A splendid weekend hiking along an open ridge in the Roan Mountain, TN area of the Appalachian Mountains. We hiked 14 miles hike along the Appalachian Trail from Carvers Gap to Highway 19E, and here are the trip details so you can too.
By the way, if you’re looking for a great weekend coastal kayak trip, I recommend kayaking around Lea Island, NC.
The best place to get started with this hike is at the Mountain Harbour B&B at highway 19E, just adjacent to the trail. It’s advised not to leave your car overnight at the 19E trailhead for risk of vandalism, so pay the $5/day to the B&B to park your car on their lawn. Also, the B&B offers shuttles ($10/person) to the Carver’s Gap AT trailhead. Call in advance. Our strategy was to park our car at the B&B, have them drop us at Carver’s gap, and then walk the 14 miles of trail back to our car.
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The shuttle dropped us at Carvers Gap early on Saturday morning…
When starting at Carvers Gap, it takes about 20 minutes to get to the first summit on the exposed ridge. Here we are at the summit.
Yeah, 360 degree views to be had all along the hike…
The 14 miles travels through a saddle along the ridge. You walk along the ridge line for a while, then hike down into the trees, and then back up to the open ridge. If you look really closely, you can make out the trail as it follows the spine of this ridgeline…
You dip below treeline in the bottom of the saddle, but as you can see the trail is quite pleasant through this stretch. In the bottom of the saddle, about 3.3 miles from the start, you’ll find the Stan Murray shelter – which usually has water.
We got really lucky and stumbled upon an AT maintainer that was out with a bucket of white paint touching up the white blazes along the trail. We helped for about a mile to refresh white blazes on trees.
The OverMoutain Shelter, about 5.3 miles from the start, is one of the most notable shelters along the Appalachian Trail. It’s basically a giant red barn that will sleep scores of people. We ate lunch there. You can see it in the valley behind my wife in the picture. Oh yeah, obviously it’s a steep and tiring climb out of Overmountain shelter.
We got back above the tree line to find great views yet again…
And found some horses…
And the biggest steer I’ve ever seen…
The night was pleasant and the forecast clear, so we took a chance to tent above the treeline on Hump Mountain where we had spectacular views. We carried all of our water up to this campsite from a spring that the AT crosses about a mile before the summit of Hump Mountain. (Special side note: This weekend hike was Fourth of July weekend, and we sat on these rocks to watch fireworks in the cities below the mountain. Definitely worth adding to the bucket list.)
Beautiful morning…
Windy morning…
The trail is all downhill to Hwy 19E…and beware there are many boulders and staircases on the way down. This section is definitely the most challenging couple miles of this particular hike.
We finished the hike on Sunday early morning. Once the trail delivered us to HWY 19E, we walked about a 1/4 mile down 19E to the B&B where we left our car. We paid a few bucks to grab a shower before driving home.
Water advice: Take plenty of it and check with the B&B managers and other locals about how the water source is on the mountain – the springs can run low/dry.
This is a solid overnight hike with views that won’t disappoint. Let us know in the comments if you have questions or want details about the weekend hike. I’m happy to provide answers or further details.
Backpacking Gear Checklist for Overnight Hike
For this hike, here’s the gear we recommend. Depending on your needs and season, you may need to augment this list.
Backpacking Gear
- Backpack – Weekend packs are typically 35-50 Liter packs like these.
- Backpack cover
- Backpack liner – Don’t buy a fancy one. A heavy trashbag will do.
- Trekking poles – The rock scrambles down to 19E are gnarly. The economical Leki Corklites can help you get down them.
- Tent – Don’t recommend hammock if you want to camp above treeline.
- Tent ground tarp
- Sleeping bag – In summer, a 20 sleeping bag would work well.
- Sleeping pad / Z-Rest
- Cooking stove (with fuel)
- Cooking pot
- Cooking and eating utensils
- Flashlight / headlamp
- Water bottles / hydration system – A CamelBak will help if you are carrying water to camp on the bald.
