Permits and such

[Medic!]

I know that some of the parks the AT crosses require an advanced reservation or permit, is there a list of which parks they are and how far in advance do they need to be made?

[Ox97GaMe]

if you are thru hiking, or section hiking, the reservation system does not apply in most cases. In the smokies, a long distance hiker simply puts the tentative list of shelters on the backcountry permit and writes across the form 'Thru Hiker'. I believe that is the same for each of the parks that the trail goes through. There arent many that require reservations. I think only the Smokies and the Whites apply. Both accomodate thru hikers differently than regular hikers they encounter.

[rainmakerat92]

When I hiked the AT, only 2 places required permits, Great Smoky Mtns. Natl. Park and Shenandoah Natl. Park. In both places, thru-hikers could register when they entered the parks and just keep hiking. It was not required that thru-hikers leave the trail to secure the permits and thru-hikers were not required to have advance reservations.

[TrippinBTM]

Yeah, and you don't really even need to list a tenative list of shelters you'll be staying at. You just have to estimate the number of days you'll be in there.

For my own part, I didn't see a single ranger in either the Smokies or SNP, except one just south of the Smokies on the detour trail around the dam (it was closed for some reason). And in SNP I only saw the ridgerunner a couple times.

[Skyline]

The rules in GSMNP and SNP are somewhat different.

In GSMNP there are reserved spots for a few thru-hikers during the NOBO push, and overnight backpackers of all types must make backcountry reservations for specific campsites or shelters. There are several methods to register, including self-registration.

In SNP, a hiker can self-register at a kiosk right on the AT just inside the south and north Park boundaries. He or she can also register at Park Visitor Centers, Skyline Drive Entrance Stations, and even by mail if time permits. It is expected that hikers will list each anticipated overnight stop. But unlike the Smokies, these are not reservations. At overnight shelters (called "huts" in SNP), it's first-come, first-served no matter if you're out for three nights or six months. And at other backcountry tentsites (whether designated sites near huts or primitive un-designated elsewhere in the Park) there is no reservation system in place.

[Pedaling Fool]

As a thru-hiker, hiking thru GSMNP and SNP are not much of a problem -- the registration process is very easy and that's it, just hike as you would anywhere else. The only other major difference is the requirement in GSMNP to stay at shelters, but it’s only ~70 miles, so not much of an issue, especially since as a thru-hiker you can camp near the shelter when full.

The places I hated, because of the authorities, was the Whites and Baxter State Park, which is not as bad, but can be a minor pain-in-the-ass.

Also, I would skip a few shelters in Vermont because of fees.

O.K. one other place that bothered me, Connecticut -- the entire state. They have a fire ban, I like fires.

[Pedaling Fool]

I forgot one little annoyance, and a good thing to know. As a thru-hiker in GSMNP, you cannot one day decide to take another trail, which I like to do on occasion, you must go thru on the AT.

[TrippinBTM]

I agree about the Whites, and some of the Vermont shelters. That really irritated me. Why am I paying to sleep in a three sided shack?

Same with the fire ban, and the "no off-trail camping except for designated areas" rules in some states. I think New Jersey was one. I understand the reason, but it still irritated me.