New Smokies Permit Fee

[RedRunnerJumper]

Alright, I will keep that in mind, very helpful. NOC probably be the best spot to get the permit. So non-thru hikers with permits have priority of the shelters? If so, its all good.

[Mountain Mike]

You could try & guess your dates a month in advance but you would need to book for a certain shelter on a certain date 30 days in advance & hope you get your choice. The park does a service to thrus by leaving 4 places open in the shelter for them. They also allow you to camp outside if it is full. That & $20 cap seems like they are being pretty accommodating.

[Chaco Taco]

I think it's great the way they have it. Yea there will be some speed bumps, but I think it's needed. People will complain, as they constantly do up here over the AMC Fee's but people will pay them and people will whine. It really is not a big deal, just something else for people to bitch on the internet about

[Chaco Taco]

Good idea map man.

Hopefully future editions of the guidebooks will make note of the places where there is computer access with printers both south AND north (for SOBOs) of the park.

[moldy]

2 to 3 weeks after you start your NOBO thru-hike you will make it to Fontana Dam and the unmanned AT entrance to Great Smoky Mtn National Park. Starting on Feb 15 you will need a paper from the park that shows that you paid the $20 fee. There are only 2 ways to get this paper, either show up in person at the the main entrance to the park(which is far away from the AT) or get on the internet, pay with a credit card and print out the paper. The smart place to get your paper is to go to Fontana Village Inn and ask to use the computer, they will print you the paper. They have agreed to do this. You could do this from home prior to starting the hike and hope that you are not one of the 25% who quit after the first week(they give no refunds). You will be able to get one printed out at many other places as you near the park. Hotels, Libraries, Hostels, the NOC etc. They will give you 8 days to get through the park. Congratuations class of 2013, you can be the first ones to be subjected to this hassle.

[atmilkman]

Thanks for the info moldy. Glad the Inn has agreed to do print outs.

[CarlZ993]

Surely, the Park will have something better in place before the hiking season. Self-paying system at the TH or something.

[moldy]

No, this is it. The TH Appalachian Trail is unmanned with a drop box to place one part of the paper you print out.

[Prime Time]

Seems that short of a historic blizzard, it can't possibly take more than 20 days to cover 160 miles. This would still give you tons of extra time to get inside the 38 day window. I'm just gonna get mine a couple of days before I start my hike.

[LDog]

Betcha a nickel all of Ron Haven's motels will be set up to print off permits ...

[LDog]

... a PDF of the poster that will be in various locations is attached, along with a Word version of the text below...

Is that poster PDF available someplace?