GBTQ Backpacking Weekend: Linville Gorge

September 18–20, 2026 | Friday–Sunday Ready to get outside, explore, and spend a couple of nights under the stars with some great guys?

Join us for a GBTQ men's backpacking adventure in Linville Gorge! We'll spend two nights camping in the wilderness, explore the spectacular Linville Gorge area, and make a planned stop at Table Rock for incredible mountain views and photos.

🥾 The Plan

We're still working out the exact route and campsite locations, but we currently anticipate:

Friday, September 18

• Depart from the Triangle and travel to Linville Gorge
• Begin hiking near the Spence Ridge Trail area
• Hike approximately 4–5 miles to our base camp
• Set up camp, relax, and enjoy the evening together

Saturday, September 19

• Breakfast and morning on the trail
• Day hike and explore the Linville Gorge area, including a planned stop at Table Rock
• Enjoy overlooks, scenery, conversation, and plenty of time to explore
• Return to base camp for our second night

Sunday, September 20

• Breakfast and break camp
• Hike approximately 4–5 miles back to the trailhead
• Optional lunch/stop in the area before heading home

The exact route, campsite, mileage, and Saturday day-hike itinerary are still being finalized, pending trail conditions.

🎒 Gear & Preparation

This is a true backpacking adventure, so we'll be carrying everything we need into the wilderness—including camping gear, food, and water. We may have extra backpacks and tents available to share, depending on what we have available after taking inventory.

To keep our packs as light and efficient as possible, we'll meet in person to plan, organize, and pack together rather than having everyone bring unnecessary duplicate equipment. We'll also plan our meals together in advance and coordinate shared equipment and supplies.

📅 Pre-Trip Planning Meetings

Meeting #1 — Inventory, Logistics & Menu Saturday, September 5 at 2:00 PM We'll:

• Take inventory of tents, backpacks, and other gear
• Identify what we still need
• Plan our meals and menu
• Discuss transportation and other logistics
• Establish group agreements and expectations
• Determine the date and time for our packing meeting

Meeting #2 — Pack Together We'll meet a few days before departure to assemble and organize our packs, distribute shared equipment and food, and make sure everyone has what they need. The date and time will be determined by group consensus at the September 5 meeting.

🌄 What to Expect

We'll hike at a relaxed group pace with regular breaks, doing our best to accommodate different hiking speeds and experience levels. This is a true mountain backpacking trip. Moderate-to-strenuous hiking over uneven and rocky terrain should be expected. Prior backpacking experience is helpful but not required. We'll be carrying our own water rather than relying on finding water along the trail.

👥 Limited to 10 Men

Only 10 spots are available.

📣 RSVP DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1

Please RSVP by September 1 so we can plan food, gear, transportation, and logistics appropriately. After you RSVP, we'll connect you with the group through GroupMe, which will be our primary way to communicate trip information, planning updates, gear and meal coordination, and other logistics. Come for the mountains. Stay for the adventure, conversation, laughter, and connection. GBTQ men • 2 nights • Linville Gorge • Table Rock • 10 spots

🥾 Ready for an adventure?

RSVP on Meetup and reserve your spot!