Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / North Carolina / 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)

North of the Great Smoky Mountains, the Appalachian Trail drops to the Pigeon River, climbs Snowbird Mountain, crosses the open summit of Max Patch, and ends at Hot Springs on the French Broad River, the first town the A.T. passes directly through heading north, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

The ATC says the Carolina Mountain Club maintains this stretch, part of its 92.6 miles from Davenport Gap to Spivey Gap.

The hike

Davenport Gap, where TN 32 and NC 284 meet, marks the park’s eastern boundary, Backpacker notes. Northbound, the trail crosses the Pigeon River bridge and passes under I-40. A June 2025 microburst damaged the trail from Davenport Gap to Brown Gap, and by August 2025 the ATC said Carolina Mountain Club volunteers had repaired it except for a stone staircase just north of the I-40 underpass, “passable but needs to be rebuilt.” The same updates say the Standing Bear Farm hostel, 0.3 mile off the trail, was severely damaged; call ahead.

From I-40, Backpacker describes a climb of about 2,700 feet to Snowbird Mountain (4,263 feet), topped by an FAA tower. Alicia Owen of Paria Outdoor Products put Groundhog Creek Shelter, near Deep Gap, about 5 miles from Davenport Gap; Backpacker says it sleeps six and has a privy.

Paria counts about 8 more miles to Max Patch. Backpacker lists the summit at 4,629 feet, and the ATC calls the 360-degree views from the top “exceptional.” A University of Kentucky faculty blog says the Forest Service bought the 382-acre top in 1982 and keeps it open by mowing and controlled burns. Under the current Forest Service order, there’s no camping or fires on Max Patch, the area closes from an hour after sundown to an hour before sunrise, groups are limited to 10, and dogs must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet.

Beyond Max Patch, Backpacker lists the Roaring Fork Shelter (sleeps eight), the Walnut Mountain Shelter (sleeps six), and the Deer Park Mountain Shelter (sleeps five), each with a privy, along with campsites at Catpen Gap and Kale Gap. The Outbound’s waypoints pass Bluff Mountain, Garenflo Gap, and Taylor Hollow Gap before the descent to Hot Springs, where the trail meets the French Broad River. Backpacker’s Max Patch Road to Hot Springs route is 20.3 miles.

The ATC reported in July 2026 that the Helene-damaged A.T. from Davenport Gap north is passable, but warned that “trees will continue to fall and there is severe erosion in some places.” South of Davenport Gap, the A.T. climbs into the Smokies toward Mount Cammerer; see our Mount Cammerer page.

Tips

Camping

No permit is needed on the A.T. in the national forest. A Forest Service order for the A.T. through the southern national forests limits stays at trail shelters to 3 days in a 30-day period. The ATC describes a Southern Region food storage order: use a bear-resistant canister, provided storage, or a proper hang, keep food out of tents and shelters, and the ATC recommends canisters, noting that not every A.T. overnight site has food storage. Camp only away from dead, damaged, or leaning trees, the ATC says. Max Patch is closed to camping until at least June 21, 2029.

Inside Intel: Alicia Owen of Paria Outdoor Products recommends Groundhog Creek Shelter for the first night out of Davenport Gap. Her 2021 plan also suggests camping on Max Patch, which is no longer allowed; Backpacker lists Roaring Fork as the next shelter beyond Max Patch. No recent camper accounts recommending a specific site beyond Max Patch were found.

Trail facts

The Lowdown

Snowbird Mountain after the storms:

The ATC still flags storm damage on this stretch, and Hurricane Isaias brought heavy rain to western North Carolina in October. Before the climb up Snowbird Mountain, see how the Beta SL stacks up against two less expensive shells.

Compare the shells →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.