- Water purification / treatment
- Dry bags / heavy trash bags
- First Aid Kit
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- Bear spray / other protection
Clothing
- Hiking boots
- Hiking socks
- Hiking shorts
- Hiking shirt
- Camp shorts
- Camp shirt
- Camp shoes
- Underwear
- Rain coat / poncho
- Warm jacket / fleece
- Sunglasses
- Hat / beanie – Even in July, morning can be quite cool
- Gloves
- Maps / Guidebooks – Such as the Appalachian Trail Data Book.
You can download our backpacking checklist and pack weight calculator here.
Appalachian Trail Video – Carvers Gap to HWY 19E Weekend Hike TN/NC Border
Other Useful Information
Carver’s Gap Location:
Mountain Harbour Bed & Breakfast
Website: http://www.mountainharbour.net/
Phone: (423) 772-9494
Hey just wanted to say I used your writeup here as my “map” yesterday. Did the AT from Carvers Gap to Overmountain Shelter and back. It was my first time on the AT. Thanks for the info, I’m also enjoying your thru-hike logs.
DUFF, Charlotte NC
Awesome. Thanks for sharing. It’s a great hike!
Thank you! I’m doing this hike tomorrow and just called to reserve shuttle space. Didn’t know this was an option until I read your blog post. Thanks for sharing!
Hi! We are looking at doing this same hike, but we would like to make it a two night, approx. 30 miles. Can you recommend where we start so we can utilize the shuttle service? Thanks!!
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte, I once did this a two night trip, and I used the same shuttle from Mountain Harbor B&B to get to the starting point. I believe that I was dropped off at Iron Mountain Gap, which makes for about 30 miles or so back to Highway 19E.
Hi,
I am very new to hiking and will plan to hike from Iron Mountain Gap to Roan Mountain, TN Hiway 19E in mid-May. Right now I am just trying to build stamina. I am a 56 yr old woman. How strenuous is this hike? I am planning on 5 days walk time for the 30 mile hike. Is this reasonable? Do I need to carry all 5 days’ food? Water? I don’t see any place to get food supplies, but are there ample opportunities for restocking water each day? Any suggestions or tips are greatly appreciated!
Hi Jeanne,
That stretch of trail is a great hike, though it does have some steep climbs and descents. In particular, on the last day, you will have a somewhat challenging decent down the mountain to 19E.
30 miles in 5 days seems really doable. That’s 6 miles per day, which is really reasonable, though you may hike a little more or less each day to reach an appropriate camping spot.
As for food, you will need to carry food. There isn’t anywhere to resupply.
Water can be gathered on the way, and you will need to treat it. If there is a dry spring, call the Mountain Harbor Bed and Breakfast or some other local establishment that caters to hikers and ask if they know whether or not the springs and creeks are flowing on the mountain. Some of the water sources are not reliable in a dry spell.
On this hike, you will cross a couple roads near parking lots on your hike, so if you were to misjudge your food or other supplies you could probably get help rather easily at those roads.
Have a great hike.
Thank you so much!
I’m sorry it has taken a couple of years to adequately thank you, but I was going over my info in order to plan for another hike this spring. The info you shared with me in 2016 was very accurate and we had a great trip. For us slower-moving backpackers, the trip from Iron Mountain Gap up to 19-E was perfect. The 30 miles was manageable over 4 days. That is one very strenuous hike though! Wow. I can’t say enough about the balds and Hump Mountain views.
Thank you again for your thread. It helped give me confidence to just do it!
Hello Mark,
Thank you for sharing this! Does this start North or South of Rt. 19E? I can’t seem to find Carver or Iron Mt. Gap on a topo map.
Jamie
Hi Jamie,
On the hike described here, you would be hiking North to 19E.
Hi Mark, I am looking at doing this hike, but I am having trouble finding info on this section. Where did you find a map for this hike (if you did)? Also, where you camped, was it a designated campsite or were you stealth camping?
Hi Maggie,
I think I used only the Appalachian Trail Data Book as a guide for this section, though there are probably better, more descriptive maps out there. There are shelters and designated campsites along the path, though at least one night we camped atop one of the bald mountains for the 360 degree sunrise view. If you camp on the balds, then you will need to carry enough water for the evening and morning as there is not a water source on top of the mountains.
