Women's Appalachian Trail Beginner Backpacking Trip- Max Patch, NC (2025)
Women's Appalachian Trail Beginner Backpacking Trip- Max Patch, NC (2025)
A minimum of 2 hikers is required for this trip. If the minimum is not met, you will be contacted 2 weeks before the trip to discuss options.
Guided trips are limited to 6 hikers per trip. If your group has 4 or more, please contact us to plan a private trip.
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This 3 day / 2 night guided backpacking trip is perfect for beginners or first time backpackers! You'll hike alongside an experienced backpacking guide and a small group of women for approximately 20 miles over the course of 3 days on the Appalachian Trail, starting at the iconic Max Patch and finishing in Hot Springs, North Carolina. Explore the beautiful rolling hills, wide-open mountain views, and winding woodland trails of the Appalachian Mountains, one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. Begin the trip with gorgeous 360 degree views from the top of Max Patch, a grassy, wildflower covered mountain summit. From there, you’ll hike down to a campsite where you’ll sleep in tents under the stars. The next day, you’ll hike most of the day to an Appalachian Trail shelter, and have the option to sleep in the wooden lean-to or in your tent. Wake up to the sounds of nature before finishing the hike through the woods where you’ll see an abundance of flora and fauna native to southern Appalachia. You’ll learn how to set up camp, filter water, cook meals, and practice safe backpacking skills with your guide. This trip includes a full gear rental (a comfortable backpack, trekking poles, tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, and cook kit), breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the trip, shuttle service to trail heads, and a video orientation before the trip to discuss planning and preparation.
Click here to learn more about the Max Patch trip.
What's Included:
- Virtual Orientation and Q&A session with your guide before the trip
- Full backpacking gear rental: backpack, trekking poles, tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, cook kit, and water filtration
- On-trail meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
- Shuttle service from meeting location to trailhead
- Expect advice, tips, and planning from an experienced backpacking guide
Not Included:
- Guide gratuity
- Meals before/after trip
- Lodging before/after trip
- Transportation from airports or hotels
Travel Insurance:
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We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance with appropriate coverage. Travel insurance may be used to reimburse the cost of an unexpected trip cancellation, for reasons such as illness, injury, a death in the family, or travel delays. Wildwood Hiking Company does not offer travel insurance, but you can search online for a provider that fits your needs.
Our guides work hard to provide you with excellent service, professional guidance, and a safe and memorable backpacking trip. If you feel your guide has done an exceptional job, please consider showing your appreciation with a tip. The industry standard for tipping backpacking guides is 15-20% the total cost of the trip.
At Wildwood, we want everyone to be able to enjoy the outdoors. Payment plans and scholarships are available for those in need. Please email us to request more information.
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Cancellation Policy
- Your trip cost includes a 15% non-refundable booking fee.
- Participants may cancel a trip up to 60 days before the start date of the trip for a refund, minus the 15% booking fee.
- If a participant cancels a trip between 59-30 days before the start of the trip, a 50% refund will be offered.
- If a participant cancels a trip between 0-29 days from the start of the trip, no refund or trip credit will be offered.
- We hike rain or shine! Backpacking is a challenging endurance sport, and it can be uncomfortable during inclement weather. We do our best to make sure hikers are adequately prepared for adverse weather. However, safety is our biggest priority. In the case of severe weather that could affect the safety of our hikers, our guides have the discretion to cancel a trip. In this case, a full refund or transfer credit will be offered.
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Trip Transfer Policy
- A participant may request 1 transfer from one trip to another according to the Transfer Policy. A second transfer request will be treated as a cancellation according to the cancellation policy.
- A participant may make a transfer request more than 60 days from the start of the trip with no additional fee.
- A transfer request made from 30-59 days before the start of the trip will incur a $100 per person transfer fee.
- No transfer requests can be made from 0-29 days prior to the start of the trip. This will be treated as a cancellation, with no refund or transfer credit offered, according to the cancellation policy.