Smokies backcountry campsite info

[winland]

There's an Amazon kindle book "Tent Camping in the Smokies: Guide to Campgrounds and Backcountry Campsites." It has info and reviews on all the backcountry sites. Could be a great resource. Anyone have an opinion on how how accurate the reviews are?

Thanks

[Joey]

Many good campsites in the backcountry! But beware of some of these so called guide books who are written by your little weekend warriors who ski daddle at the first hint of any adversity! But from my experiences, some are very crowded closer to your trailheads or short distances as such. The deeper you go in the better! Some of my favorites are 32, 44, 47, 64, 96 and 97. The ones I've seen get crowded over the years are BC 90 Eagle Creek and Lakeshore anything in and around Cataloochie and Walnut Bottoms! But in any case, many are very good sites! Take your pick. Also check especially for bear warnings or closures!

[HooKooDooKu]

I've seen or stayed at about half of the back country the camp sites in GSMNP. For the most part, one site is about like another. The key difference is how popular a given site is, the water source (distance and reliability). A few then have something peculiar about that site.

A few examples:
CS13 and CS38 have relatively long walks to the water source (there might be others).
CS13 is very popular and difficult to get weekend reservations because it is near Gregory Bald.
CS37 is very popular but large, so reservations are easy... but the amount of traffic has created a mouse problem.
CS38 always has bug issues... I think it's because of the beebalm (?) that grows on the edge of the clearing around the fire tower.
LeConte Shelter has a fire ban (so popular and so cold that no dead wood around... people were starting to chop down trees).
Ice Water Shelter has a partial fire ban (limited to the fire place - outside pit was removed... might soon get a full fire ban because of high use).
CS71 receives (relatively) a lot of horse use (there's others, but it seems like most horse use is limited to day hike/rides).

[tim.hiker]

There a hiking book you can get at Smokies Mountain Book Store that is really nice or you can order it online.. http://smokymountainsuperstore.com/Hiking-Trails-Of-The-Smokies-Book.html

[TNhiker]

while the brown book is good for trails----it really doesnt give much info on the backcountry sites...........

i dont download books so i wont see what the OP is referring to.........

ive stayed at all the open backcountry sites----along with the boat in ones (i bought a canoe to specifically do this)........

in another thread----i posted about campsites and the water sources.........

as for me-----my favorite one to stay in was 113.................probably the best laid out site in the park.......

i stayed there in winter so i was alone as i imagine it gets high use the rest of the year....

[illabelle]

We haven't used very many of the campsites in the park, but one that's memorable is #32 Injun Creek in the Greenbriar area. Despite the spelling, there's an old steam "engine" upside down in the creek. Kinda neat to look at.