Hello Mark! Some friends and I are looking to do this hike, but we are all having to arrive at different times (some Friday night to start and some Saturday morning). Do you know of a good place to meet Saturday morning? Are there any good places to jump into the trail and will the shuttle drop you off at other places? Thanks!
Hi Hannah,
If you are starting on Saturday morning (and I presume finishing on Sunday), then I still think a good starting point is Carver’s Gap. It’s only about 12 miles from Carver’s Gap to Highway 19E, which makes for a pretty leisurely overnight hike for able bodied folks.
To answer your other question, the shuttle will drop you off at other places like Iron Mtn Gap, but that is a longer trip.
HI Mark- Thanks for sharing the lovely details about your hike. It sounds amazing. I was wondering if you had any trouble with wild horses tramping into your campsite in the middle of the night? I just returned from an AT section hike Dickey Gap to Elk Garden through the Grayson Highlands State Park. On our 3rd night out wild horses ran through our campsite all night long. One even tried to steal my friend’s backpack.
Looking for new sections to do but would not want a repeat of the horse incident.
Thanks, Lulu
Nashville, TN
Hi Lulu,
Glad you escaped the brush with ponies in the Grayson Highlands. I have seen livestock grazing on these mountains. In one incident, a horse did follow me down the trail. He/she seemed to be interested in a snack, no doubt having been fed by other hikers. I kept moving and soon the horse abandoned the pursuit. I have not had animals invade camp on this stretch, but for sure there are some wild animals and livestock in the area.
I just called. They increased the shuttle fee to $20 per person.
Thanks for the update, again, Erik.
They now charge $40 for a one way trip. Up to 6 people.
Thanks for the update, Erik.
thank you so much for your post! my husband and i are planning this same overnight hike for a minigetaway and your post was very helpful!
Awesome. Safe travels, Alicia.
Hi Mark, what do you think about doing this section as a long day hike? Thinking about bringing a group of college students out, maybe a dozen. We’ll need to find pre- and post-hike housing as well.
Totally doable as a day hike, and I’ve completed this section as such. As far as pre-hike housing, the Mountain Harbor B&B I mentioned above is probably a good choice, especially if you tent in the yard or crash in the hiker bunkhouse (not the B&B).
Mark,
I see you went in July, yet in one photo (windy morning) you’re wearing a jacket and hoodie. How low/high did the temps get and did you find it necessary to pack cold gear on this summer hike?
Thanks for sharing
-Joshua
Hi Joshua, sharp eye. I don’t know average temps in July on that stretch of the trail, but that morning was easily in the 50’s F. My wife was not happy to get out of her sleeping bag. It can get chilly in July in the North Carolina mountains, especially if you tack wind onto a cool weather. We made do with rain and cool weather gear.
Great blog post! I’ve read multiple blogs about the B&B and how hikers just “walk up”. Is the AT within walking distance of the B&B?
Hi Heather,
The AT is within walking distance of the B&B. Maybe a quarter mile or less down highway 19E. There is a home on the hill which is the B&B proper, and then there is a barn at the bottom of the hill that has hiker hostel accommodations.
Hello! I have been searching all day for info on this hike and found this, which sums it up perfectly. I only really have one question — was it easy to get lost? Did you pack any sort of map? Obviously we will do it with GPS, but I’m curious. Also, how much water did you bring?
Hi Jon, I would say that it is difficult (but not impossible) to get lost on this hike. The trail from Carver’s Gap to 19E is the Appalachian Trail, so it is usually clearly marked by white blazes and it’s also well worn. While there are other paths that cross the AT, it seems unlikely you would accidentally walk too far down those paths without realizing you were off the trail, which you would know because you wouldn’t see white blazes on the trail. In that case, turnaround and find the trail with the blazes.
As for water, I have not had any issues with water on this particular hike. There are creeks and at least one pipe spring. To know where the water sources are located, I would recommend you purchase the AT Data Book from the AT Conservancy.
Mark, thank you for your response. We are definitely doong this trail. My only other question is if this trail will allow for hammock camping? I noted in a lot of the pictures the area looks “bald.” What’s your opinion on this?
