Great Smokies Eco-Adventure: April 21-23

Mark your calendar for an immersive Smokies experience like none other! Spend your days exploring the wilds of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and your nights glamorously camping off the grid. DLiA and partner A Walk in the Woods bring you an exclusive 3-day, 2-night adventure, with expert-led nature hikes, camping in a luxurious off-grid setting, mouth-watering, local food and drink, and much more. All proceeds from this fundraising event will help DLiA discover and conserve the rich biodiversity of the Smokies.

A Walk in the Woods has generously provided access to Camp Atagahi, their staff, and their Smokies expertise to make this event really shine!

DLiA’s Will, Jaimie, and Todd will be your guides for the duration of the Eco-Adventure. They’re excited to be your gracious hosts and share their expert knowledge of the natural and cultural history of the Smokies!

The Great Smokies Eco-Adventure is a truly unique experience!

• Guided hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to learn about local flora and fauna, including wildflowers and other plants, pollinators and insects, fungi and more!
• Hike on a section of the legendary Appalachian Trail (AT)
• Morning bird-watching at camp
• Guided night hike to look for nocturnal creatures, using a bat detector and UV flashlights.
• Evening campfires to share stories and s’mores
• Freshly prepared meals, including beer and wine.
• Luxury Camping Accommodations, including spacious tents with cots and mattress
• Enjoy hot showers after a day on the trail

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Camp Atagahi

The Great Smokies Eco-Adventure is co-hosted by Discover Life in America and A Walk in the Woods. As an award-winning, locally owned and operated tour guide company, A Walk in the Woods has been helping people get the most out of their Smoky Mountains experience for over 23 years, serving over 100,000 visitors along the way!

All meals are included with your ticket price, prepared on site with local produce, cheeses, and other ingredients. Vegan and vegetarian options are available. Beer and wine are also provided as well as soft drinks of your choice. (We’ll inquire about your dietary restrictions and beverage choices close to the event.)

Camp Atagahi is A Walk in the Woods’ premiere off-grid camping facility located in a small valley just north of the National Park boundary between Pitman Center and Cosby, Tennessee. It features a well-stocked off-grid commercial kitchen and excellent bathroom facility with running water, flush toilets, and hot showers. Guests are lulled to sleep at night by the babbling creek that flows through camp. Tents are spacious, mounted on wooden platforms, and feature a covered “front porch” area where you can sit and enjoy a glass of wine, listening to the sounds of nature.

Guided Hikes in the Smokies

The Great Smokies Eco-Adventure in April features guided hikes during peak wildflower season in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (a short drive from Camp Atagahi). We’ll keep it slow and easy-going, with lots of stops to admire and talk about the Smokies’ incredible biodiversity, including native trees, pollinating insects, birds, and more. We’ll also share our expert knowledge of the cultural history of the landscape.

Our one-of-a-kind hikes will leave you with a new appreciation for the incredible variety of life in the Smokies region and they’re really fun, too!

Eco-Adventure Itinerary

Sunday, April 21: Guests will meet in GSMNP at noon and enjoy light snacks and introductions. We’ll go on guided hike led by DLiA staff on the Twin Creeks Trail (Total trail mileage under 2 miles)  In the late afternoon, we’ll get load up our gear and get transported to A Walk in the Woods’ private off-grid camp located near Cosby and settle into our not-too-rustic glamping accommodations. We’ll have drinks and a wholesome dinner. We’ll finish off with s’mores around a campfire. 

Monday, April 22:  We’ll have locally-sourced coffee and a hot breakfast at camp and pack sack lunches. We’ll then head to the Greenbrier area in GSMNP on our hike to Fern Branch Falls on the Porter’s Creek trail. This hike is 4 miles round-trip and is considered moderate. We’ll arrive back at camp by late afternoon and enjoy southern fixins’ around the campfire. If you’re up for it, we’ll go for a night hike at the camp to look for nocturnal critters. 

