Shelter is Full

**mts4602** · 02-20-2010, 13:17

I called a couple days ago to get reservations for 1 of the shelters for next week and it is full. It's only a 1 night trip and with the weather we have been experiencing I don't expect people to actually show up. What if we just show up fully prepared to hike back out and car camp if the shelter actually fills up? Has anyone done this?

**DawnTreader** · 02-20-2010, 13:18

better yet.. bring your tent/hammock and skip the shelter

**DawnTreader** · 02-20-2010, 13:19

ah didn't see the smokey's thread.. is it still possible to stealth in the Smokies??

**1azarus** · 02-20-2010, 14:30

this past fall i made reservations for a quick south end to north end AT smokies hike in late september, and had a hell of a time getting official space... call, reserve, call, change when space became available, call, busy... call, busy... then i ended up spending a night entirely alone in a shelter, one night with two unregistered hikers and no one else, and one night with a pretty full but still plenty of room shelter. i'd suggest you make plausable reservations so you are not a scoff-law, and then stay in whatever shelter you want.

**1azarus** · 02-20-2010, 14:31

... all right, all right, you would be a scoff-law, but at least you wouldn't appear so much like one!

**generoll** · 02-20-2010, 19:04

You could always hike the BMT through the park and avoid shelters altogether.

**Scaper** · 02-20-2010, 19:22

As of today there is still 2-3 feet of snow over 5000 feet in the smokies.

**Rick500** · 02-20-2010, 20:35

Off-topic, but just noticed you're also from Louisville. I've been meaning to get on some local trails here. Any recommendations?

**SGT Rock** · 02-20-2010, 20:38

Originally Posted by Rick500

Off-topic, but just noticed you're also from Louisville. I've been meaning to get on some local trails here. Any recommendations?

For day hiking there is Otter Creek Park. For overnight hiking there is Mammoth Cave National Park which has about 90 miles of trail if I remember correctly. It is about 1-1.5 hours south on I-65.

**Rick500** · 02-20-2010, 20:42

I've been to Mammoth Cave a couple of times, but wasn't really into hiking back then and didn't realize there was such a trail system there. I'll definitely have to check that out. Thanks.

Will look into Otter Creek Park as well.

**SGT Rock** · 02-20-2010, 20:46

Originally Posted by Rick500

I've been to Mammoth Cave a couple of times, but wasn't really into hiking back then and didn't realize there was such a trail system there. I'll definitely have to check that out. Thanks.

Will look into Otter Creek Park as well.

Otter Creek Park is north west of Fort Knox. Many of the trails in Mammoth cave are multi-use horse and hiker. You must stay in designated campsites, and you must have a reservation for that site - but the reservation is free. The cool thing is if you have a reserved campsite it also means you are the only one that will be there. Some of them are off the beaten path so you can have private time if you like it.

**scooterdogma** · 02-21-2010, 08:31

Try the Red River Gorge, amazing hiking trails and over 80 natural arches, unusual vegetation, and gorgeous scenery.

http://www.redrivergorge.org
http://www.redrivergorge.com
www.fs.fed.us/r8/boone/districts/cumberland/clifty.shtml

**Shadowmoss** · 02-21-2010, 12:50

The Harrison-Crawford (Co.) area north of the river also used to have some nice trails. They changed everything's name since I used to hike there, back in the <cough> 70's.

**trailangelbronco** · 02-21-2010, 15:14

When I section hike, I usually skip the shelters. Often allows me to sleep better and to get more miles in a day. I am sure that when I thru hike the AT, I will probably sleep in more shelters as when the body starts to hurt, it will be nice to not have to deal with extra tasks like setting up tents.

**mts4602** · 02-22-2010, 22:43

Yes Red River Gorge is awesome.

We are going to just go and hope some people just don't show up. If it turns out to be full we'll just hike out. With all of the snow that is still on the ground I am betting it doesn't fill up.

**Egads** · 02-22-2010, 23:16

Originally Posted by DawnTreader

ah didn't see the smokey's thread.. is it still possible to stealth in the Smokies??

yes, just set up camp off trail at nightfall and get moving early

**Chaco Taco** · 02-22-2010, 23:40

Originally Posted by Egads

yes, just set up camp off trail at nightfall and get moving early

Closer to the middle of the park, inbetween the BMT and AT there are some ridge trails with campsites, no shelters!

**Powder River** · 02-23-2010, 00:58

The Smokies shelter reservation system is a joke. The "ridgerunner" and his trainee took up 2 spots normally used by thru hikers when I was there, and was a jerk about it. He kicked the rest of us out of an otherwise empty shelter, because it was "full." The reserved people never showed of course. Just be sure you have a tent and do whatever you want. What are they going to do, write you a parking ticket?

**thelowend** · 02-23-2010, 01:28

^that sort of ****e makes me laugh and shake my head at the same time.. do they actually stay there all night and patrol the shelters to make sure no matter how empty it stayed that yall didn't sleep in it because yall didnt reserve them?

**Gladiator** · 02-23-2010, 05:38

Originally Posted by Rick500

I've been to Mammoth Cave a couple of times, but wasn't really into hiking back then and didn't realize there was such a trail system there. I'll definitely have to check that out. Thanks.

Will look into Otter Creek Park as well.

Otter Creek Park became an economic casualty 14 months ago. The trails are closed.

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