Hi Jon,
The trail on this hike passes through trees and over balds. We often like to tent camp on the balds for the 360 degree views. There are several camping areas (including a couple shelters) that are among the trees. You would not have a problem finding trees for hammocks, as long as you’re not planning on camping on top of the balds where there aren’t any trees.
Really enjoyed your account of your hike in our beautiful area! We would suggest that on another trip you try the town of Bakersville, NC “Gateway to the Roan” for pre and post hike stops. Great area artist studios (Penland School of Craft is nearby) and also quaint places to eat. Check it out here http://www.bakersvillenc.com. Hope to see you on the Roan again soon!
Bakersville looks wonderful. Thanks for sharing, Patti.
Mark, this has been an extremely helpful blog. I’m looking forward to making this trip. Have you ever run into a good b&b similar to the one you describe that allows a hike through Clingmans Dome…for maybe a day or two?
Hi Ben, I don’t have personal experience with B&B’s in that area, but if I were looking for one I’d probably be looking in the direction of Gatlinburg. I’ve heard of these folks who provide shuttle services, http://www.awalkinthewoods.com/, but have not had personal experience with them.
Mark, thanks for sharing your hike. I am doing this section starting Thursday 24 March. This will be a photography trip so I intend on making it a 2 day leisurely stroll. My question is, are there designated camping spots atop the Balds?
Hi Morris,
The campsites atop the balds aren’t well designated. You might find a couple fire rings, but the sites aren’t developed. There isn’t water on the balds either, so you would need to carry your water with you for the night and morning.
Good luck on the hike.
We are going up this weekend. We’ll start on Saturday morning and camp on Hump mountain–at the top. Do you know how long the trail is from start to the place you camped, and then how many more miles you did to finish the next day? We hope to finish before lunch Sunday since we have to drive home and have dinner with family. Hopefully it won’t be too cold but I’m thinking we’ll take cold weather gear just in case!
Thanks!
Sounds good, Elyse. If you are starting at Carver’s Gap, then you’ve got a little over 8 miles to Hump Mountain. What a great place to camp for the night! 360 degree views.
From Hump Mountain to 19E, you’ve have about 5 miles, all downhill. The downhill is a little sketchy when you get to the rock slides, though finishing by lunch shouldn’t be too challenging if you get up and out in the morning.
Hi Mark. My brother and I are taking our 4 college age kids on the same hike you wrote about sometime in mid-June to early July. My questions are:
1) is the trail still crowded with thru hikers that time of year, or are most of them north of that area by then?
2) is it possible to do Overmountain shelter the 1st night and Hump the 2nd, or does that not divide the mileage up adequately for a three day hike?
3) are reservations needed for Overmountain shelter?
Thanks for the help and advice! Dony Erwin
Hi Dony,
Thanks for the questions.
In mid-June and early July, most northbound thru-hikers should be well north of this section, so you won’t need to content with many thru-hiker crowds. Having slept on Hump Mountain on the 4th of July, I highly recommend the experience. From the bald, you can see thousands of fireworks in the valley. Very neat to look down on the show.
It is possible to do Overmountain shelter on night one and Hump Mountain on night two, though that does not leave much distance between the two. You won’t have to hike but a few miles each day if you hike from Carver’s Gap to 19E. For a longer hike, consider starting at Iron Mountain Gap.
Reservations are not needed at Overmountain shelter. There should be plenty of room too. It’s a big shelter.
Have a blast on your hike.
Thank you so much for your blog! My roommate from college and I will be doing it next Saturday as a day hike. We would like to start early at Carvers Gap. Is there a time schedule for these shuttles? Do I need to call in advance? BTW, I am 51 and she is 49 and I can’t wait to see how we do we with this hike! We have hiked 34 miles in one day on the AT from Waterville School Rd to Hot Springs, (2 yrs ago). It nearly killed my roommate, but we made it. That hike was a special organized hike by Cystic Fibrosis to raise money for the organization and we both trained hard for that hike. We also recommend you hike Alum Cave up to Mt LeConte, if you haven’t done so. I have hiked that mountain 14 times over the years, and it is a must do!
Thank you again for this information! so very helpful!
Liz
Hi Liz, I’ll definitely check out the Alum Cave hike, and I’ll be at Waterville Road this week giving out trail magic to hikers.
