we stayed at the elkmont campground just last week for 2 days, it was close to empty, I did not do any hiking there because I brought my dog with me, the biggest crowds I saw were at clingmans dome and newfound gap I saw no one carrying a pack
So any updates ?
I have pretty much written off the Great Smoky Mountainswhen I was hassled by an enforcement Ranger who obviously hadn’t been laid in awhile. These jerks need to attendcustomer service training or something like that. First word out of this clowns mouth was “letme see your permit”, not hello, having a good hike, any problems, how you doing,need any assistance, how can I serve you? No, automatic presumption of guilt. This $5 permit will only make them more aggressive and belligerent. Just another reason for me to totally skipthis part of the trail.
Mabe they in fact did get thanked in the thank you room,and it wasn't that great?
This is an update to the status of the Fee proposal. John Quillen finally received an early release of all comments sent to the NPS regarding this issue of charging fees to camp in the backcountry of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park including the shelters along the AT. There is a new website, GotSmokies.com, where you can read some of these comments in a blog and there is ongoing discussion about the fee proposal there (dubbed the TAX FEEASCO). Here is a link o the blog: BACKCOUNTRY TAX FEEASCO the unedited and uncensored edition - GotSmokies You are encouraged to join GotSmokies.com and add to the discussion.
For those that never saw the final descision, it is going to be $4/person per day:
http://www.nps.gov/grsm/parknews/bc-camping-fee.htm
"The Park developed the plan in order to improve its trip-planning and reservation services to users and to expand its backcountry Ranger presence to better protect park resources through enforcement of food-storage and other regulations and improved visitor education regarding Leave-No-Trace principles."
Highly doubt any of this will happen. It's the "bureaucracy speak" in order to secure the approval. From what I have seen at other parks, little or nothing changes in the back country.
Maybe they will use some of the fees for trail maintnenance. Went thru there a month ago and there were places on the AT that we totally overgrown, if it weren't for the few and far between blazes you'd thought you were off on some side trail. But, that white paint they use does cost $1000/gallon, so I can see why they use it sparingly.
Tridavis
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