Tuesday, April 23: We’ll start with a hot breakfast, pack sack lunches, and pack up our gear.  If the conditions and views are favorable, we head up to the high elevations in the park for a hike along the infamous Appalachian Trail. We’ll finish up around 4 pm. We’ll say our goodbyes and guests will depart.

 Please note: The itinerary may change due to weather conditions, park closures or at the discretion of DLIA.

Tickets: $950 per person

Your ticket purchase supports Discover Life in America (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization), helping us continue our work as a partner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Tickets are $950 per person, which includes accommodations, food and alcohol, as well as expert-guided nature hikes.

Pricing is based on double occupancy of tents, so if you are traveling alone, you may be assigned to share a tent with someone of the same gender.

REGISTRATION CLOSES: April 1, 2024

CANCELLATION POLICY: Full payment is due upon ticket purchase. If you decide to cancel your spot, we will refund your ticket only if we are able to sell your ticket. No refunds will be given after registration closes on April 1st. 

What will your ticket purchase support

Specifically, you’ll help support

• research with the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory, aimed at cataloging, understanding, and ultimately conserving the 21,000+ species that call the Smokies home
• our world-class summer internship program, where we train the next generation of scientists and nature advocates through an immersive experience in the Smokies
• our educational programming in and around Great Smoky Mountains NP, fostering nature literacy among our community ( iScience and Smokies Most Wanted)
• and much more!

ELECTRICITY AND CELL SERVICE: There is no electricity at Camp Atagahi other than a battery back that you may use to charge your phone. There is little to no cell reception at the Camp and in the National Park. Please plan accordingly. If you use a CPAP machine to sleep, you may consider purchasing an appropriate battery pack to power that device during the event.

FAQs

Q. What is the expected weather?

April in the Smokies is usually mild, with daytime temperatures reaching the 50s and 60s, and nighttime sometimes approaching the freezing mark. It’s best to wear layers that you can shed if it’s warm or pile on for those cool nights. But this of course varies from year to year. The region does receive lots of rain (which fuels the growth of all those wildflowers), so be sure to pack a rain jacket or poncho.

Q. How many people will be in attendance?

Space is limited to 15 attendees at the eco-camp where we’ll be staying (2 people per tent with 10 tents). This is a nice group size that permits lots of one-on-one interaction with your guides.

Q. If don’t consider myself a serious hiker, will I be able to keep up?

Our hikes are very much tailored to the abilities and interests of the group and generally follow a leisurely pace as we stop and look at insects, mushrooms, and lots of other sights to see. As long as you are able to walk around 4 miles over several hours, you should be fine.

Q. If I come to the Eco-Adventure alone, will I have to share a tent?

The ticket price for this event is based on double occupancy, so expect that singletons may be paired with another same-gender singleton. This is a fantastic opportunity to meet a fellow nature lover and future friend!

Q. What is included in the ticket price?

The ticket price includes all accommodations, food (including vegetarian and vegan options), alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and expert-led hikes from noon Sunday through Tuesday afternoon.

Q. What do I need to bring?

Please bring a sleeping bag, towel, day pack and wear sturdy hiking shoes, rain gear and cool weather clothing. Also, please bring a well-fitting face mask. Tents, cots, sleeping pads, and other basics are all provided. You can find a full list of required and recommended items above on this page. Attendees will receive additional information via email prior to the event.

Q. Will there be electricity or cell service at the camp?

Camp Atagahi does not have grid electricity, however, we will provide a battery back that you can use to charge your cell phone and other small electronics. There is little to no cell signal in the area. The Eco-Adventure is a great chance to step away from the busy world and enjoy some screen-free time in nature!

Q. If I have any other questions, who should I contact?

Please contact DLiA’s Biodiversity Program Specialist, Jaimie Matzko, at jaimie@dlia.org and she’ll be happy to answer your questions about the Eco-Adventure. You can also visit dlia.org to learn more about DLiA’s work in the Smokies.