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View Full Version : Your favorite campsite in GSMNP



Egads
01-03-2009, 23:18
Hey all, what is your favorite campsite in GSMNP?

Lone Wolf
01-03-2009, 23:19
i have 6 stealth sites that i love. unofficial sites. beautius :)

Rcarver
01-03-2009, 23:42
Mt. Sterling.

Johnny Swank
01-03-2009, 23:51
What LW said. There are approx. a bijillion places to camp off the AT in the Smokies. I'd consider going the BMT route as well.

Jim Adams
01-03-2009, 23:51
on the tower at Clingman's Dome.:)

geek

Egads
01-03-2009, 23:53
Mt. Sterling.


What LW said. There are approx. a bijillion places to camp off the AT in the Smokies. I'd consider going the BMT route as well.


I agree. Site 47 & Mt Sterling are among my favorites in the park.

Joey
01-04-2009, 00:58
Tri-Corner Knob or Laurel Gap on the BMT. Sterling is getting very heavy use now thanks to the Backpacker article. Just came back from there today. Laurel Gap was crowded and Sterling was too!

drastic_quench
01-04-2009, 01:37
Definitely campsite 66.

It's outside of Bryson City, and just a measly mile hike off of Lakeview Drive. The campsite is on a bend in Noland Creek. There's a large sandy shore that you could probably hike on all the way down to Fontana Lake if you wanted to. Sometimes there's a lot of old firepits in the sand (they likely get washed out in Spring). I'm betting it's a somewhat popular party site for people living in Bryson City - since it's such an easy downhill mile from the parking lot. But the view is just breathtaking.

Hardly doable for a thruhiker, but if you're car camping or just passing through, I highly recommend a night there. The sunset is really something.

CaptChaos
01-04-2009, 01:39
I have always enjoyed Spence Field and the side trip to Rocky Top.

Whiskyjo
01-04-2009, 02:17
Mt Leconte in the winter is one of my favorites, The island on Hazel creek and a few like LW has.

Worldwide
01-04-2009, 07:54
1. Lonesome pine lookout on the Noland Divide trail
2. In any of the old cabins you find there are 3 on Little Cataloochee trail

And yes I went about it the right way and got back country cross country permit from the park that allows you to camp wherever the heck you want.

Now for the ones legal to the masses

1. #31
2. #44
3. #16

Doctari
01-04-2009, 08:29
Legal ones:

#23 on the Goshen Prong trail, its about 3.5 miles from the AT. The trail (50') even has a gate.
#19 on the Meig's mountain trail. Better have a narrow tent tho, there is one spot about 10' x 4' that is almost level. Plenty of hangin space there so not a problem for me :) Used to be a farm / cabin site, some very friendly (& HARMELESS) Bees, descendants of the farmers bees. No water here!
#20 also on Meig's mt. a former orchard, LOTS of level sites & hanging spots. I have actually never stayed there, just passin thru.

bulldog49
01-04-2009, 18:38
Sheep Pen gap, campsite #13 just off Gregory Bald.

snowhoe
01-04-2009, 18:48
I like elkmont campground. The wolves get pretty bad in late january. Just hang your food and you should be good to go.

Marta
01-04-2009, 18:59
Sheep Pen gap, campsite #13 just off Gregory Bald.

I like that one, too. Cold, though.

#17 over by Abrams Creek is nice. Lots of flat ground. The sound of the creek.

Ramble~On
01-04-2009, 21:54
# 13 in the "off season"

# 49 , Laurel Gap Shelter, # 29

:D Stealth sites ? - Semper Fi.

Skyline
01-04-2009, 21:59
1. Lonesome pine lookout on the Noland Divide trail
2. In any of the old cabins you find there are 3 on Little Cataloochee trail

And yes I went about it the right way and got back country cross country permit from the park that allows you to camp wherever the heck you want.

Now for the ones legal to the masses

1. #31
2. #44
3. #16



How, where, does one get the "back country cross country permit from the park that allows you to camp wherever the heck you want."

Lone Wolf
01-04-2009, 22:02
How, where, does one get the "back country cross country permit from the park that allows you to camp wherever the heck you want."

come to my office. i issue them sparingly

Ramble~On
01-04-2009, 22:13
come to my office. i issue them sparingly

:-? LW, has the price gone up this year or are they still $19.95 ?

Worldwide
01-05-2009, 06:32
Well, they aren't highly publicised. I think they give out 1 every 2 years from what I was told. More because no one knows about them. If you are more than a party of one forget it won't happen. Need to be a solo hiker, no campfires, and the like. They do a gear check, make sure you understand LNT practices, and make sure you understand map and compass usage.

