Tent camping in SNP

[Trail Bug]

Heading up Saturday to hike from Rockfish Gap to Thornton Gap. When looking through the guidebook I noticed that there was no tent icon for Pinefield Hut. Are there any tenting areas close to this shelter besides Loft Mountain Campground? Hoping to camp instead of staying in the shelters when possible. There will be three of us and two tents. Thanks for any info provided. I have not been camping in SNP in over 30 years.

[Blissful]

Yes, there is designated tenting at Pinefield up on this notoriously steep hill from the shelter with lousy and small tentsites, IMO, but you can manage. We did.

[2011_thruhiker]

I wouldn't camp there-I agree with the above post-they are lousy tent sites. I have always camped further down and off into the woods-find better sites and it was quieter too. Just be careful (if you decide to do this) to make sure you leave little or no trace behind.

[Skyline]

All of the overnight huts in SNP have designated tentsites in the general area...tho usually not right next to the shelter. Some are more user-friendly than others.

At least the concept of tenting not too far away from an overnight hut in SNP is recognized and legal. Prior to 2000 it was a violation of the regs and could result in a fine.

The dispersed, designated tentsites near huts were put in rather hurriedly by Park crews in 2000 to coordinate with a whole new set of backcountry regs. Generally these regs are more permissive, and more consistent, than those they replaced.

But . . . I think they were focused on getting the tentsites on the map, and didn't spend the time necessary to make larger, flatter, less rocky sites. Since then some have contracted even further due to lack of maintenance (PATC volunteer shelter maintainers are not expected to work on the nearby tentsites, which makes that task fall to paid Park personnel unless the shelter maintainer steps up to do it on his own). Most can still be used by hikers with small tents, and in some cases hammocks or tarps.

Got a larger tent? Want a large area where two or three tents can be placed side-by-side? You may have to look elsewhere at some huts. Pinefield is one of those IMHO.

[Downhill Trucker]

I guess I should have no prob hammocking thru SNP then... :-)

[nelisx]

you won't have any problems finding places to hang your hammock in the SNP.

[Blissful]

Hammocking is the way to go. You can set up just about anywhere, within the backcountry regs that is.

[Downhill Trucker]

No fires though.