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View Full Version : BMT as alternative blue blaze through Smokies (split from Tenting the AT)



jwalton
05-21-2012, 22:57
Just curious about the Smokies. The BMT winds up at Davenport Gap. Forget "white blaze purism" for a moment. Does anyone take the BMT as a blue blaze alternate route through the Smokies? To my knowledge, there are only a couple of shelters on the BMT, and none in the Smokies portion?

baxter
05-22-2012, 01:09
Just curious about the Smokies. The BMT winds up at Davenport Gap. Forget "white blaze purism" for a moment. Does anyone take the BMT as a blue blaze alternate route through the Smokies? To my knowledge, there are only a couple of shelters on the BMT, and none in the Smokies portion?

Sure they do, ask Sgt.Rock.

Montana
05-22-2012, 16:37
The BMT through the Smokies is a very nice hike, I reccomend it. There is one shelter along the way: Laurel Gap Shelter at ~ mile 274 northbound from Springer.

10-K
05-22-2012, 22:21
Hiking the BMT through the park you still have to stay at one of the numbered campsites, some of which require a reservation. The 1 shelter that is on the BMT in the park is just a few hours hike from Davenport Gap so unless it was just late in the day I'd get out of the park and try to get to Standing Bear Farm.

The BMT would definitely be better than the AT if there was snow on the ground as stays at a much lower altitude except for the hop over Mt. Sterling.

Cuffs
05-23-2012, 09:16
I love the BMT thru the Smokys. No one ever uses it. It's quite peaceful and no crowds. As for reservations... You simply list what sites you will be at when you self-register upon entry. Many are creek-side so water is not an issue.
If you are not a purist and want to leave the crowds (and shelter rules) behind, use the BMT!

Bearpaw
05-23-2012, 10:52
You'll do a lot more climbing on the BMT, about twice that of the AT. But you regain a good bit of freedom. You're not locked into shelters, and most of the campsites do not require reservations.

Hitchin' Post
05-23-2012, 11:34
I've done the BMT and the AT through the Smokies, and I prefer the AT for the views and the lack of horse ****.

Hitchin' Post
05-23-2012, 11:35
Sorry, horse poop. Didn't know I'd be censored.

Bati
05-23-2012, 12:02
The BMT would definitely be better than the AT if there was snow on the ground as stays at a much lower altitude except for the hop over Mt. Sterling.

I'd be careful about taking the BMT if there's much snow, as the BMT is not well blazed through the Smokies but the AT is. Under non-snow conditions, you'll need to check the map at trail junctions to ensure you stay on the BMT.
Also there are a couple of fords that can be dangerous, so depending on the season, it could be tougher. Basically, the AT is a year-round trail through the park, but the BMT, even though it stays along the lake for a long stretch is not ideal for some types of weather.

You're supposed to have reservations for some of the sites, and there is no exception made for BMT thru-hikers on the BMT as there is for AT thru-hikers on the AT. Getting reservations on the phone number that's never answered is pretty difficult, however, the odds of being asked your reservation, or even encountering anyone else at most of the sites is pretty low. I did encounter a crowd at Mt. Sterling, and some sites on the lake shore showed signs of large crowds but they weren't around when I passed by.

10-K
05-23-2012, 12:05
That's very true about the blazing (actually I don't think are are any blazes but there are a few signs) though the BMT through the park is on very good, well maintained tread as I remember it and the $1 map was more than enough.

I did not particularly like the Lakeshore Trail very much but the rest was pretty good.

SGT Rock
05-23-2012, 19:27
Well one thing to think about in snow conditions - thinking of a few years ago. Parts of the AT were impassible while most of the BMT in the park didn't even have snow on it. Some folks were skipping the Smokys for a couple of weeks, while they could have taken the BMT and kept a continuous hike. Sure you would need to know where the trails went, but the blazes of the AT were under snow in sections, you could still read the signs on the BMT.

I also think the BMT is a much better choice in droughts like we had in 2007. I recall reports of no water for about 40 miles straight on the AT in the Smokys, but there were still lots of water sources on the BMT.

Horse poop sucks. Last hike I made on the BMT it wasn't an issue. I'm doing 63 miles of the BMT this week doing campsite clean-up for the BMTA, when I get back I will let you all know if there is horse poop on 2/3 of the Smokys BMT.

Cuffs
05-23-2012, 21:05
On the BMT I saw horse manure once and that was at a trail junction that was also a campsite.

Bati
05-23-2012, 21:45
On the BMT I saw horse manure once and that was at a trail junction that was also a campsite.

When I went thru Smokemont on the BMT, the amount and stench of the manure was incredible. Elsewhere it wasn't bad, but it was definitely around.

When I did the AT, I don't recall seeing any manure, but I also don't recall seeing much of the ground except the beginning and near the end of the park.

As for views, that all depends on the weather you have when you hike; I recall being able to see my hand through the fog if I put it in front of my face on Clingman's Dome.

And the same applies to crowds at shelters and campsites. I spent 3 of 5 nights in the park with the (somewhat) changing group of 3-6 backpackers I entered the park with on the AT near the end of March. There were never more than 3 "strangers" at any shelter, On the BMT, I was solo, it was early May, and I spent 2.5 out of 6 night alone (one night a small group showed up after midnight and I never spoke to them, but their tents were still there when I left the next morning). At Mt Sterling there were more people camping than I could easily count.

Some differences will depend on the weather you encounter, and the time of year definitely influences that. Many of my experiences on the AT were not typical, but make your decision when you get there. Just be prepared by ensuring you have BMT instructions (map and the names of all the minor trails) with you when you leave Fontana.

SGT Rock
05-28-2012, 15:56
Horse Poop was not an issue until we passed campsite 76 going north, then there was some. It was much more of an issue between 74 and the tunnel. There were a lot of horse campers doing the area between the tunnel to Forney Creek than the rest of the BMT. The good news for that is most blow downs are clear between 20 mile and the tunnel since the horse campers are doing most of the trail clearing.