View Full Version : Parking at Big Creek Ranger Station
halibut15
10-19-2005, 19:38
I'm planning a hike this weekend leaving the Smokies going north, and I was curious about if someone can park a car overnight @ Big Creek Ranger Station without actually going overnight into the park itself (since I'll actually be leaving the park first thing). Anyone know??
We parked there for 3 days this past weekend. We were going into the park, however, nobody checked us and it was not required to have a parking permit or anything.
i've left cars in many of the lots around the smokies when i camped there, for anywhere from 1 to 10 days... never had a problem. no requirement to stay in the park that i know of... they can't really track it, since you don't have to register your car... i think they ask for a car/tag number if you fill out a backcountry permit, so they can keep an eye on things, but if you don't fill one out, since you're leaving the park, i don't see how they can track it...
you can call and ask the backcountry permit desk guy... the number escapes me, but it's on the very popular national geographic trail map you might already own, and on their web site... sometimes takes them awhile to answer, but they're pretty helpful. but maybe it will be easier to ask forgiveness than permission in this case.
you could also maybe park at mountain mama's, off the NE end of the park... about a mile from the davenport gap shelter. there's also a public lot between MM and the interstate, right where the power plant sits on the pigeon river... a lot of kayakers park there to go down the river.
That number is 865-436-1231 for backcountry permits or 865-436-1297 for backcountry info only. Just dealt with the latter and they are way cool.