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A Walk in the Woods

Family of three posing in front of a waterfall while on a guided hike in the Smoky Mountains with A Walk in the Woods.

Guided Hikes and Walking Tours

Guided Backpacking Adventures

Guided hikes in the Smoky mountains aren't the only services A Walk in the Woods offers. We can help you get from trailhead to trailhead with our convenient shuttle service.

Shuttles and AT Support

On top of offering guided hikes in the Smoky Mountains, A Walk in the Woods also offers scenic and educational driving tours.

Driving and Step On Tours

Large group posing in front of an even larger waterfall while on a guided hike in the Smoky Mountains with A Walk in the Woods.

Scouts, Groups, Team Building

Booking Calendar

Let our guests do the talking!

"I hiked with Erik Plakanis, who with his wife Vesna owns "A Walk In The Woods." He is undoubtedly the best guide I have ever had for a nature experience!"
Bonnie Neely
Bonnie NeelyReal Travel Adventures International Magazine
Our Scenic Drive through the Foothills was amazing and our guide was excellent! From booking to drop off, it was all seamless.
Liz AGuest
“(Vesna) Plakanis, we quickly realize, is more than just a guide. She’s a naturalist. A forest guru. A professor in hiking boots.”
Tyler Currie
Tyler CurrieWashington Post
The Backpacking 101 class with "A Walk In The Woods" (AWITW) was awesome! We didn't hike very far into the backwoods, which was great because the emphasis was on what to bring and how to use it, as well as hiking basics, rather than covering mileage......
Dave N.Guest
"Vesna Plakanis, who owns the outfitter A Walk in the Woods with her husband, Erik, is a modern-day John Muir of the Smokies - smitten with the park and extremely knowledgeable about its ecology".
Lisa Besson
Lisa BessonOutside Magazine, Traveler Family Edition
I had one of the best trips I've ever had and came back glowing! First of all, A Walk In The Woods does a stellar job with customer service. The administrative staff (Patricia and Sam) both went out of their way to ensure that my needs were met and that I had a great time. I had never been to the Smokies before, and I had a fair amount of questions about the hikes and the overall experience. They did a great job making sure that my questions/concerns were addressed - both before and after I got there....
MichelleGuest
TJ our guide, was amazing!!!!! He was so knowledgeable! He was super helpful. Just an all around incredible experience.
Matt MGuest
We had an amazing hike with Luci. She was full of so much knowledge of the area and the plants! She made the hike truly enjoyable and we would not hesitate to book with this group again when in the area!
Heather F.Guest
This was my fourth time visiting A Walk In The Woods with a school group, this time with a new school. As always the guides were knowledgable, patient, fun, and very well prepared. All 14 of our kids had a wonderful experience, for many of them this was their first time camping and for some their first time in the woods! I highly recommend this organization for anyone looking for an unforgettable camping experience! Thank you Ben, Liz and Beth for the life long memories you've helped create for these kids!
Whitney H.Repeat Guest
Amazing experience for our Pennsylvania Girl Scouts! Ranger Deb was amazing at fielding questions from the girls while still keeping us on track and having fun!
JamieScout Leader
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A Walk in the Woods Mission

A Walk In The Woods is dedicated to raising environmental awareness through direct, positive experiences with nature.

A Walk in the Woods Core Values

Our mission allows us to plant the seeds for future change by helping people fall in love with the Smokies so they will in turn work to protect it and all wild spaces.

1. A passion for curiosity and sharing knowledge.
2. Providing exemplary customer service.
3. Supporting our staff with a living wage so they can, in turn, work in a field that they are passionate about.
4. Creating an atmosphere of cooperation and appreciation for our team.
5. Leaving our wild spaces better than when we found them.
6. Leading by example, walking our talk.

Locally Owned and Operated Since 1998

A Walk in the Woods has been a family-owned, locally operating guide service in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park since 1998. We’ve guided hundreds of thousands of clients over every inch of the Smokies and beyond. Our services cover all potential aspects of your trip, so your mountain adventure is completely customizable, down to the pack on your back! We offer interpretive guided nature walks and hikes, guided backpacking trips, birding treks, hiker shuttle service in and around the Great Smoky Mountains, Mount LeConte adventures, Appalachian Trail support and camping and backpacking gear rentals.

The Best Part of Your Vacation

A Walk In The Woods is an award-winning tour guide service geared to making your time in the Smokies the best part of your vacation. Emphasizing the teaching of natural history, A Walk In The Woods offers spectacular trips into the incredible biodiversity of the Smokies. Every tour features our highly-trained guides, all experts in local biodiversity, history, and survival knowledge. This ensures that your adventure is safe, educational, and most importantly, fun! We offer a wide range of outdoor experiences, from gentle family walks through lush wildflowers and pure mountain streams, to rugged uphill backpacking trips with breathtaking vistas and crystal-clear starry skies. Giant old-growth forests, majestic waterfalls, intact and explorable homestead structures, ancient historical gravesites that illustrate the hardscrabble ways of early settler life. There are endless ways to experience the Smokies!

Preparing You for Your Own Adventures

In addition to our trekking adventures, we offer everything you need to learn to tackle the Great Smoky Mountains on your own. Trip planning, gear rentals, wild edibles classes, shuttle rides to and from the trailhead: whatever you need to have the best trip possible, we’ve got you covered. We also offer special group tours for schools and organizations, an Exploring Nature with Children tour for little ones, and great options for clients with disabilities. Every client deserves to enjoy our Park. Our exemplary staff and hand-picked guides are guaranteed to go above and beyond for any special needs or big dreams (proposal photos on a majestic mountaintop are hard to beat). We are thrilled to customize your experience! Just ask.

Committed to Community and Planet

In addition to serving our clients, A Walk in the Woods is deeply dedicated to environmental stewardship within our local community. We recognize that the Great Smoky Mountains are part of one global ecosystem in need of protection. In addition to weaving best environmental practices into our programming, our business and its individuals are constantly improving our carbon footprint through Leave No Trace ethics, working to limit single-use plastics and non-recyclable materials on trips, and supporting local businesses and charities whose missions safeguard our environmental future. Click here to learn more about Discover Life in America and other exciting initiatives in this field!

Check out this special offer from one of our partners! Guests who book NOC’s Grand Canyon trip through A Walk in the Woods, receive a $500 discount! Use code: GRANDCANYON24

Embark on a transformative journey through the heart of the Grand Canyon.

Great Smoky Mountains Association logo. Their mission is to support the preservation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The logo for Discover Life in America or DLiA for short. A non profit whose mission is discovering, understanding, and conserving biological diversity. A Walk in the Woods works closely with DLiA
America Outdoors Association logo. Together on rivers and mountains, roads and trails, America Outdoors is here so you can be out there.
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