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Standing Bear Farm Hostel mile 241.8 to Laughing Heart Hostel in Hot Springs mile 274.9 to Tanyard Gap mile 280.8

(39 mile section of glamping, slack-packing, and hostel hopping)

We decided to try hostel hopping for this section. We had hostel shuttles drop us north and south on the trail, then we would hike back to the hostels to complete the mileage in each direction. Our goal was to keep the daily mileage to less than 10, and to allow time to explore and experience the trail communities and get to know other hikers, which is one of our favorite parts of hiking the Appalachian.

To plan for this section I contacted Maria, Gabe and Kate (contact information below). Each of them took so much time helping us decide on routes, directions and mileage. They really went the extra mile! Special thank you to them!

Maria at Standing Bear Farm
(423) 608-0149 or www.standingbearfarmhostel.com

Gabe at Laughing Heart Hostel laughingheartlodge@gmail.com

Kate Shuttle Driver Hot Springs
(828) 206-4436


Day one: 9.8 miles Brown Gap (mile 251.6) southbound back to Standing Bear Farm Hostel (mile 241.8 Green Corner Rd)

Day two: 8.9 miles Lemon Gap (mile 260.5) southbound to Brown Gap (mile 251.6)

Day three: 6.6 miles Garenflo Gap (mile 268.3) northbound to Laughing Heart Hostel (mile 274.9)

Day four: 7.8 miles Lemon Gap (mile 260.5) northbound to Garenflo Gap (mile 268.3)

Day five: 5.9 miles Tanyard Gap (mile 280.8) southbound to Hot Springs (mile 274.9)

We drove up to Standing Bear Farm Hostel (mile 241.8 Green Corner Rd) on Wednesday and spent the night there. Blair and I stayed in the cabin with the creek running under it. Amber and Lori stayed in one side of the creek house just past Maria’s (the hostel owner) home. Stephen started off in the upstairs room of the treehouse, but moved over to the other side of the creek house from Amber and Lori.

Thursday morning at 8:00 am, Maria shuttled us north to Brown Gap (mile 251.6) and we hiked southbound back to the hostel (Mile 241.8 Green Corner Rd) 9.8 miles total.
For dinner, Maria the hostel owner, made us Chicken Enchiladas and they were delicious! We played games that night in the kitchen area, and met a young thru hiker, Chris and his husky Bailey. We also spent time around the campfire with guitar music and singing by “Too High” (short for Too High to Hike). Too High was a kind older gentleman, a work-to-stay hiker, who kept the campfire burning and his music filled the air. It made for a nostalgic atmosphere.

Friday morning, Maria shuttled us further north to Lemon Gap (mile 260.5) and we hiked 8.9 miles southbound to Brown Gap (mile 251.6), where she picked us up and shuttled us back to the hostel. That night she fed us delicious spaghetti and we all ate it with my homemade bread. That night, we met “Moment” from Minnesota and shared stories, he was excited for wifi to have the chance to call his wife that night.

Saturday morning, we got up early and hopped to the next hostel, one hour north, Laughing Heart Hostel in Hot Springs. We met Kate there at 8:45 am, an awesome shuttle driver. She drove us to Garenflo Gap and we hiked 6.6 miles back to the hostel. After the hike, we checked into our rooms. Blair and I stayed in the Cardinal Room, Amber stayed in the Dragonfly Room, Stephen stayed in the Monarch Room. We all showered and cleaned up, then went into town to explore. We ate at the Smoky Mountain Diner, which I highly recommend! Then we explored the Bluff Mountain Outfitters, The Hillbilly Market (best fried pies in town), Sara Jo’s Station, Iron Horse Station, Spring Creek Tavern (awesome soup and bread bowls), Artisun Gallery and Cafe, Tobacco Road Bikes, Burley & Brew (where Waco the chicken runs loose).

Sunday morning, Kate picked us up at the Lodge at 8:00 am and Stephen followed in his truck to Garenflo Gap, where we staged his truck. Kate then drove us all to Lemon Gap (mile 260.5) and we hiked northbound to Garenflo Gap (mile 268.3) back to Stephen’s truck, 7.8 miles for the day. We met “Al and Sandra on the AT” from Michigan that day and visited with them at Walnut Mountain Shelter. Look up their YouTube channel to follow their thru hike adventure. From Stephen’s truck at Garenflo, we drove back to the Lodge to get cleaned up and get dinner in town.

Monday morning Kate shuttled us north to Tanyard Gap and we hiked back to Hot Springs (5.9 miles). We got back into town with just enough time to eat at the Smoky Mountain Diner one more time. The diner is still family owned and operated, using the grandmother’s recipes. So good! Later that night, we ran into Al and Sandra again at the Iron Horse Station where they were staying and having dinner with fellow thru-hikers, Machine and Bulldog.

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