Activity note: Meet your hiking guides and discuss trails for the week ahead. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Afternoon: Check in begins at 3:00, Registration at 5:00, both at the Joe Ervin House. (Signs as you enter Hinton will direct you to Joe Ervin House.) After you have your room assignment register with Road Scholar Staff and get your welcome packet with name tag, updated schedule, and other information. If you arrive late ask for your packet when you check in.

Dinner: At 6:00 pm enjoy dinner in the Dining Hall. Choose from buffet entrées and side options and build your own fresh salad at the salad bar. Coffee, tea and other beverages will be available.

Evening: At 7:00 pm the Group leader will welcome everyone and lead introductions. We will then have a week overview and discuss safety guidelines, emergency procedures and answer questions. The scheduled hikes may vary depending on local conditions, we will alert you to changes as quickly as possible.

Activity note: Elevation change from 4300 at Deep Gap to 5200 at Standing Indian Summit. We hike the Appalachian Trail through a beautiful stretch of forest in the Nantahala Wilderness. Approx. 5 miles round trip.

Breakfast: 8:00 am Breakfast in Dining Hall. Enjoy a hearty breakfast with coffee or tea. Pack your lunch and snack for today's hike from the variety of options,

Morning: Beginning at Deep Gap we will hike north on the AT to the top of Standing Indian.The trail climbs through switchbacks and rhododendron tunnels under a canopy of leafy trees. Ferns & moss are abundant along the forest floor. The climb intensifies at 1.7 miles, then runs along a ridge with view on both sides of the trail.

Lunch: We will stop along the trail to enjoy the lunches we packed at breakfast this morning.

Afternoon: After gaining the summit & enjoying long range views from the top of Standing Indian, we descend through the leafy forest to Deep Gap. Your Group Leaders will share their knowledge of the many plants along the trail.

Dinner: Dinner served in the Dining Hall.

Evening: Settle in for an evening concert of Appalachian songs & ballads by a local musican & historian. You will hear songs preserved in these beautiful mountains that shelter a rich music tradition.

Activity note: Elevation change from 3787 to 4500. Apox. 6 miles round trip.

Breakfast: 8:00 am Breakfast in Dining Hall. Enjoy a hearty breakfast with coffee or tea. Pack your lunch and snack for today's hike from the variety of options,

Morning: We begin today's hike in the Standing Indian basin and hiking south on the Appalachian Trail, following a gentle rise to Rock Gap. From Rock Gap, we continue to Glassmine Gap. Note the abundance of moss, lichen & liverworts growing on rock faces.

Lunch: We will stop along the trail to enjoy the lunches we packed at breakfast this morning.

Afternoon: Continue hiking to Glassmine Gap. We return via the Long Branch Trail. As this trail winds through the forest you will at times enjoy the sights & sounds of Long Branch's clear water rushing over rocks as in meanders down the mountain.

Dinner: Dinner served in the Lodge

Evening: Learn more about the plants, animals and environment you are hiking through this week. This evening's presentation is with a local naturalist.

Activity note: Hike Boetler Peak area, known for unique plant species & rock formations. We follow the Chunky Gal trail that connects the Nantahala & Tusquitee Mountains.

Breakfast: 8:00 am Breakfast in Dining Hall. Enjoy a hearty breakfast with coffee or tea. Pack your lunch and snack for today's hike from the variety of options,

Morning: Today we hike along the Chunky Gal Trail that connects the Nantahala & Tusquitee mountains. We start near Glade Gap off Hwy 64, and will gain Boetler Peak. This peak is known for outcroppings of serpentine rocks & associated rare plant species.

Lunch: We will stop along the trail to enjoy the lunches we packed at breakfast this morning.

Afternoon: Along the trail to Boetler peak and down, in the rich forests are several rare plant species. Possible sightings include glade fern, dwarf ginseng, & American columbo. The forest fires of 2016 have left thier mark on the landscape and by opening the forest floors, provide increased sunlight for this year's plant production.

Dinner: Dinner served in the Dining Hall.

Evening: Free Time. Take this opportunity for personal independant exploration to see and do what interest you most.

Activity note: Hike along the AT to wind swept, grassy Siler Bald at 5216’. This hike could be from 2-8 miles depending on preferred activity level. Possible elevation change from 3750 to 5126.

Breakfast: 8:00 am Breakfast in Dining Hall. Enjoy a hearty breakfast with coffee or tea. Pack your lunch and snack for today's hike from the variety of options,

Morning: Winding Stair Gap follows the AT to Swinging Lick Gap at 4100', then on to Panther Gap, and Big Stamp. Siler Bald, at 5216' is an open grassy expanse with 360 degree views.

Lunch: We will stop along the trail to enjoy the lunches we packed at breakfast this morning.

Afternoon: Continue hiking! From Siler Bald we may return via Wayah Crest or Winding Stair.

Dinner: Dinner served in the Lodge

Evening: Concert by local musician.

Activity note: Farewell walk along the one mile Rivercane Trail at the John C. Campbell Folk School. You may wish to tour the Folk School on your own following the hike.

Breakfast: 8:00 am Breakfast in Dining Hall. Enjoy a hearty breakfast with coffee or tea. Pack your lunch and snack for today's hike from the variety of options,

Morning: Program concludes on day 6 with breakfast at 8:00 am, pack lunches and check out from Hinton. Caravan to John C. Campbell School at 9:00 am, for Farewell Hike along the River Cane Trail.

Lunch: We will stop along the trail to enjoy the lunches we packed at breakfast this morning.