View Full Version : Davenport Gap shelter
At the far eastern end of the Smokys. Set in what I think of as a very picturesque Smokys scene. Very nice shelter, but no bear cables. It does have a bear fence and a skylight. Water source is right next to it and there is a variety of big tree stumps to use as furniture. I was the only one there this May as I think most people went to Mountain Momas or the other hostel (standing bear?). No privy.
Is there access to I-40 at Davenport?
jaywalke
02-20-2006, 14:43
Is there access to I-40 at Davenport?
My guidebooks are at home, so I can't give you the exit number, but the short answer is yes. You dive off the highway on a very exciting ramp (you'll see what I mean), follow a crumbling road up the river past a power station and Mountain Momma's lovely collection of cigarette signs, pass what my shuttle driver insisted was a snake-handlin' Baptist church and you can park right by the trail in a lot just past a ranger station.
I love the Smokies.
Here is a Map (http://www.randmcnally.com/rmc/directions/dirGetMap.jsp?A=Davenport&z=large&l=9&T=35.76921&N=-83.12367&h=false&c=USA&sLatLongAddr=true&val=CNT).
Is there access to I-40 at Davenport?
waterville exit.
Digger54
04-27-2006, 15:18
I'll go along with Chris. This shelter is in one of the most pleasant settings of any I've seen on the AT. I paused there last year (May)after finishing the Smokies AT to have a little lunch and wash the horrid funk off before going down to the road for wifey to pick me up at the gap.
I was there in June of 05 and I'm pretty sure I remember a bear cable and a privy was there for certain now. That first post is dated 02. The bear fencing is gone now too.
As of late May in '05 there was no privy or bear cables.
As of late May in '05 there was no privy or bear cables.
I must be thinking of a different shelter then. Sorry, disregard my previous post :confused:
I just returned from Davenport Shelter:
No, there is not a bear cable.
No, there is no privy, bring a shovel :)
Yes, there is a bear fence.
There are 2 different ways to get to the AT in this area. Both involve parking (if one vehicle) at the Ranger station.
One way is to walk back to the road from the Ranger station, take a left (field for horse trailers on left) and go up the (soon to be) gravel road for 2 miles. This is where Davenport Gap is. If you start walking on asphalt again, back up 25 feet and look to your left :)
Oops, wrong button *sigh*
The other way is to walk up Chestnut Branch Trail.
By road, you have 1/2 mile to the intersection, 2 miles of gravle road, then 0.9 miles up the AT.
By trail, you have 2.1 miles of moderately strenuous climbing to the AT, then right on AT for 1 mile (1/2 mile flat, 1/2 mile down)
One more item: The spring is downhill from the shelter (about 30 feet), but the stream that feeds it runs across the path to the shelter, real close to the fire circle. The water definitely needs boiling or sanitizing.
TownDawg
07-31-2006, 17:23
I have a question. We all agree that overnight parking on Hwy 284/32 is a bad idea.
What if you know you are dragging in LATE (about midnight) and just want a place to sleep for free and hiking up the 0.9mi from the road sounds like a good idea. Do you think a car would be safe from midnight until 7am?
TownDawg
07-31-2006, 17:24
I have a question. We all agree that overnight parking on Hwy 284/32 is a bad idea.
What if you know you are dragging in LATE (about midnight) and just want a place to sleep for free and hiking up the 0.9mi from the road sounds like a good idea. Do you think a car would be safe from midnight until 7am?
and if not -- do you think setting up a tent on the NF side of the road (within view of my car) would be an acceptable option?
generoll
07-31-2006, 18:24
since this thread is about Davenport Gap, may i steer the thread slightly? I am planning on a BMT section hike which will end at Davenport Gap. any suggestions on shuttles or safe places to leave a car? or is there no such animal.
some friends of mine used Mt Mama's as a shuttle last week or there is Standingbear Farm who can shuttle you. He is on the other side of I-40
TownDawg
07-31-2006, 23:21
Ewker -- I won't be able to leave until after work -- none of those places are going to be prepared to shuttle me at 11pm or midnight.
TownDawg
07-31-2006, 23:23
I'm just thinking of crashing there for the night. I meet some friends in Hot Springs NC the next morning, and we will shuttle a car back to Standing Bear Farm. I already got reservations for Davenport Shelter the night before -- I was just trying to detemrine if I could get out of parking in the ranger lot and walking the 3 miles up at midnight.
generoll
08-01-2006, 08:42
can you park a car at Mountain Mommas? is that a reasonable option? how far past Davenport Gap is the hostel? It'd be easier for me to leave a car there then to have to try and get someone to drive from Chattanooga to come for me. where is the best place to leave a car around Davenport Gap? any suggestions? (please forgive the thread creep)
TownDawg
08-01-2006, 09:46
Oh, you can park at car at Mountain Mamas, and a lot of people do that. A lot of people also park at the ranger station (which is what I probably SHOULD do) -- I'm just trying to get a read on how vandalism prone parking at the actual gap for ONE night would be.
generoll
08-01-2006, 09:56
i've never been to Davenport Gap. where is the ranger station located in reference to the trail? and in reference to I-40 i guess. that's the way i will likely be coming.
TownDawg
08-01-2006, 12:20
From a previous post --
"There are 2 different ways to get to the AT in this area. Both involve parking (if one vehicle) at the Ranger station. One way is to walk back to the road from the Ranger station, take a left (field for horse trailers on left) and go up the (soon to be) gravel road for 2 miles. This is where Davenport Gap is. If you start walking on asphalt again, back up 25 feet and look to your left.
