New Smokies Permit Fee

[Lauriep]

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) has received information about the new permit and fee system from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park (GRSM) that they are putting in place next month. The Conservancy is opposed to the fees and formally expressed our position during the public comment period. However, the park has decided to move ahead with the new system. The Conservancy would like the hiking community to have the information they will need concerning the new fees and permit system before they reach the park. Therefore, we are distributing the information in multiple locations on-line and along the Trail.

The ATC advises northbound thru-hikers to acquire their permits just before embarking on their trip to avoid the difficulty of finding internet access and a printer once they have started their hike.

Details are below; a PDF of the poster that will be in various locations is attached, along with a Word version of the text below.


Great Smoky Mountains NP Permit Fee Update
re: A.T. Thru-Hikers
22 January 2013

- Beginning 13 February 2013, people staying overnight in the Great Smoky Mountains NP (GRSM) backcountry will be subject to a $4/person/night permit fee.
- A.T. thru-hikers will be charged $20, with the permit good for 38 days. A GRSM backcountry permit can be obtained up to 30 days in advance. Thru-hikers will have 8 days to pass through the GRSM. Thru-hiker permits will be available year-round.
- The current GRSM definition of an A.T. thru-hiker will remain “a backpacker starting & ending their hike at least 50 miles outside GRSM”.
- Thru-hikers will be able to obtain permits on-line, by fax (once payment is made by phone) and in person at the GRSM Backcountry Office (BO) at the Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg, TN. Credit cards will be accepted on-line, by phone and in person at the BO. Checks, money orders and cash will be accepted in person at the BO.
- There will be no refunds.
- Each thru-hiker will have to carry their own paper permit.
- ½ of the permit must be left in the trailhead permit receptacle at either Fontana Dam or Davenport Gap. Thru hikers will need to write their date of entry into the GRSM on both halves of their permit.
- Four bunks will be reserved in each GRSM A.T. shelter for thru-hikers March through May. Thru-hikers must always give up space in shelters to non-thru-hikers holding reservations.
- Ranger presence will be increased on the A.T. during thru-hiker season.
- For more information, please call 865-436-1297.


Note: The website for acquiring permits www.smokiespermits.nps.gov (http://www.smokiespermits.nps.gov/)is not yet live, but should be operational
by February 13.

Laurie Potteiger
Appalachian Trail Conservancy

[marjirob]

Thanks for the update.

[Mags]

Online RSVPS in a national park. Awesome. I hope this system makes it to other national parks!

[etokash]

Will senior citizen thru hikers who have a national park permit still have to pay the fee?

[Oneofsix]

I think I will have to call on this , but, my daughter has a national park access pass - she has a permanent disability, I am never sure how to use it when we get backcountry permits.

[moytoy]

Will senior citizen thru hikers who have a national park permit still have to pay the fee?

Sgt. Rock says not and he is probably as connected as anyone. My guess is that discounts and free passes hasn't been completely thought through yet.

[wcgornto]

Seems to be a thru hiker penalty. I spent three nights in GSMNP on my SOBO thru hike ... $4 x 3 = $12. $20 is more than $12.

[Lone Wolf]

Seems to be a thru hiker penalty. I spent three nights in GSMNP on my SOBO thru hike ... $4 x 3 = $12. $20 is more than $12.

B S. $20 is a mere pittance

[miami]

FYI... just called the Fontana Village Lodge. They said that they have a computer with printer at the Front Desk they are willing to allow Thru-Hikers to use for printing off this Permit. Hope that lasts! Be nice to the folks there so that anyone that needs to utilize this resource is able to. Free wifi in the fireplace lobby as well.

[Lauriep]

If a thru-hiker knows he or she can hike the park in fewer than 5 days and wants to pay less than the thru-hiker $20 permit fee, you can always make reservations for individual sites like everyone else. Realistically, it's probably not worth the effort, though. But, if you're really tight on funds, at least there's another option.

[Tuckahoe]

Seems to be a thru hiker penalty. I spent three nights in GSMNP on my SOBO thru hike ... $4 x 3 = $12. $20 is more than $12.

