Great Smoky Mountain Shelter Reserve!?

[whywoogy]

Hopefully someone can help. The number I call to reserve a shelter/site in the park (865-436-1231) is either busy or I get a message stating that "if you get this message we can not answer the phone, etc. etc."

How can I book a shelter if no one ever answers this phone? Does anyone have an alternative number?

p.s. I've been trying for 4 days!

[pyroman53]

I just got through. Gotta have the touch!

[Bearpaw]

It's strictly a matter of luck in getting through, unless you can program your phone to auto-redial. You have to keep trying until you get through. This is why I tell people to always start a full 30 days out. You might need it!

[royalusa]

I start trying as soon as the office opens, literally, and then redial like every minute until I get through. Sometimes it just takes 5 minutes of constant redialing, other times 30 minutes.

[max patch]

. This is why I tell people to always start a full 30 days out.

This is why I tell people to hike the other 2100 miles of the AT and forget the nonsense that is the GSMNP.

[Mrs Baggins]

Does anyone know what the exact reasoning is at GSMNP for the whole absurd "shelter reserve" system? Do they think they think it cuts down on trail traffic? When I did it in 2008 (section hiking) I didn't see that it was stopping anybody - people still put up tents or cowboy camped and I never slept in a full shelter. What makes a section hiker so different from a thru-hiker that the section hiker has to make reservations?? They're still going to go and they're going to sleep where they find room. I saw exactly one ridge runner (who appeared to be about 16) and the older hikers easily bs'ed him as to why/where they were tenting. And he never looked at anyone's permits/reservation forms. In SNP we had a ranger get pissy because we were only out for 3 days and would be staying in/near a certain shelter the first night. First he tried to tell us it was really only for thru-hikers (it was early April - don't know too many thru-hikers that are in SNP by the) and then he told us that it might be taken up by local partiers because it wasn't far from the parkway.......so he didn't want to approve our stay there but they did zip zero nada about parties going on there.

[Bianchi Veloce]

It took me about two hours of re-dialing today to reserve a rationed campsite on the BMT in the GSMNP, but I finally got through. I used the Backcountry Reservation Office at (865) 436-1231 to make my reservation.

Another number you might try is the Backcountry Information Office at (865) 436-1297. The information office is open daily from 9:00 a.m. until noon (Eastern Standard Time).

[fredmugs]

This is why I'll be on a "thru hike" when I do the smokies in May.

[joshua29]

i am starting my hike on april 22 and i do not know if i am a thru hiker or not. i do know that i am going to go at it as best i can but i might not make itto the end. does this mean they will tell me i cant sleep there or around there? what does one do about this?

[Tipi Walter]

This is why I tell people to hike the other 2100 miles of the AT and forget the nonsense that is the GSMNP.

Amen to that. Let the rolling couch potatoes in their RVs have it.

[The Snowman]

i am starting my hike on april 22 and i do not know if i am a thru hiker or not. i do know that i am going to go at it as best i can but i might not make itto the end. does this mean they will tell me i cant sleep there or around there? what does one do about this?

you know your starting point. you know your end point. you have a map or data book. you have read the park web site, thats all you need to figue it out.

[ken209]

Hopefully someone can help. The number I call to reserve a shelter/site in the park (865-436-1231) is either busy or I get a message stating that "if you get this message we can not answer the phone, etc. etc."

How can I book a shelter if no one ever answers this phone? Does anyone have an alternative number?

p.s. I've been trying for 4 days!

I have had better luck in the afternoon.

[royalusa]

i am starting my hike on april 22 and i do not know if i am a thru hiker or not. i do know that i am going to go at it as best i can but i might not make itto the end. does this mean they will tell me i cant sleep there or around there? what does one do about this?

A thru-hiker per GSMNP definition is hiker who does 50 miles on both sides of the GSMNP park. If you meet that definition (obviously the 50 miles on the other side of the park is still pending at the time you hit the park), then you do NOT need shelter reservations along the AT in the GSMNP. You should find verbiage to this effect in your guidebook.

[max patch]

i am starting my hike on april 22 and i do not know if i am a thru hiker or not. i do know that i am going to go at it as best i can but i might not make itto the end. does this mean they will tell me i cant sleep there or around there? what does one do about this?

A "thru hiker" according to the GSMNP is a hiker who starts his hike at least 50 miles outside park, hikes thru the park, and plans to finish his hike at least 50 miles outside of the park.

A NOBO or SOBO prospective thru hiker obviously qualifies under that definition.

If you are a section hiker that does not meet the GSMNP definition then you need to get out your data book and determine which shelter you will stay at each nite. Then you have to call no more than 30 days before your first nite in the park and hope you get thru. If you get thru then you have to hope that all your shelter choices are available on the nite you need them.

[EastCoastFeastCoast]

GSMNP is the most visited national park in Amurka. As well a lot of people down here are getting spring fever hardcore. People are flooding in by the thousands at this time of year. I reserved a backcountry site just a few days ago, just gotta keep redialing until you get through. Good thing is the rangers are really nice and flexible. Good luck to you, sir.

[whywoogy]

I was finally able to get through after 5 days. Thanks for the answers.

[jima59]

Just tell them you are a thru hiker and then quit early.