I think it is the intent of the Back Country Ranger Supervisor George Minnigh to make sure you aren't harvesting Ramps and Ginseng primarily. He is the only one who can grant these permits, and he is a bugger to catch in the office. So you will get his vmail 10/10 times. He is also a real nice man, and understands if you have a shovel and a buncha baskets to carry crap out with you don't have the right intentions.

I basically went to Sugarlands Visitors Center and said I have been trying to get this permit and the only person who can grant it hasn't returned my calls for over 10 days. I said I intend to camp wherever the hell I want I rather do it legally, but I am not against breaking park regulations since you won't call me back, and don't have the manpower to enforce anything in the park anyway. It was amazing he was in his office and available 5 minutes after I got his vmail.

They want to limit the parks usage, but I think why have it if it can't be used.

Just knowing these permits exist is a huge credibilty builder. Not putting up with the GSMNP red tape is the other. It is more of a right to a citizen of the US to use the park this way. I just told him I think it is bullcrap that I had to have been born in 1910 to enjoy all the park has to offer (ie camp where I want) to catch the sunrises and sunsets.

Also I believe not sure that if you are prior military have a DD214 with Honorable Discharge you get a 30 day national park back country permit not positive though. Good Luck

Ramble~On
01-05-2009, 09:33
I like to watch the sunrise and the sunset in the park...I like to photograph wildlife too...sometimes (while backpacking) I will hike to a spot that I feel will be good to view and photograph the sunset or sunrise.
Often I'll get to these locations with a good amount of time before the sunrises so that I don't miss anything or the early wildlife. Sometimes I'll even go so far as to conceal myself from the wildlife in a blind (a tent works great) and I'll wait for the light to be just right to get the chance wildlife shot with my camera...:D sometimes....I fall asleep while waiting....but I'm not camping! I'm waiting.
I often hike to get away from civilization and people so I tend to avoid them while in the GSMNP and other places..Rangers included.
A stealthy photographer often wiitnesses things that others don't get to see. The GSMNP has a wonderful system of shelters and backcountry campsites and strict rules for camping overnight inside the park...kind of like the AMC further north...where I like to take pictures too:cool:.

Egads
01-05-2009, 20:51
Sheep Pen gap, campsite #13 just off Gregory Bald.

Is this campsite dry? The map does not show any streams nearby.

Rcarver
01-05-2009, 22:13
It has a pretty reliable spring on the Gregory Bald trail, about 50 yards from the campsite. I was there in October and it was flowing pretty good.

Marta
01-05-2009, 22:28
The spring was flowing pretty well over Thanksgiving weekend, too. Of course, it rained half the weekend...

maxpatch67
01-13-2009, 22:31
Mt. Sterling is the best official one. There is a super nice spot aways East of Charlies Bunion also.

Rambler
01-30-2009, 22:26
I spent 10 days in the Park one August couple years ago. I had sent in my itinerary had no trouble getting the permits. Often was at the tentsites alone. Never saw any rangers. Was never asked for my permit. Along the AT, never had more than 4 in any shelter.

SGT Rock
01-30-2009, 22:31
Mt. Sterling is the best official one. There is a super nice spot aways East of Charlies Bunion also.
I agree with this. I just wish I had actually camped there. Next time I will do that instead of that stupid shelter.

sbennett
01-31-2009, 01:56
Mt. Sterling for sure...the real question is how far up the rickity old firetower do you care to venture.

Mocs123
01-31-2009, 03:43
Why does everyone like Mt Sterling so much? The fire tower is great, but the campsite is small and rocky.

Rcarver
01-31-2009, 13:16
One reason I like it is that it the highest legal tent site in the park. It's still cool there even on the hottest August day. And even with the spring being a good walk from the site, I have never seen nor heard of it going dry.

SGT Rock
01-31-2009, 15:36
Why does everyone like Mt Sterling so much? The fire tower is great, but the campsite is small and rocky.Cause if you have a hammock you don't care about those rocks.

sbennett
01-31-2009, 20:02
The reason I like the site is because the view is absolutely superb from the top of Mt. Sterling and it's always cool in temperature way up there. It's also a good site to use if you're doing a loop hike (combining the Big Creek trail among others) or if you want to do a 20 mile out and back (leaving from Pen Hollow Gap).

The rocks aren't bad if you look around the site a bit (i.e. down from the summit a bit there are some grassy flat spots for tents).

maxpatch67
02-17-2009, 01:46
Near Charlies Bunion. Sunsets and sunrises...stars galore.