Thru hiking Smokies in October. Shuttle...?

[STICK]

My wife and I are hiking the Smokies in October. Here are some options we are thinking of to get back to our cars:

1. Both drive and stage cars on each end (get a shuttle at NFG to Gatlinburg for resupply).
2. Both drive and stage 1 car at Davenport and other at Newfound Gap. Once we get to NFG, resupply and restage cars.
3. Both drive and stage 1 at Fontana, 1 at NFG and get a shuttle to Davenport.
4. Drive 1 vehicle to Fontana and get a shuttle to Davenport.

The issue with # 1 is I have heard bad things about parking at Davenport and I really don't like the idea of leaving our car there for ~ 8 - 9 days. However, this one seems the most logical if we drive both cars. I was wondering if I could park near Davenport and then get a shuttle to the trail head but if I take both cars I really don't want to spend money on a shuttle after spending gas money in 2 SUV's. Ideas / suggestions?

# 2. In case you haven't noticed, we are planning on heading south. Would really like to leave a car at Fontana, and hike to it so we are on our time schedule and trust Fontana more than Davenport. So, this option is not looking ideal, but it is an open option. Really like the idea of parking at NFG though because we can leave resupplies in our cars and drive to Gatlinburg for food, maybe a shower and a room if desired. The problem with this is that we would be doing a lot of driving. (Back to get car at Davenport, then to Fontana and drop one and then back to NFG.) However, here we would not have to worry about getting a shuttle into town and can go at our own pace.

# 3. The same as # 2, but trust our cars at NFG and Fontana more than at Davenport. Problem is we would need a shuttle to Davenport, but then it would all be downhill. We could take our time to get to NFG. Still able to take our time in town, and then even take our time to get to Fontana. All the driving would be at the end rather than in the middle. I like this idea best, but am weary of thinking how much a shuttle will be from NFG to Davenport, on top of filling up our (mostly mine) gas guzzlers.

# 4. High possibility. Easiest on us taking 1 car. But would need a shuttle from Fontana to Davenport at beginning, and then another at NFG in the middle, so it is a good possibility this will be more expensive with these 2 shuttles and filling 1 of our cars with gas. Plus we will be at others mercy (time-frame) twice during our hike.

Other info: We will be driving out on a Thursday after work so we will be arriving probably between 10 - 12 at night (we are ~ 6 hours from Gatlinburg). Would like to start hiking Friday morning, or at least afternoon, but am aware that this day may be consumed with arranging driving arrangements and hitting the trail in the late afternoon and having a very short day. The good thing is that we will have 8 days of hiking even if we can't start that Friday and start Saturday morning, and this will give us 1 full day to get back to our vehicles, make our way back home so we can make it to work the next morning!

So, any suggestions? I am pretty open to ideas. And we still have ~ 3 months before time to go so we have a little time to play with.

(What about renting a car once we get there?)

Thanks.

[shoe]

Call Curtis at Standing Bear. He usually lets people park there and it will be safe. This is on the Davenport side

[10-K]

Here's all you need:

http://thehikeinn.netfirms.com/shuttle.htm

Jeff and Nancy are just up the road from Fontana and you can either leave your car at their place or at the dam. (When I hiked GSMNP I left it at the dam, when I hiked Springer to Fontana I left it at their place)

They'll also take care of the backcountry permits for you and your wife eliminating another issue. Otherwise hiking south you'll need to either get one in Hot Springs or walk way out of your way to the ranger statation to get one when you get to Davenport Gap.

As for the shuttle at NFG - just hitch. Should be very easy. There are also a couple of outfitters in Gatlinburg who'll probably come pick you up if you calll them.

[Marta]

My recommendation is to drive up and park at Fontana Dam. Get a shuttle from either the folks at Standing Bear or Hike Inn, and spend the night at the shuttler's place. Hike through the Smokies without the side trip to Gatlinburg. Get back to your car and either stay at the Hike Inn or drive yourselves over to Gatlinburg, if seeing it is part of your vacation plan.

I would not start the section at Davenport Gap, but would start at I-40. It would add a couple of miles to the total hiking distance, but it's a much easier access point, both this year, and whenever you hike the next section to the north.

[generoll]

if you want to have cars at Newfound and Fontana, then you could do that and have your shuttler pick you up at Newfound and drop you off at Davenport. Standing Bear is closest to Davenport and has a clean if rustic cabin and you could have Curtis pick you up at Newfound, spend the night at Standing Bear, and then get him to take you to Davenport the next am.

[curtisvowen]

Park near Davenport Gap at the Big Creek Ranger Station, check you Park map. It's about 1.5 miles off of the trail, safe for extended parking.
And leave a car at Fontana Dam.
The Hike Inn can't handle permits....meaning you have to call the backcountry office and get your confirmation/registration number for the shelters prior to your arrival....then fill out the redundant paper work with that number from the backcountry office at either the Fontana or Big Creek stations.
Time of travel from Dam to Davenport Gap, 2 hrs.
Meeting someone, a shuttler at Newfound? What if your not there on time. What if he/she's not on time. What if the shuttler has a family emergency etc. etc., What if you get off of the trail and fail to inform the shuttler, happened to me.