Seems to me that if you feel you can make it in three nights, all you need to do is make your reservation for three nights. Otherwise, thru-hikers are getting a discount of 7 nights for the price of 5.

[Lone Wolf]

much ado over nothing

[wcgornto]

My comments were tongue in cheek. Whether $4 per night or $20 for thru hike, I am indifferent between the two.

[HikerMom58]

I'm more than happy to pay 4 bucks a night- pay online, no unanswered phone calls? Worth every penny!! :)

[atmilkman]

I like the suggestion of getting the permit ahead of time in case of the difficulty getting access to a printer.

[map man]

Hopefully future editions of the guidebooks will make note of the places where there is computer access with printers both south AND north (for SOBOs) of the park.

[Rain Man]

My comments were tongue in cheek. Whether $4 per night or $20 for thru hike, I am indifferent between the two.

There's a smiley face for that. No smiley face = no tongue in cheek.

Rain Man

.

[Rain Man]

much ado over nothing

Gotta agree. A great deal of panties in wads over a pittance of cost and trouble, compared to any section or thru-hike.

Some people just gotta find offense with "government." It's become a sad national sport for some.

Rain Man

.

[RedRunnerJumper]

So for NoBo thru hikers, get the permit before starting the trip? How long does it usually take to hike from springer to gsmnp ?? Or Wait till little closer?

[Mountain Mike]

NOC would put you 2-3 day out for most thrus. I wonder if they would be willing to help out. At a little over 160 miles kinda tuff to figure it out before you hit the trail unless you really know your hiking speed & are a really great weather guesser.

[RedRunnerJumper]

Alright, I will keep that in mind, very helpful. NOC probably be the best spot to get the permit. So non-thru hikers with permits have priority of the shelters? If so, its all good.

[Mountain Mike]

You could try & guess your dates a month in advance but you would need to book for a certain shelter on a certain date 30 days in advance & hope you get your choice. The park does a service to thrus by leaving 4 places open in the shelter for them. They also allow you to camp outside if it is full. That & $20 cap seems like they are being pretty accommodating.

[Chaco Taco]

I think it's great the way they have it. Yea there will be some speed bumps, but I think it's needed. People will complain, as they constantly do up here over the AMC Fee's but people will pay them and people will whine. It really is not a big deal, just something else for people to bitch on the internet about :rolleyes:

[Chaco Taco]

Good idea map man.


Hopefully future editions of the guidebooks will make note of the places where there is computer access with printers both south AND north (for SOBOs) of the park.

[moldy]

2 to 3 weeks after you start your NOBO thru-hike you will make it to Fontana Dam and the unmanned AT entrance to Great Smoky Mtn National Park. Starting on Feb 15 you will need a paper from the park that shows that you paid the $20 fee. There are only 2 ways to get this paper, either show up in person at the the main entrance to the park(which is far away from the AT) or get on the internet, pay with a credit card and print out the paper. The smart place to get your paper is to go to Fontana Village Inn and ask to use the computer, they will print you the paper. They have agreed to do this. You could do this from home prior to starting the hike and hope that you are not one of the 25% who quit after the first week(they give no refunds). You will be able to get one printed out at many other places as you near the park. Hotels, Libraries, Hostels, the NOC etc. They will give you 8 days to get through the park. Congratuations class of 2013, you can be the first ones to be subjected to this hassle.

[atmilkman]

Thanks for the info moldy. Glad the Inn has agreed to do print outs.

[CarlZ993]

Surely, the Park will have something better in place before the hiking season. Self-paying system at the TH or something.

[moldy]

No, this is it. The TH Appalachian Trail is unmanned with a drop box to place one part of the paper you print out.

[Prime Time]

Seems that short of a historic blizzard, it can't possibly take more than 20 days to cover 160 miles. This would still give you tons of extra time to get inside the 38 day window. I'm just gonna get mine a couple of days before I start my hike.

[LDog]

Betcha a nickel all of Ron Haven's motels will be set up to print off permits ...

[LDog]

... a PDF of the poster that will be in various locations is attached, along with a Word version of the text below...

Is that poster PDF available someplace?