Great Smoky Mountains National Park Questions

[Catch-Up]

Would someone who has actually experience the GSMNP hike, please help me figure out what is required regarding shelter/tents/permits?

It sounds like only thru-hikers can tent camp, correct?

I am assuming that since reservations are required to stay in the shelter if you are not a thru-hiker that someone regulates the numbers?

There is a statement in the Thru-Hikers Companion that states "Because only thru-hikers are permitted to tent cap at shelters, the burden is on them to make room inside shelter for others who have reserved space." Does this actually happen?

It all sounds so confusing to me. Thanks for input from knowledgable people.

[rbills]

When in the GSMNP, people that are not thru-hiking are required to have permits for any place in the park that they plan to stay at overnight. You are only allowed to camp at designated sites or shelters. All of the shelters have a limit to the number of people that can stay there based on the size of the shelter. Depending on the time of year, the park automatically reserves a certain number of shelter spots for thru-hikers. They know that the thru-hikers aren't able to determine what shelter they will be staying at and tend to be pretty understanding. I've even seen people tent camping at LeConte shelter (off of the AT) and they weren't written tickets by the ranger that was there. If the shelter is full, you will have to tent camp at the shelter. Hope this helps!

http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisi...untry-regs.htm

[Catch-Up]

I should have added that we will be section-hiking the GSMNP in September this year. My concerns are for section-hikers who are not suppose to tent camp, what do we do if the shelter is full?

[Storm]

If you have a reservation and the shelter is full then there are too many thru hikers in the shelter and they would be required to tent camp and give up the space to the person with a reservation. Most thru hikers I met seemed more than willing to set up their tent rather than sleep in shelters.

[fredmugs]

If you want to stay in the shelter get there early and if you don't either get there late or see if there are any authority types around and, if not, just set up later in the evening. Unless the weather is horrible I doubt anyone is going to ask for your reservation if you're already set up inside the shelter.

[Firefighter503]

Last year we never ran into a problem where there wasn't enough room in a shelter, but IIRC there were 4 'Thru Hiker Spots' and the rest were supposed to be section hiker spots in each shelter. Thru hikers are expected to give up their spots for section hikers (other than the first 4 reserved spots), but there is plenty of room in the shelters on the floor as well.

[Rusty Nail]

I just went thru the park a few weeks ago as a thru hiker. There are 4 spots reserved for thru's so I wouldtry to crank out my miles early and get to camp by 3-4. There was an instance where it was raining and it was nearly all thru's in the shelter. Some section hikers showed up who had no tents so we were forced to pack up our stuff and tent. Only the first 4 were able to stay in because it was filling up with sectioners. The floor, the overhang, and any spot with a roof over it was full of thrus. I made it thru the park in 5 days and was so happy to be able to stealth when i emerged. I did one 20 mile day in the park and felt like I still had a few miles still left in me BUT the next shelter was 7 miles away, i was not sure that I had another 7 in me so we had to stop at 20.
The southern half did nothing for me lots of puds and not much reward at the top. The section from Double Spring shelter to the northern boundary was awesome

[OldFeet]

September shouldn't see a lot of thru hikers since the NOBO's will be long gone and SOBO number are generally lower. I did GSMNP southbound in the middle of May two years ago and only had one full shelter in five nights.

[cknight]

there should be no problem with through hikers in sept. 30 days before your first night in a shelter, make your reservation. i would plan on calling early and often, from my experiences, the back country reservation office is understaffed and sometimes very hard to get someone to answer the phone.

[ParkRat09]

Looks like you prob got all your questions answered, but I just moved from Knoxville (45 min from the park) where I lived for 7 years and have hiked almost the entire park (AT included)...if you have any more questions I'd be happy to help. You can reply here or PM me.

[Danl]

"SHELTER POLICY- Park regulations require that you stay in a shelter. While other backpackers must make reservations to use backcountry shelters, thru-hikers are exempt from this regulation, and, from Mar 15 to Jun 15, four spaces at each A.T. shelter are reserved for thru-hikers. If the shelter is occupied by reservation and four thru-hikers, however, additional thru-hikers should tent close by and use the bear cables. Because only thru-hikers are permitted to tent camp at shelters, the burden is on them to make room inside shelters for others who have reserved space."
This is the policy: you are considered a thru hiker IF you begin your hike 50 miles before entering the park and terminate your hike 50 miles after exiting the park. You can only camp around shelters between the dates above. You stated that you will be section hiking in September, therefore you must make free reservations and must stay in the shelters: This is the answer I got when I asked the Park service. The backcountry shelter permits are free, at least this year anyway.

[Catch-Up]

Thanks, everyone, you have all helped to clear up this question for me.

BTW - how are the mice in GSMNP shelters in August? Last September in GA they were many, this year in April in NC, there were no mice. What can we expect there?

[LockJaww]

Thanks, everyone, you have all helped to clear up this question for me.

BTW - how are the mice in GSMNP shelters in August? Last September in GA they were many, this year in April in NC, there were no mice. What can we expect there?

I have been hiking in the GSMNP since the early 1980's.....I hiked through the park on the AT last Spring......Dont sweat this.....The rules are loosely inforced at best....You'll be ok....This is a non issue

[Skid.]

Rusty Nail says "some section hikers showed up who had no tents". If I am a Section hiker only in the GSMNP for one or two nites, and I have my shelter reservation/Permit, isn't the only reason I need to carry a tent in case of injury/emergency/getting lost?

[Catch-Up]

Rusty Nail says "some section hikers showed up who had no tents". If I am a Section hiker only in the GSMNP for one or two nites, and I have my shelter reservation/Permit, isn't the only reason I need to carry a tent in case of injury/emergency/getting lost?

It sounds like you are correct in saying that. Section hikers are suppose to stay in the shelters is what I am gathering from all this discussion. When we go in August, we probably won't take our tent. That much less weight will be nice.

[shades of blue]

I would always carry some sort of shelter. You never know when you might get hurt or too tired to get to the next shelter because of terrain or weather. Shelter could mean the difference between life and death. Just saying.