4 night loop with no shelters?

[Pocahontas]

I'm planning my first trip to GSMNP for October and have mostly backpacked in the Sierra's where it's less crowded. I know this is the most popular park, so it will be different from my prior trips. I'm hiking with a friend who recently had ACL surgery, so we need to keep the miles to 6-8 per day or easy longer days.

We're leary of staying in shelters because of the crowds. All we know about shelters is what we've read. We always haul separate tarptents so we don't mess with each other's sleep schedules. I probably wouldn't get any sleep in a full shelter. I've also heard that the BC sites with horses work best for people who love the smell of horse and horse manure, so am trying to avoid those. Are these restrictions unreasonable? We've also considered car camping, but then any hikes are with all the tourists. Car camping is NOT my preference.
We're flying in to Gatlinburg and have been looking at the Big Creek and Cosby area. Will we miss the best of GSM on this side of the park?
I've been considering BC sites 37, 38 and then somehow getting to Cammerer.
I would greatly appreciate any suggestions from the very knowledgeable group.

[Pocahontas]

I'm planning my first trip to GSMNP for October and have mostly backpacked in the Sierra's where it's less crowded. I know this is the most popular park, so it will be different from my prior trips. I'm hiking with a friend who recently had ACL surgery, so we need to keep the miles to 6-8 per day or easy longer days.

We're leary of staying in shelters because of the crowds. All we know about shelters is what we've read. We always haul separate tarptents so we don't mess with each other's sleep schedules. I probably wouldn't get any sleep in a full shelter. I've also heard that the BC sites with horses work best for people who love the smell of horse and horse manure, so am trying to avoid those. Are these restrictions unreasonable? We've also considered car camping, but then any hikes are with all the tourists. Car camping is NOT my preference.
We're flying in to Gatlinburg and have been looking at the Big Creek and Cosby area. Will we miss the best of GSM on this side of the park?
I've been considering BC sites 37, 38 and then somehow getting to Cammerer.
I would greatly appreciate any suggestions from the very knowledgeable group.


What about the Newfound Gap / Clingmans dome area? Is it risky to try for no reservation sites around Sept 23? Will there be room if we arrive late?

Day 1
Start:
Clingman's Dome early morning ------> Goshen Prong Trail -----> Campsite #23 6.3 miles
Day 2
Goshen Prong Trail ----->Little River Trail -----> Campsite #21 4.3 miles and time to wander
Day 3
Cucumber Gap Trail------> Jacobs Creek Trail -----> Miry Ridge ---->Campsite #26 7.2 miles
Day 4
Miry Ridge -----> Buckeye Gap -----> AT ---> trailhead 10.2 miles, but the packs will be lighter and it's uphill, so easy on the ACL.
Thoughts from anyone who's been in this area?

[Bronk]

Newfound Gap and Clingman's Dome are both full of tourists...the road to Clingman's dome is closed December 1st to April 1st, but the rest of the time there will be tourists there.

When I got to Newfound Gap there was a parking lot with literally hundreds of people and cars and the trail up to the next shelter was a solid line of people going up and down for over a mile. After not seeing more than a few people at a time for a month it was very disorienting to encounter such a circus...I was glad when I got back into the woods.

This area is probably the worst place to go if you don't want to be around a lot of people.

[aaronthebugbuffet]

Don't immediately discount sites that allow horse camping. A lot of them I've stayed at didn't seem heavily used and some have enough space that you won't be right on top of the hitch area.

[HooKooDooKu]

...I've been considering BC sites 37, 38 and then somehow getting to Cammerer.
I would greatly appreciate any suggestions from the very knowledgeable group.

Both sites require reservations, and have been closed frequently this year due to bear activity. So make sure you have a backup plan if you select those sites.

One area I would suggest looking is Twentymile/Gregory Bald area. There's several loop options there... though not an obvious 4 nighter. However, there are a few ways in which you could get a late start the 1st night (i.e. #93, #113, #13, or #95, #13, #92). Camp site #13 is very popular, so you'll have to get reseravtions as early as you are allowed (30 days before the start of your trip I think), but I site I would recomend.

[gollwoods]

21 is closed due to bear activity, you would not like the dayhikers stopping to chat all that much anyway. look at cosby/ big creek area if you can do one shelter maybe, then i would suggest starting at the big creek campground to site 38 but it is 4000 ft elevation gain up the baxter creek trail. there is a firetower to view from. then over to tri corner shelter on the A T a gentle ridge walk; you could stop at laurel gap for lunch and water. after tricorner use the A T to camel gap trail or low gap trail to site 37 a stream side camp with lots of room to tent and a good place to explore around. then a nice easy walk out in the morning with time to drive up to max patch for the views.