For the shuttle, you should call in advance to reserve space and time.
I’m sure you all will have a blast on the hike.
Good Evening,
I have a troop of Boy Scouts looking to do 30 miles over 5 days for a backpacking requirement. Is that possible on this trek?
Thank you,
Tony
Hi Tony, I think that’s doable by starting at Iron Mountain Gap. That is about 30 miles. I once did that hike in three days and didn’t feel rushed.
Hey Mark, I’m taking the 30 mile hike from Iron Mountain Gap with several other guys. We’ll be going in late July and have two questions:
1. How are ticks on this type of hike? Are we good to wear shorts and t-shirts or do we need long pants and long sleeves? I’d much rather dress according to the temp if I can, any thoughts?
2. Half the guys in our group plan on hanging their gear up at night and the other half want to keep it in their tents. Is either way acceptable or are the guys sleeping with their packs in their tent running the risk of being a snack for bears?
Hi Ben,
I would think they are present in July on most of the trail. I’ve typically worn shorts on this hike and haven’t had a problem with ticks or other bugs. Take bug spray that repels ticks and spray your legs before you walk through any of the long grasses on the balds.
I’ve never gone through much effort to hang food on this hike. Most times I camp on the balds, where there aren’t any trees and I keep my food in my pack under the rain fly just outside my tent. If you stay in the shelter, there are usually hooks (aka Mouse Trapeze) where you can hang your food. In short, I wouldn’t be too worried about bears on this stretch of hike, but there is always that outside chance that one visits you in the night.
Hey Mark, just wanted to circle back around to you and say that we ended up doing this hike and it was SO AWESOME! So glad I happened upon this thread with all this information on it. We’ll definitely do this hike again at some point.
We’re looking at doing a 3-5 day hike at the Glacier National Park. Any suggestions on hikes or links that would lead us in the right direction?
What were the concerns with lightning while hiking, and especially camping above tree line. I know lightning can sometimes appear with a storm in the distance/ Great hike, wanting to do O/N
Lighting is definitely a concern if storms are in the area. I was concerned a storm might blow in overnight. If it did, I was prepared to pack up and hike to below treeline at night.
One more thing. Are there any campsites along the trail that arent above the treeline? Will be going in mid-May
Yes there are. There are several places you could pitch a tent, and there are several shelters on this stretch of trail nestled in the valleys or trees, where you could pitch a tent or sleep in the shelter.
Thanks for all the great info you provided! I will be hiking this trail at the end of September, but I was wanting to hike from Roan High Knob to the B&B. How much farther is Roan than Carver`s Gap? Is Roan a good place to start?
Thanks!
-Amy
Hey Amy, Roan is just on the other side of Carver’s Gap, so it’s not much farther. If you wanted to hike a longer hike that includes Roan Mountain, the leg between hwy 19E and Iron Mountain Gap gets it done. I think the B&B I mentioned in the post will run a shuttle to Iron Mountain Gap. If you start at Iron Mountain, you might add a second night / third day to the hike.
Trying to gather as much info about this hike as possible. I would like to make it a 2 night trip. Can you camp wherever you stop or does it have to be at one of the shelters? Is water available in late spring or early summer? If so how much do you hike with? If it’s readily available I would guess 2-3L. Is there a map out there with the water sources listed. Treating the water, I have a filter that is 2 or 3 microns. I assume this is considered treated or do I need to also use tablets? I haven’t been able to get an answer on this one.
Hi Keith,
That’s a lot of questions, so I think I answer them all below.
There aren’t restrictions on camping, though it would be good to camp at shelters or existing tent sites to minimize impact on the trail.
Water is typically available near shelters and at one spring along the way. I recommend the AT handbook from ATC which will show water locations.
Water filtration or treatment is recommended.
Hiking with several liters at a time is advisable. If you are camping on the balds, prepare to carry more water to the balds to last the night and morning.
Mark
Are dogs allowed on this part of the trail.I am a 59 year old male I am looking at trying a 4-5 day hike in the summer of 2019 and I would like to take my dog with me
They are allowed Chris. I have seen many hikers with dogs on this stretch.