Rippling ridge lines spreading toward the horizon. Rambling trails that send hikers splashing through creek crossings. Desert landscapes under star-filled skies.

Backpacking through the Southern U.S., far from the more famous western trails and parks, can be a real treat for hikers willing to go beyond the ordinary.

Backpacking through the South presents its own opportunities and challenges. Hot, humid summers mean you may book your trip in spring, fall, or even winter. In some places, the lack of trail infrastructure can mean cacheing food and supplies ahead of time, or lugging extra water when it’s hot and dry.

But the sacrifices are worth it to see a swathe of the country that doesn’t always feature prominently in guidebooks. We’ll introduce you to the best backpacking trips in the South here.

Our list focuses on trails that can be hiked in 3 to 14 days.

A three-day mininum allows the one full day in the backcountry necessary to qualify as a backpacking trip. We picked the two-week maximum to cover anyone who wants to use their 10 days of PTO to tackle one of America’s premier routes. Anything longer belongs in the conversation of thru-hikes. 

The order is arbitrary, but the metrics we’ve devised are paramount. We’re called Gear Analytica, so we’ve developed a number of data points that provide an easy, digestible way to analyze the trails according to length, elevation gain, difficulty, trail characteristics, seasonal access, available solitude, wildlife and insect pressure and other important features.

Appalachian Trail: Smokies section, Tennessee/North Carolina

Location: The Great Smoky Mountains from Fontana Dam in North Carolina to Davenport Gap in Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Highlights: Dense forests, misty ridges, Clingmans Dome

Resources:

• Trail Organization: Smoky Mountains Hiking Club
• Map & Guide: Gossamer Gear

Physical Metrics:

• Distance: 71 miles
• Duration: 5-7 days
• Total Elevation Gain: 22,300 feet
• Elevation Gain per Mile: 314 feet
• Average Grade: 11.8%

Trail Classification:

• Difficulty: Expert
• Terrain Profile: Steep – significant ups and downs along ridge systems

Trail Characteristics:

• Technical Features: Well-established trail with shelter system, dense forest
• Trail Surface: Dirt paths with occasional rocky and rooty sections
• Elevation Range: 1,200-6,600 feet

Ratings:

• Light Pack: 5/10 – shelter stays with bear storage, plentiful water
• Weather Consistency: 4/10 – frequent rain and fog, temperature variation between ridges and valleys, humidity, thunderstorms hit quick in summer
• Water Availability: 9/10 abundant sources, water availability at shelters
• Low Insect/Reptile Pressure: 2/10 – abundant ticks April-October (Lyme risk), copperheads and rattlesnakes throughout, mosquitos and spider activity heavy in summer
• Trail Solitude: 2/10 – One of most heavily used sections of AT, busy shelters, frequent thru- and section hiker traffic
• Wildlife Safety: 6/10 large population of habituated bears
• Permit Availability : 7/10 – required permits but rarely filled to capacity, straightforward online process
• Seasonal Access: 8/10 – Accessible year-round with seasonal challenges, spring and fall best combination of access and weather
• Resupply Options: 6/10 – multiple road crossings with access into town for resupply but no on-trail store within the national park
• Trailhead Access: 9/10 – paved roads and shuttle services abound

Ozark Highlands Trail, Arkansas

Location: Arkansas’ Ozark Mountains between Lake Fort Smith and Richland Creek.

Highlights: Dense forests, streams, waterfalls

Resources:

• Trail Organization: Ozark Highlands Trail Association
• Trip Report: Ozark Highlands Trail Trip Report
• Map & Guide: Ozark Highlands Trail Association Guidebook

Physical Metrics:

• Distance: 165 miles point-to-point
• Duration: 7-12 days
• Total Elevation Gain: 22,000 feet
• Elevation Gain per Mile: 133 feet
• Absolute Grade: 5.1%

Trail Classification:

• Difficulty: Easy
• Terrain Profile: Rolling – consistent but manageable ups and downs

Trail Characteristics:

• Technical Features: Numerous stream crossings, some bluff sections
• Trail Surface: Dirt paths through forested terrain, occasional rocky sections
• Elevation Range: 800-2,600 feet

Ratings:

• Light Pack: 5/10 no bear requirements, regular resupply possible 
• Weather Consistency: 7/10 – generally predictable weather, flash floods possible after heavy rain, humidity
• Water Availability: 6/10 – generally reliable springs and streams, seasonal fluctuations, could be dry July-November
• Low Insect/Reptile Pressure: 1/10 – Abundant ticks spring through fall, copperheads, water moccasins and timber rattlers, mosquitoes near water sources and chiggers in summer 
• Trail Solitude: 9/10 – limited use outside peak weekends, few thru-hikers, western sections less used than eastern sections
• Wildlife Safety: 8/10 small black bear population, few large predators
• Permit Availability : 10/10 – No permits required for most sections, no quotas or limits on hikers
• Seasonal Access: 8/10 – Accessible year-round but summer brings heat, humidity and insects
• Resupply Options: 4/10 – limited options, small towns require significant detours, some road crossings allow for cached supplies
• Trailhead Access: 5/10 – varied, but many remote trailheads on forest service roads and limited signage to certain access points

Big Bend Outer Mountain Loop, Texas

Location: Big Bend National Park, Texas.

Highlights: Desert mountain terrain, expansive views, Chisos Mountains, desert ecology

Resources:

• Trail Organization: Big Bend National Park
• Map & Guide: Outer Mountain Loop Route
• Free Digital Guide book: Chisos Mountains Backpacking Guidebook

Physical Metrics:

• Distance: 30 miles
• Duration: 3-5 days
• Total Elevation Gain: 6,000 feet
• Elevation Gain per Mile: 200 feet
• Absolute Grade: 7.6%

Trail Classification:

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Terrain Profile: Mixed – desert mountain terrain with extreme water considerations

Trail Characteristics:

• Technical Features: Extreme water scarcity requiring caching, desert environment
• Trail Surface: Desert trails with rocky sections and occasional poor marking
• Elevation Range: 3,000-7,800 feet

Ratings:

• Low Pack Weight: 2/10 – heavy water carry even with caching 
• Weather Consistency: 2/10 – extreme temperature swings (30°F), sudden windstorms with little shelter, cold fronts in winter, rare flash floods
• Water Availability: 2/10 – nearly none, requires water cache, could require 6L daily carry, typically more water available in winter (Nov.-Feb.)
• Low Insect/Reptile Pressure: 8/10 – few bugs, but rattlesnakes, scorpions, tarantulas and giant centipedes are present
• Trail Solitude: 8/10 – remote location limits visitors, few hikers attempt full loop (water caching is tough), extended solitude on weekdays
• Wildlife Safety: 6/10 – mountain lions present but rare, javelinas can be aggressive
• Permit Availability: 6/10 – Backcountry permits required but limited quota system rarely fills
• Seasonal Access: 6/10 – technically year-round access but summer is hot and dangerous, with winter (November – March) the best timeframe
• Resupply Options: 1/10 – No resupply options on trail
• Trailhead Access: 6/10 – Trailheads accessible within park, but the park itself is remote and distant from a major city

Gear Analytica Editor-in-Chief Kyle Magin contributed to this piece.