Pit
- Easy creekside overnight: Noland Creek to Mill Creek Campsite
- Boat-shuttle trip: Hazel Creek: Proctor to Bone Valley
- Coastal trail: Neusiok Trail
Blue Ridge High Country
- Doughton Park: Basin Cove Loop Doughton Park, Blue Ridge Parkway (Longbottom Road access, near Laurel Springs) 17.6 miles Hard Designated backcountry campground (eight sites); NPS permit required
- Grandfather Mountain Backcountry: Daniel Boone Scout Trail to Calloway Peak Grandfather Mountain State Park (Boone Fork parking area, Blue Ridge Parkway near MP 300) 6.5 miles Hard Designated backcountry sites and one shelter; reservation required
- Stone Mountain State Park: Widow's Creek Backcountry Sites Stone Mountain State Park (backpack parking lot, near Roaring Gap) 6 miles Moderate Four designated primitive sites; reservation required
Great Smoky Mountains (NC)
- Deep Creek, Pole Road Creek, and Noland Divide Loop Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Deep Creek, near Bryson City) 18.4 miles Hard Designated backcountry campsites (permit and reservation required)
- Forney Ridge and Forney Creek Loop Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Kuwohi Road, above Bryson City) 19 miles Hard Designated backcountry campsites (permit and reservation required)
- Hazel Creek: Proctor to Bone Valley Great Smoky Mountains National Park (north shore of Fontana Lake, by boat shuttle) 12 miles Moderate Designated backcountry campsites (permit and reservation required)
- Mount Sterling Fire Tower and Campsite 38 Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Mount Sterling Gap, above Cataloochee) 5.5 miles Hard Designated backcountry campsite (permit and reservation required)
- Noland Creek to Mill Creek Campsite Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Lakeview Drive, the 'Road to Nowhere,' near Bryson City) 8.2 miles Hard Designated backcountry campsites (permit and reservation required)
Nantahala National Forest
- Appalachian Trail: Nantahala Outdoor Center to Fontana Dam (Cheoah Bald and Stecoah Gap) Nantahala National Forest (Nantahala Gorge to Fontana Lake) 29 miles Hard A.T. shelters and campsites (no permit until the Smokies)
- Appalachian Trail: Winding Stair Gap to the Nantahala Outdoor Center (Wayah and Wesser Balds) Nantahala National Forest (US 64 near Franklin to US 19/74 at Wesser) 27.8 miles Hard A.T. shelters and campsites (no permit)
- Bartram Trail to Cheoah Bald Nantahala National Forest (Nantahala Gorge, Winding Stairs parking area on US 19) 10.2 miles Hard Dispersed camping; summit camping on Cheoah Bald (no water)
- Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock: Naked Ground and the Hangover Loop Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness, Nantahala National Forest (near Robbinsville) 13.5 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness camping (no permit for individuals; group limit 10)
- Standing Indian Mountain Loop (Lower Ridge, Appalachian Trail, Kimsey Creek) Southern Nantahala Wilderness, Nantahala National Forest (Standing Indian Basin, west of Franklin) 11 miles Hard A.T. shelter and dispersed campsites (no permit for individuals)
Piedmont and Coast
- Birkhead Mountains Wilderness Loop Birkhead Mountains Wilderness, Uwharrie National Forest (Tot Hill Farm trailhead, near Asheboro) 11.3 miles Moderate Dispersed wilderness campsites; first come, first served
- Neusiok Trail Croatan National Forest (Pine Cliff Recreation Area to Oyster Point, near Havelock and Newport) 20.4 miles Moderate Three trail shelters and dispersed campsites; first come, first served
- Uwharrie National Recreation Trail Uwharrie National Forest (NC 24/27 trailhead to Jumping Off Rock, near Troy) 20 miles Moderate Dispersed campsites, plus Yates Place Camp and West Morris Mountain Campground near the trail
Pisgah National Forest
- Appalachian Trail: Davenport Gap to Hot Springs (Max Patch) Pisgah National Forest, Appalachian Ranger District (Smokies boundary to the French Broad River) 34 miles Hard A.T. shelters and campsites (no permit); no camping on Max Patch
- Art Loeb Trail Pisgah Ranger District, Pisgah National Forest (Davidson River near Brevard to Daniel Boone Boy Scout Camp) 30.1 miles Hard Two shelters and dispersed campsites; first come, first served
- Black Mountain Crest Trail: Bowlens Creek to Mount Mitchell Appalachian Ranger District, Pisgah National Forest, and Mount Mitchell State Park (near Burnsville) 12 miles Hard Primitive campsites in the national forest, mainly at Deep Gap; first come, first served
- Linville Gorge: Shortoff Mountain via Wolf Pit Linville Gorge Wilderness, Grandfather Ranger District, Pisgah National Forest (Wolf Pit Road trailhead, near Lake James) 4.6 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness campsites; permit required on weekends and holidays, May through October
- Shining Rock via Old Butt Knob and Shining Creek Shining Rock Wilderness, Pisgah National Forest (Big East Fork trailhead on US 276, near Canton) 11 miles Hard Dispersed wilderness campsites; first come, first served
Backpacking in North Carolina: common questions
Do you need a permit to backpack in North Carolina?