[beartripper]

It takes me @ five to six hours to drive to GSMNP. I would really consider option four and pay for the shuttle to either Fontana DAM or Davenport. Your costs will be less
then driving both vehicles and the time factor will also be a plus knowing that all permits and reservations are in order.

[10-K]

The Hike Inn can't handle permits....meaning you have to call the backcountry office and get your confirmation/registration number for the shelters prior to your arrival....then fill out the redundant paper work with that number from the backcountry office at either the Fontana or Big Creek stations.


Just a point of clairification....

You *will* have to call the park and make shelter reservations.

*But*, you will still need a backcountry permit which you have to carry on your person while you're in the park - this is a totally separate thing than the shelter reservations. (It's a hardcopy of your intinerary thorugh the park basically stating where you'll be each night)

Hiking GSMNP southbound, the only place I know of to get a backcountry permit is Bluff Mt. Outfitters in Hot Springs or the ranger station a mile or so from Davenport Gap (reached by hiking...) - neither of which is terribly convenient if you're eager to get on the trail.

However, you can get a backcountry permit at The Hike Inn as well and Jeff will handle leaving a copy of the permit for the rangers on the Fontana Dam side of the park and give you your copy to keep on your person, thus freeing you from having to worry about it at all. A major benefit IMO.

This is exactly how it was handled when I hiked the park and I did have my permit checked by a ranger while I was in the park so I wouldn't advise skipping this step...

[Bear Cables]

Park near Davenport Gap at the Big Creek Ranger Station, check you Park map. It's about 1.5 miles off of the trail, safe for extended parking.
And leave a car at Fontana Dam.
The Hike Inn can't handle permits....meaning you have to call the backcountry office and get your confirmation/registration number for the shelters prior to your arrival....then fill out the redundant paper work with that number from the backcountry office at either the Fontana or Big Creek stations.
Time of travel from Dam to Davenport Gap, 2 hrs.
Meeting someone, a shuttler at Newfound? What if your not there on time. What if he/she's not on time. What if the shuttler has a family emergency etc. etc., What if you get off of the trail and fail to inform the shuttler, happened to me.

When Nancy shuttled us for our two section hikes through the Smokies. We called to get the reservations and res. # When Nancy picked us up she had to permits forms, we filled it out, just one form, listed our shelters and Res.# took our copy with us then left the other copy with Nancy. She turned it in the day we entered the Smokies. (We started outside the park the first two days.)

[Bear Cables]

I would suggest parking one car at Fontana and arrange for Hike Inn to pick you up and drive you to Davenport. Good people. That's the easy button .

[10-K]

When Nancy shuttled us for our two section hikes through the Smokies. We called to get the reservations and res. # When Nancy picked us up she had to permits forms, we filled it out, just one form, listed our shelters and Res.# took our copy with us then left the other copy with Nancy. She turned it in the day we entered the Smokies. (We started outside the park the first two days.)


I mentioned Jeff in my post - you mentioned Nancy. In case people may not know, Jeff and Nancy Hoch are the married couple that own the Hike Inn.

Definitely the easy button when it comes to hiking GSMNP. :)

[STICK]

Thanks everyone for your comments!

Sounds like the Hike Inn may be the thing. I would really rather driving one vehicle so that we can be together for the drive. As for the reservation / permits, thanks for clearing that up a little. I had planned on calling 30 days prior to the days we would be leaving and reserving the shelter. I was thinking I would fill out the paper work at Sugarland if I went to NFG. So, that sounds great too that they will handle some of that paperwork for us.

[STICK]

The reason I was wanting to stop at NFG was really to resupply. We will be taking 8 days to stroll through the park and I really don't want to carry all that food the whole time.

I have sent an email to the Hike Inn asking about prices and time frames (I see that it was posted above that drive time from the dam to davenport was ~ 2 hours. I thought it would be longer!) So, I will see what they say and take it from there.

Thanks for the comment about starting from I - 40. We are looking into doing that instead of starting at Davenport, simply for it's ease of entrance.

We are looking forward to some snow and some mighty fine views and colors! I can't wait.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

[10-K]

Thanks for the comment about starting from I - 40. We are looking into doing that instead of starting at Davenport, simply for it's ease of entrance.

Starting from I40 is more convenient for sure but I'd start from Davenport Gap just because starting from I40 will add another hour / hour and a half of non-stop uphill climbing. When you come back and start from I40 going north towards Hot Springs you'll also be confronted first thing with a long, steep climb up Snowbird Mt. (think that's the right name..)

From Davenport Gap to Tri-Corner Knob shelter is one long uphill climb - 14-15 miles if I remember correctly. Once you're up on the ridge it's not so bad but be prepared to spend pretty much an entire day going up.