Info, questions, comments, experiences (good or bad) regarding the Derrick Knob Shelter in the smokies.

Past hikers - what can future hikers expect here? Have any good stories or memories from here?

Photo links?

Mice good/bad, water source reliable?

Good reliable water and lots of tent spots in front of the shelter.

I stayed inside this one according to my journal. I believe it was (in 1999) one of the old CCC stone type with fireplace. It was enclosed at that time by a cyclone fence in front in order to protect the animals from the hikers. The rule then was to stay in the shelter unless full at which time you had to tent nearby. Even if tenting all food had to be secured inside the shelter enclosure. Note this was in 1999. No note of mice. The next night I stayed at the Mt. collins shelter (13.5 mi) plus the 1/2 mile the shelter is off the trail.
I tented there. The park was full of at least two different boy scout troops plus tourists (Easter Weekend). Things were crowded but on the plus side some short term hiker people were happy to give me their excess food and fuel.

No privy according to the 2003 Companion, is this right?

right no privy

The previous shelter (SO), Spence Field, has a privy. Two shelters north is Double Springs, which also has a privy.

There is at the no-privey shelters what are called privy areas. A sign designates an area as that which you should go to do your thing. Before the foilage comes on you see tuffs of toilet paper sticking up over several acres in some cases. Comparatively the trails in the Smokies are not in good shape either and could use much maintenance and some reroutes. Sad fact in that this flagship park is frequented by many foreign visitors. No hope in sight with the current situation in Washington, D.C. My feeling was that AT hikers (including myself) went through the park as quickly as possible because of its situation, condition and crowds.

Sheltered out front in a bivy here and noticed people from the shelter flashing pictures. Deers within a few feet of me.

Now it worries me the bivy may not have been a good idea, suppose I could have got a nasty scratch before a bear realized I wasn't a bag of hiker's food. :)

Now it worries me the bivy may not have been a good idea, suppose I could have got a nasty scratch before a bear realized I wasn't a bag of hiker's food. :)

one reason I don't like a hammock :eek:

NOt a bad spot.....cowboy camped out front of shelter and heard no sign of animals. Shelter is still fenced in, and it's one heck of a night hike to get up to! Pleasent day to follow a night there!

Stayed here on Friday night (6-9-2006). 13 of us in there and it was pretty cozy. Old style shelter with the fence up. There are cables for hanging food though, and the mice are present (we saw several before dark but oddly enough didn't hear much from them throughout the night). No privy but the water was flowing really well.