The other way is to walk up Chestnut Branch Trail. (Just up from the Big Creek Ranger Station is the Chestnut Branch Trail. It leads 2 miles to the highest and wildest section of the entire Appalachian Trail, which traverses the Smoky Mountains.)
By road, you have 1/2 mile to the intersection, 2 miles of gravle road, then 0.9 miles up the AT.
By trail, you have 2.1 miles of moderately strenuous climbing to the AT, then right on AT for 1 mile (1/2 mile flat, 1/2 mile down)
One more item: The spring is downhill from the shelter (about 30 feet), but the stream that feeds it runs across the path to the shelter, real close to the fire circle. The water definitely needs boiling or sanitizing."
generoll
08-01-2006, 14:24
I guess it's map time for me. I thought that Deep Creek was by Bryson City.
from the ranger station to davenport gap proper is 2 miles then hike into the shelter. the road and the a.t. intersect at the gap. which is also the park boundry and n.f. boundry. a 4-way intersection if you will.
standing bear shuttles 24/7.
car camp at exit 451 like some truckers do, or at the ranger station but do not leave a car at the gap. park you car at the gap and camp close by on the n.f. land if you must.
TownDawg
08-01-2006, 17:13
"park your car at the gap and camp close by on the n.f. land if you must."
That's my plan. Long story, but I'd like to crash at the gap. I love being outside. I hate sleeping in my car. I hate paying $10-$15 just to sleep a few hours.
I considered parking at the gap, and leaving my car from 11pm until 7am, but everyone seems to think that's risky.
I also considered parking at the ranger station, and hoofing the additional mileage, but I feeling lazy at 11pm after driving five hours to get there.
I also considered talking Curtis at Standing Bear Farm to run me up, but that's money too. (hehe.. I'm cheap sometimes!)
So yeah, that's my plan. "park your car at the gap and camp close by on the n.f. land if you must."
TownDawg
08-01-2006, 17:14
ohhh!.. you ARE curtis??.. DOH!..
sliderule
08-01-2006, 23:55
I guess it's map time for me. I thought that Deep Creek was by Bryson City.
Deep Creek might be big and Big Creek might be deep. But Big Creek is not Deep Creek.
Unfortunately, where the actual Gap is (trail crosses the gravel road) there are several large rocks on the Shelter side of the road. Also a few signs that say: Absolutely No Parking. There really isn't any room to park even a motorcycle between the rocks and the road :(
Mt. Momma's and the Ranger Station are about the same distance from the shelter. (about 3 miles total) However, 2 miles of that is gravel road. It's 0.9 miles from the Gap to the Shelter (single file trail, watch for horse leavings *grin*)
Otherwise, the only option is the paid camp sites about 1 mile past the Ranger Station (mostly for car camping)
PS: Mt. Momma's makes a VERY good burger, ESPECIALLY after 3 days of hiking :)
NINpigNIN
12-25-2008, 13:14
This shelter looks to have been re-renovated sometime in 2007 and now looks more like Mollies. I haven't been there since the reno but I saw pictures hung up at the Happy Hiker in Gatlinburg back in November.
Unfortunately, Mtn Mommas is now closed.
Rockhound
12-26-2008, 11:26
The exit # off I-40 is 451. Nobody stayed at Mountain Mammas as it has been closed for a few years now. As for parking, sure you can park at the rangers station, but I would suggest parking at Standing Bear Hostel.(Even if you dont stay there) Its just $2 a day to park, right on the AT, just on the northern side of I-40. Someone else said they park at MT. Mammas. Did you get the new owners permision?
That was the 1st shelter I ever stayed in on the A.T. I camped out there with my wife and 2 cousins and I was hooked on hiking the whole A.t. one day. Great shelter. I didnt stay there when I was coming out of the smokies though. Should have now that I am home missing the trail now.
Rockhound
12-26-2008, 11:48
"park your car at the gap and camp close by on the n.f. land if you must."
That's my plan. Long story, but I'd like to crash at the gap. I love being outside. I hate sleeping in my car. I hate paying $10-$15 just to sleep a few hours.
I considered parking at the gap, and leaving my car from 11pm until 7am, but everyone seems to think that's risky.
I also considered parking at the ranger station, and hoofing the additional mileage, but I feeling lazy at 11pm after driving five hours to get there.
I also considered talking Curtis at Standing Bear Farm to run me up, but that's money too. (hehe.. I'm cheap sometimes!)
So yeah, that's my plan. "park your car at the gap and camp close by on the n.f. land if you must."
OK you cheap #@$!% (kidding) come to Standing Bear, find me and I'll be happy to show you a nice camping spot where you can also leave your car for the night if you don't want to spend the $2.
OldStormcrow
12-29-2008, 11:16
If you are hiking out of the Smokies from Davenport Gap heading towards I-40 you will come to a gravel road. This is a spot that is well known for it's vandalism problems and I would advise strongly to avoid parking here. There is also a very cool old survey stone on the left as you reach the road. Take a right and hike (mainly downhill) about a mile to a paved crossroad. Turn right and hike about a 1/4 mile to the ranger station parking lot. I've parked there a lot without any problems.
NINpigNIN
01-02-2009, 14:44
The hike from the ranger station to the AT crossing of the road at Davenport Gap is only 1.3 easy miles, then another 0.9 or so to the shelter from the road. That's not all that horrible and it is pretty easy in the dark (I know from experience on that one).