Does Shutdown effect National Forests, too?

[Flintstone]

I understand gate-access to National Parks are all closed.
However, road crossings into National Forest Areas (Cherokee for example)......are these areas off-limits?

Hiking with a few boy scouts in Cherokee NF next week, ending in Damascus, VA and wondering if we will have access or not. Driving a long way to get there, don't want to be turned away.

Any advise will be appreciated
-Flintstone

[HooKooDooKu]

There apparently isn't any consistency in regards to accessibility to National Forest Land.

Here's the wording that appears on the Cherokee National Forest website:

Due to the lapse in agency funding, the sale of all types of permits (i.e., recreation, firewood, forest products, mineral materials for example) are suspended, recreation.gov reservations are suspended, and all federally owned recreation sites are closed. All offices are closed. These services will be available once funding is restored.

That, combined with alerts saying parts of the forest are closed (for reasons other then government funding) would suggest that the land is still open for use - providing your activity doesn't require a new permit nor your activity takes place in any sort of facility within the National Forest (such as a front-country camp site). But you likely won't get any guarantee that any particular gate is open or that access will be easy. It just means that if you can make it onto the National Forest Land, you won't risk arrest for trespassing as you would if you were to step on any National Park Land.

[Tennessee Viking]

I have talked to a number of volunteer clubs, hostels and shuttlers here in the South.

The National Forest AT is open to walk. Most of the major forest roads are still open due to the essential need for access. Ex. Unaka Mtn Road (TN/NC), USFS 42...

Only offices, facilities, and campgrounds are closed. I even heard rec areas and privies are being closed or gated. And trail maintenance crews are to suspend all maintenance until its resolved.

[Wise Old Owl]

No ......

[Flintstone]

I have talked to a number of volunteer clubs, hostels and shuttlers here in the South.

The National Forest AT is open to walk. Most of the major forest roads are still open due to the essential need for access. Ex. Unaka Mtn Road (TN/NC), USFS 42...

Only offices, facilities, and campgrounds are closed. I even heard rec areas and privies are being closed or gated. And trail maintenance crews are to suspend all maintenance until its resolved.

Thank you all for your replies. I did make contact with a few hostels in Damascus area, and the response was that the trail is open and hikeable unless you are passing through National Parks (like GSMNP). I'm gone!!
-Flintstone

[fredmugs]

I talked to some people last night who hiked in the Hoosier National Forest this past weekend and the road access was not blocked but when they went hiking there were closed signs on some trees on the trail and they had a warning ticket on their vehicle when they got back.

[fredmugs]

http://www.wbiw.com/local/archive/20...nal-forest.php

[MrMiner2]

http://www.wbir.com/story/news/local...tdown/2912101/

So can we hike? For instance, I want to park at Beech Gap and do The Hangover. I don't want to get arrested though.

[TNhiker]

yes.....park at beech gap and hike away.....

and fwiw.....looks like there's a deal in the works to get GSMNP open sometime this week....