Strawberry Moon Weekend at Standing Indian Campground

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Strawberry Moon Weekend at Standing Indian Campground

The Basics:

Event Type:

Hike

Event Location:

Standing Indian Campground

Date(s) & Time:

Sat, Jun 27 2026 10:00 am >> Tue, Jun 30 2026 9:00 am (Carpool Departure: 7:30 am *log in for location*)

Registration Opens:

Wed, Jun 10 2026 9:41 am

Registration Cut Off:

Thu, Jun 25 2026 9:41 pm

Event Duration:

2 Days 23 Hours

Difficulty Rating:

D4: Moderate to Difficult (Exploratory)

Distance:

12 Miles

Pace:

Moderate

Trip Leader(s):

Mark

Email Trip Leader(s)
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Member Cost:

None

Participant Info:

Who's Invited:

Members Only, 21 And Older Only

Maximum Group Size:

Minimum Group Size:

Number Registered So Far:

1 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)

Are Dogs Permitted:

Yes

Note: This is an "EXPLORATORY" trip. This means that there are parts of this trip, or perhaps the whole trip, that is new to your Trip Leader(s). However, they are confident that this will not be an issue.
This note is here so that you can make an informed decision. When a Trip Leader isn't personally familiar with a trip, there is an increased chance of things not going as planned and you need to be prepared. The Trip Leader may have additional details in the itinerary.

Itinerary:

Join us for a weekend of hiking, camping, campfires, and mountain views in the beautiful Upper Nantahala Valley. This event features a full moon night hike. The Standing Indian area offers some of the best hiking in the Nantahala Mountains, with countless options through lush forests, ridgelines, and mountain streams.

We’ll arrive early Saturday and set up camp at Standing Indian Campground. Most campsites are first-come, first-served, and we’ll try to secure sites along the back loop road (sites 70–80) near the river. There are restrooms with showers at the campground. After camp setup, we’ll head out for our first adventure:

Saturday Hike - Kimsey Creek - AT - Lower TrailRidge Loop. This D4 loop hike will take us to the top of Standing Indian Mountain with views on the way up and at top. This is a 11 mile hike with 2385 feet of ascent.

On Sunday, we’ll park at Hurricane Creek Primitive Campground to begin a D4 hike that will take us to Mooney Falls and Big Laurel Falls. This loop hike covers 14 miles with 2600 feet of elevation gain and follows Bear Pen Gap Trail, Upper Nantahala Road, and Big Indian Loop Trail.

Monday morning, following a short drive to Chunky Gal Trail, we will hike to Boteler Peak and back. Boteler Peak has great views to the south. You can even pick out the highest point in GA, Brasstown Bald. This D3 rated hike is 6 miles with 1463 feet of ascent. Upon return to camp, it is time for an afternoon break — cool your feet in the river, enjoy camp games, or simply relax.

Around 5 PM, we’ll load up and drive to Betty Creek Gap Trailhead for a special evening hike to the Albert Mountain Fire Tower. At the summit, we’ll settle in for dinner, enjoy the views, and toast the sunset just before 9 PM.

And when the sun goes down, the adventure continues. Shortly after sunset, the Strawberry Full Moon will rise in the eastern sky. After enjoying the moonrise, we’ll turn on our headlamps and hike back by moonlight via the Albert Mountain bypass trail before returning to camp for one final campfire. This hike is only 5.7 miles but has over 1,800 feet of elevation gain, making it a difficult D3 or D4. We will be hiking at an easy pace with a long break to watch the sunset and Strawberry Moon.

Tuesday morning we’ll pack up, say our goodbyes, and head home after a memorable weekend of mountains, trails, sunsets, and friends.

Required Items to Bring:

Headlamps and 2 hiking poles for Night Hiking

Tent of your choice for campsite

Sleeping bag

Food for all of your meals

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.

How to Get There:

Event Directions:

Directions from Wal-mart Supercenter on Windward Parkway.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/FZKjFhCYYCMAKb1r9

Standing Indian Campground is off Highway 64 between Haysville, NC and Franklin, NC. When driving on East on Highway 64 via routes taken through either of Blairsville, Haysville, or Helen turn right onto West Old Murphy Road and go 1.9 miles to right turn on National Forest Service Road. Go another 1.7 miles and look for signs for Standing Indian Campground.

If coming through Franklin, usually those that used the I-985 corridor to Hwy 23, there are a number of turns so use Google Maps. Your first of many turns is by turning left on Coweta Church Road before Franklin.

Find the store for check-in. You will want to drive to the loop at the back of the campground to find a vacant campsite. Return to the campstore with your campsite number and use the pay envelope to pay for and reserve your campsite.

Carpool to Event Distance (round trip):

218Mile(s)

Carpool Departure Time:

7:30 am

Carpool Location:

Carpool Directions:

Carpool Cost:

Estimated cost per vehicle for this event is $87.20 using a reimbursement rate guideline of $0.400 per mile. The total amount should be divided by the number of people in the vehicle, including the driver. This is a guideline, not a rule, for drivers but the cost should not be higher unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Notes:

Saturday Hike

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/north-carolina/standing-indian-via-kimsey-creek-at-and-lower-ridge-trail?u=i&sh=os56dh

Sunday Hike

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/custom-routes/custom-route-9ed279b?u=i&sh=os56dh

Monday Hikes

Morning Hike: Boteler Peak

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/custom-routes/custom-route-bedb835?u=i&sh=os56dh

Night Hike: Albert Mountain Sunset and Strawberry Full Moon

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/custom-routes/custom-route-c55b95d?u=i&sh=os56dh

* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.

Cost Includes:

The campsites are $26 per night at 3 nights, $78. Campsites can be shared as long as no tents are set up outside the camp pad. With small hiking tents, 3 or 4 tents could share a single camping pad. If you have a Senior National Park Pass, campsites are $13 per night.

Cancellation/Partial Attendance: Please review the AOC cancellation policy.

Registration for this event opens at 6/10/2026 9:41:00 AM