It depends on where you go. Great Smoky Mountains National Park requires a permit and reservation for all backcountry camping through Recreation.gov, with up to 7 nights per permit and no more than 3 nights in a row at most sites, while Doughton Park's Basin Cove sites need an NPS permit and Grandfather Mountain and Stone Mountain state parks require campsite reservations. In the Linville Gorge Wilderness, the Forest Service requires permits on weekends and holidays from May through October, with a 50-person nightly quota and groups of 10. No permit was found for individuals on trips like the Art Loeb Trail, the Uwharrie Trail, the Neusiok Trail, or the Appalachian Trail in the national forests, though organized groups need one in wilderness areas.
Can you camp anywhere in North Carolina's national forests?
Dispersed camping is common on this site's national forest trips, but with limits. In wilderness areas the Forest Service caps groups at 10 and bans camping and fires within 100 feet of lakes, streams, and trails, and forest orders limit stays to 14 days in a 30-day period and Appalachian Trail shelter stays to 3 days in 30. Max Patch is closed to camping and fires through June 21, 2029, Graveyard Fields has been closed to camping since 2015, and a Pisgah Ranger District order limiting camping within 1,000 feet of open roads to designated sites listed an end date of Sept. 1, 2026. Check the ranger district for current orders before you pick a spot.
Are trails still closed after Hurricane Helene?
Some are. As of Oct. 15, 2026, Great Smoky Mountains National Park lists the Swallow Fork, Gunter Fork, and Caldwell Fork trails as closed for Helene damage, Big Creek Trail closed beyond Mouse Creek Falls, and Pretty Hollow Gap Trail washed out between the Little Cataloochee junction and campsite #39. On Oct. 17, 2026, the Blue Ridge Parkway was closed from NC 80 to Mount Mitchell State Park (mileposts 344.2 to 355.3), and NC State Parks says the lower Profile Trail at Grandfather Mountain remains closed. The Forest Service's Linville Gorge page lists parts of the Linville Gorge Trail as closed and the Spence Ridge bridge as washed out, so check the managing agency's alerts right before you go.
Do you need a bear canister in North Carolina?
Black bears live throughout the mountains, and food storage rules vary by managing agency. In the Smokies, all food, trash, and scented items go on the cable system at each campsite, and even a canister must be hung there. The Forest Service still lists a 2015 Pisgah Ranger District order requiring bear-resistant canisters in areas including the Shining Rock Wilderness, Black Balsam, and Graveyard Fields, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy recommends canisters on the A.T. because not every overnight site has food storage. Grandfather Mountain's higher backcountry sites have no food cables, so bring your own storage there.
Is it safe to backpack in North Carolina during hunting season?
Hunting overlaps fall backpacking on much of the state's national forest land. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission's 2026-27 dates open archery deer season on Sept. 12, and gun deer season runs through Jan. 1, 2027, in every zone, starting as early as Oct. 17 in the east and Nov. 28 in the western zone, while mountain bear season runs Oct. 3 to Nov. 21 and Dec. 12 to Jan. 1. The Forest Service says hunting is allowed throughout the Uwharrie National Forest, and hunters use the Neusiok Trail in fall, so wear blaze orange and check the commission's dates for your county.
Can you bring a dog backpacking in North Carolina?
On some trips, yes. Dogs are not allowed in the Great Smoky Mountains backcountry, and the park allows pets only on the Gatlinburg and Oconaluftee River trails. In the national forest wilderness areas, the Forest Service says pets must be under voice control, while the Neusiok Trail requires a leash and Grandfather Mountain State Park requires a leash no longer than 6 feet at campsites. Check the managing agency's pet rules before you go.
Where this comes from
- NPS Great Smoky Mountains: Closures and alerts (updated Oct. 15, 2026)
- Recreation.gov: Great Smoky Mountains backcountry permits
- NPS Great Smoky Mountains: Frequently asked questions
- NPS Blue Ridge Parkway: Road status and closures (Oct. 17, 2026)
- U.S. Forest Service: National Forests in North Carolina alerts
- U.S. Forest Service: National Forests in North Carolina wilderness
- U.S. Forest Service: Linville Gorge Wilderness Area
- U.S. Forest Service: Pisgah Ranger District dispersed camping regulations
- NC State Parks: Grandfather Mountain Helene recovery update (June 5, 2026)
- N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission: 2026-2027 season dates at a glance