View Full Version : Smoky Mt. Shelter Question.
jrowling
03-31-2008, 15:27
Hi everyone. I have a group of 4 (total hikers) which we will continue on section hiking NOBO from Fontana Dam. Time allows us only to do the Smokies. I realize that reservations are necessary 1 month in advance. My question is: Should we take our shelters (tents) along with us if we have reservations. Personally, I would rather not sleep in the shelters in which I will reserve. What are your thoughts on this. Some of the group is concerned that even if we have reservations.....they may be full when we get there.
John
tlbj6142
03-31-2008, 15:45
When are you going? If it is during "thru-hiker" season, you may need your tents.
You could at least bring a couple of larger (8'x10') tarps. With 2 you'd have more than enough room for 4 people.
max patch
03-31-2008, 15:50
1. The shelters may be full (because of thru hikers who don't need or have reservations) but since you have a reservation they have to get out if you ask them.
2. If you don't want to use the shelters, then take your tent and hope that the shelter fills up so that you "have" to use your tent.
3. Always take shelter in any event. You may need to make an unplanned stop for the nite between shelters.
earlyriser26
03-31-2008, 15:56
Take your tents. Plenty of places to camp. I've hiked the smokies 7 times and have never been questioned about camping and if you are just say the shelter was full, which will likely be the truth anyway.
smokymtnsteve
03-31-2008, 17:42
remember you are only legally allowed to camp in the immediate area of a shelter along the AT within the park. and then only if you are a thru-hiker and the shelter is full of folks with reservations. so legally you will have to sleep in the shelter if you are not a thru hiker.
Rain Man
03-31-2008, 19:29
My question is: Should we take our shelters (tents) along with us if we have reservations. Personally, I would rather not sleep in the shelters in which I will reserve. What are your thoughts on this. Some of the group is concerned that even if we have reservations.....they may be full when we get there.
I hiked the GSMNP with reservations and never had a problem, during thru-hiker season. HOWEVER, you might find groups, as I did, who lie through their teeth about having reservations, when they don't, and taking up shelter space.
I won't mention any names, but the initials are "BOY SCOUTS." ~wink~
Rain:sunMan
.
Blissful
03-31-2008, 20:40
Probably take your tent just in case, but you are supposed to be staying in the shelters as you are not technically thru hikers according to the definition. And there were plenty of ridgerunners out last year to monitor the situation when we came through in March anyway.
generoll
03-31-2008, 20:47
Consider hiking the BMT from Fontana. It'll get you out at Davenport Gap if you have the time to hike that far and has plenty of campsites and only one shelter.
jrowling
04-01-2008, 12:13
Thanks everyone! You guys just made my life easier. I'm going to start from Fontana on May 15, 2008. I will make reservations on April 15th. Now knowing the options available to me.....I'm going to take the Tarptent Contrail and hike on. Trying to space the shelters just got a whole lot easier. A lot of times I like to hike much further than I plan.
John
max patch
04-01-2008, 14:42
Just so you know...if you decide to "stealth camp" between shelters and you get caught you are subject to a fine.
I'll second Gene's support of the BMT. And most of the sites are creek-side, so no worries about water! Just as scenic and a lot less traffic!
jrowling
04-01-2008, 18:26
Thanks for the heads up on the fines. I now know if the shelters are packed.....I can tent outside the shelter. That's fine with me. I will not intentionally go against the park rules. I had no idea of the parks procedures.
Digger'02
04-07-2008, 13:32
to clarify, to camp around the shelter, you have to be a Thru-hiker ie, one who starts and ends their hike 30 miles outside the Park.
So if you have reservations and the shelter is full then someone in there doesn't have reservations and it is their responsibility to camp or sleep on the floor.
The three ridge runners help to figure out whats going on up there when there are 19 people claiming to have a rez, but I suggest you CYA.
Have fun!
My experience with the shelter reservation system in the Smokies was that the system basically doesn't work very well.
I'm not sure if I met a single hiker who was where they were supposed to be at the shelters.
I was advised by someone "in the know" to take whatever shelter reservations I could get when I called to make reservations. Meaning if a shelter I requested was unavailable to just take whatever was available. Then, just start hiking and stay at whatever shelter you want to at night. If questioned, just say "I couldn't make my reserved spot, this is the best I could do." It's not like they're going to kick you out of the park if you're at the wrong shelter.
This is what I was told. I don't necessarily agree with it because I'm basically a rule follower in instances like this. Having said that, hiking through the Smokies didn't go according to my plan because of a snow storm so I was only in the right shelter 1 night out of 5.
Consider hiking the BMT from Fontana. It'll get you out at Davenport Gap if you have the time to hike that far and has plenty of campsites and only one shelter.
Thanks for this excellent suggestion. I will be hiking Springer to Fontana next month, plan to continue from Fontana and head north for a few weeks in the Fall. I wasn't looking forward to being locked into the shelters through the Smokey's. I think I will follow this suggestion and enjoy the trip more.
Thanks, now I have to order more maps :)
smokymtnsteve
04-07-2008, 19:34
to clarify, to camp around the shelter, you have to be a Thru-hiker ie, one who starts and ends their hike 30 miles outside the Park.
So if you have reservations and the shelter is full then someone in there doesn't have reservations and it is their responsibility to camp or sleep on the floor.
The three ridge runners help to figure out whats going on up there when there are 19 people claiming to have a rez, but I suggest you CYA.
Have fun!
make that 50 miles.
Plodderman
07-15-2008, 09:21
Hiked the Smokies last year (June) from Fontana to Davenport with a group of five. Some of the shelters were full but most of the time there we only a few there if any. We usually made the shelters by 5 but on days that we hiked long miles and came into the shelter at dark they were full. Just told everyone to move over as we made reservation. My understanding was that only Thru hikers could tent at Shelters.
We did have one day and night when it rained and the shelter was full but room was made and everything worked out.
Sometimes around Clingmans Dome and Newfound Gap groups will hike in and take up all the shelter space without reservations.
I hiked the GSMNP with reservations and never had a problem, during thru-hiker season. HOWEVER, you might find groups, as I did, who lie through their teeth about having reservations, when they don't, and taking up shelter space.
I won't mention any names, but the initials are "BOY SCOUTS." ~wink~
.
:( I am a scout leader and NOT ALL scouts are like that. I try to teach my guys to follow the scout law (honest, trustworthy,...). If I lie and don't make reservations, that doesn't make me a good role model, does it? Unfortunately for other hikers, filling a group of 8 out of a troop of 30 scouts is very easy. If we reserve a shelter, then 3/4 of it will be full.
If every hiker was honest, then the shelter system would work beautifully. If I don't call and make reservations at least 30 days out, then I make sure to have a few different itineraries to choose from because I know that some shelters will be full.
Monkeyboy
07-15-2008, 21:15
Yeah.....like it's only Boy Scout Troops that lie about having reservations.........sheesh.
I agree with Latte......what kind of role model would I be if I didn't follow the rules.
Original question has been answered. Thank you.