I am going this weekend to visit my sister and nephews and really want to get out on a hike. We are looking at going out Saturday afternoon and possibly staying overnight in either a tent or in a cabin if we go to roan mountain. It would be my nephew who is 7 if we go overnight and if we go just for the day, it would be the 7 year old and my almost 5 year nephew. I was told that their limitations would be about two miles max at a time if on a easy trail about 2 miles if on a moderate trail the 1.5.

We are considering roan mountain, something on the at or anything good in the area. I would love to find something good with waterfalls, an awesome view or both. I don't know if that is possible with our limitations. Or if there is some spot where we could do a small loop that we could camp the night on.

I have a copper spur ul2 that I was debating on taking. Don't know if anyone has tried that one with two adults and a kid. I am short only about 5'2 100 lbs., nephew is small for his ave, and my sister is about 5'8 and skinny. It would be his first camping trip as well as my first since so far have only practiced at my house. Do you have anything to recommend to make him comfortable with the camping out? What type of mattress would be cheap and easy for him?

Is it generally a problem to carry on tent? I would rather not check anything?
Thanks for your help. I know its last minute but had watching the weather and didn't think it would worn out.

Edited by cosmoteddy on 11/01/2012 18:01:18 MDT.

Start at Carvers Gap and go north on the AT and the spur to Grassy Bald. It is all open north of the gap and has great views. If you go south to Roan Mountain it is wooded so the views aren't nearly as good.

Don't forget the higher elevations in this area got a good bit of snow the last few days. It's going to warm up this weekend, so there could be alot of mud, slush, and swollen streams. There may also be trees down in some areas.

Another option would be to start at Dennis Cove and hike to Laurel Fork Falls which is a couple of miles north on the AT. It is the best falls I have seen on the southern half of the AT.

Which would be the easier one difficulty wise for the kids? Which has the better spot to camp?

It depends on how much snow they have at Carvers Gap. Grassy Bald offers great views and is a nice (but expossed) place to camp. As far as I know it is also dry but you wouldn't have to carry water too far. It is rolling up and down from the road and is all at ~5000ft+ elevation.

If you were to go south on the AT from Carvers Gap and go up Roan Mountain, there is a shelter, water, and great camping at the top. It is in fir-spruce forest so it isn't exposed but it high at 6600ft and one of those places that always seems cold no matter what time of year. It is uphill 1600ft to the shelter/camping. As a side note the Roan High Knob Shelter is the highest on the AT. It was an old fire warden cabin but the tower has long been removed.

If you go to Laurel Fork Falls from Dennis Cove you follow an old railroad grade for most of the way, but there are lots and lots of stone steps going into the gorge. I don't remember any good camping in the gorge but I haven't been through there in a couple of years.