View Full Version : How crowded should shelters be in mid June early July?
troubletrev
05-13-2015, 08:35
I will be hiking from Springer through TN, and NC. I had originally planned on tent camping, but if shelters are clear I would consider primarily using them. Which would you recommend for this time of year?
Thanks!
saltysack
05-13-2015, 09:41
If u like rodents and bugs use shelters....I'll stick with my tent...my .02 cents
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Rain Man
05-13-2015, 09:47
Well, you need to carry some sort of shelter no matter. It's really personal preference. You'll find folks with strong opinions pro/con shelters. That time of summer some may be packed full and some may be entirely empty. I've had it both ways.
As saltysack pointed out, you could run into bugs and might appreciate having a tent to retreat into for a bug-free sleep.
troubletrev
05-13-2015, 10:37
Hmm. Interesting. I guess it's just the inconsistent influx of overnight hikers. I've heard that mice are a problem in and around the shelters. To hell with that! Tent camping it is. Thanks for the reply.
troubletrev
05-13-2015, 10:38
Good point. Thanks for the reply.
daddytwosticks
05-13-2015, 16:21
In early summer, you will get afternoon/evening thunderstorms. You may feel safer with a solid roof overhead. I tend to stay in or around shelters when I hike. If the shelter is dirty, crowded, or indications of heavy mice activity, I'll tent or tarp nearby. However, when it's dumping buckets or lightning is cracking around me, give me a solid roof overhead any day. :)
Tundracamper
05-13-2015, 20:54
I went with several guys back in October. They slept in the shelter while I slept in my hammock. I noticed several mice running around the shelter deck when I got up to water the trees. None of thise guys slept in the shelter the next trip. Plus you have more options on where to stop for the night. JMHO
Tundracamper
05-13-2015, 20:56
One footnote .. It is my understanding that one has to stay in the shelter in the Smokies, unless they are full.
Rain Man
05-13-2015, 23:07
One footnote .. It is my understanding that one has to stay in the shelter in the Smokies, unless they are full.
That's the rule for AT thru-hikers, as defined by the NPS. Everyone else has to have reservations and has to stay in shelters on the AT in the GSMNP.
Sarcasm the elf
05-13-2015, 23:16
That's the rule for AT thru-hikers, as defined by the NPS. Everyone else has to have reservations and has to stay in shelters on the AT in the GSMNP.
Quite right, but keep in mind that according to park rules a person can be a "thru hiker" without hiking the entire A.T., here is what their permit site says:
IMPORTANT! To qualify for an AT Thru-Hiker Permit, you must begin and end your hike at least 50 miles outside Great Smoky Mountains National Park and only travel on the AT in the park. Hikers not meeting this definition should apply for a General Backcountry Permit (https://smokiespermits.nps.gov/index.cfm?BCPermitTypeID=1)
https://smokiespermits.nps.gov/index.cfm?BCPermitTypeID=2
use a tent the shelters are full of not so nice rodents in the summer.