View Full Version : New found Gap
windels11
10-25-2013, 22:24
When do all the waves of hikers usually get to Newfound gap and Clingmans dome area? Im looking to do trail magic there this coming up spring and im not sure when the best time would be to go. If anyone could help me out I would appreciate it. Thanks!
anywhere between the middle of march to the end of may.......
and fwiw, at newfound or clingmans----if you do trail magi, more than likely you'll run into alot of "normal" people (aka tourists).....
there are some places where one could park in order to avoid tourists----such as fontana or even more remote---davenport gap...
or up at clingmans----you could set up just off the paved path on the AT......but you'll still have alot of other non thru hiker foot traffic...
a few years ago----i would park at clingmans.......hike out to silers bald with a backpack full of homemade salsa, chips, gatorade, and apples...
when i would pass a thuhiker---i'd offer them something.......then i would take the salsa and chips to the two shelters on that route.......
and hike back to car with an empty pack.....
killed two birds with one stone----got a hike in for myself..........and did some trail magic.....
HooKooDooKu
10-25-2013, 23:10
there are some places where one could park in order to avoid tourists
A few ideas that come to mind would be either @ Road Prong Trail Head (might get a few day-hikers) or where Fork Ridge Trail crosses the road to Clingman's dome and continues up the hill to the AT at the intersection with Sugarland Mountain Trail (should have pretty much no "tourists" there).
They usually get there on Thursday.
Slo-go'en
10-26-2013, 11:10
Since that is in the National Park, there are likely regulations and permits needed to do something like that - if it's allowed at all.
Brown Gap, just south of Max Patch is where the Tennessee Vikings sets up trail magic and is a good spot as you can camp there for the weekend. There is a gravel road just south of Cable gap shelter - the last one before getting to Fontana and the Smokies- which might also be a good spot.
As to when, any time in April.
Since that is in the National Park, there are likely regulations and permits needed to do something like that - if it's allowed at all.
yeah.......i was going to post something about that but i've found it to be----officially its against the rules.........unofficially---it can be done...
at newfound gap---ive seen coolers and grills with rangers nearby and they didnt care much........
and im sure off the beaten path---nobody would find out per se....
also---since one is not "selling" trail magic but rather giving it away---it may be overlooked....
peakbagger
10-28-2013, 11:57
I always thought Wayah Bald or Max Patch would make good spots. Nice grassy fields and a few days away from typical resupply points.
fredmugs
10-28-2013, 12:09
I'm guessing the best trail magic you could offer at Newfound is a ride into Gatlinburg.
flemdawg1
10-28-2013, 12:15
I'm guessing the best trail magic you could offer at Newfound is a ride into Gatlinburg.
My experience (though limited) has shown getting a ride from NFG isn't much of a problem. However, if you show up at Gran Prix at 9 am it would greatly help those going the other way.
max patch
10-28-2013, 12:15
the parking area would be one thing. having a feed on top of Max would be a travesty.
windels11
10-28-2013, 14:10
the parking area would be one thing. having a feed on top of Max would be a travesty.
Hmm would they allow us to do trail magic on top of max patch?
the parking area would be one thing. having a feed on top of Max would be a travesty.
agreed. although one day in april, i parked my car about a 1/4 mile from the parking area where the trail crosses the road before it starts up the mountain, and gave away a lot of fruit and junk food. i did carry a cooler up to the top after they cleaned me out, but the hikers who spent the night up there with me didn't seem to think the beer and sodas were too much of a travesty.
This spot is about 3 or 4 weeks into the trail. So between the 3d and 4th week of April will be about right. You should know that many people who post here on this web page are trail club weenies who dislike long distance hikers and will do what they can to discourage anything to help them. Some will even go as far as give out wrong information. No such rule about you handing out food to hikers in a National Park exists. They made it up. On purpose to discourage. Yes you can have a picnic and invite all the friends you want. Now setting up a tent or other large cooking equipment might be a problem. All long distance hikers really appreciate your efforts. The trail club day hikers see the trail and other hikers through different glasses. A good place if the road is open to Clingmans dome is a parking lot about a mile up at Indian something gap on the right. There won't be too many non hikers around and the trail passes only a few yards away.
Hmm would they allow us to do trail magic on top of max patch?
the spot i referenced in my last post was perfect for that, and it saves you from hauling everything up the mountain.
windels11
10-28-2013, 14:43
agreed. although one day in april, i parked my car about a 1/4 mile from the parking area where the trail crosses the road before it starts up the mountain, and gave away a lot of fruit and junk food. i did carry a cooler up to the top after they cleaned me out, but the hikers who spent the night up there with me didn't seem to think the beer and sodas were too much of a travesty.
I know exactly where your talking about, maybe ill just go there then bring a cooler up and give them drinks , maybe ill do both like you!
HooKooDooKu
10-28-2013, 15:49
... Some will even go as far as give out wrong information. No such rule about you handing out food to hikers in a National Park exists. They made it up. On purpose to discourage. Yes you can have a picnic and invite all the friends you want.
I'm afraid you are mistaken regarding the rules that apply to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You can find the following quote on page 4 of the "Code of Federal Regulations (http://www.nps.gov/grsm/parkmgmt/upload/Compendium-2013.pdf)" as it applies to GSMNP:
A special use permit is required for all “trail angel” activities. “Trail angels” or “trail magic” are people or
groups who provide some type of unsolicited, free assistance
to A.T. thru-hikers, primarily providing food or drink.
So in TNHiker's example of the rangers not paying attention to someone with a grill... its quite possible that earlier in the day the rangers DID pay attention to what was going on, checked things out, and found the person was operating with the required permits.
My experience (though limited) has shown getting a ride from NFG isn't much of a problem
easy as pie to get a ride from newfound gap....
in the past, ive gotten rides before i've had to stick my thumb out.....
flemdawg1
10-29-2013, 15:16
A good place if the road is open to Clingmans dome is a parking lot about a mile up at Indian something gap on the right. There won't be too many non hikers around and the trail passes only a few yards away.
It's just Indian Gap.
HooKooDooKu
10-29-2013, 15:33
It's just Indian Gap.
For the uninitiated... Indian Gap is the same thing as the Road Prong Trail Head. The gap isn't labeled on the GSMNP trail maps.
Whack-a-mole
10-30-2013, 09:46
Someone above just listed Wayah Bald. If I had hit that tower, and there was a grill set up with someone giving hot hamburgers away, I probably would have just keeled over and died right there, thinking I was in heaven...
Slo-go'en
10-30-2013, 10:54
Someone above just listed Wayah Bald. If I had hit that tower, and there was a grill set up with someone giving hot hamburgers away, I probably would have just keeled over and died right there, thinking I was in heaven...
When I got there (Wayah parking lot) this last spring, there was a guy set up handing out snacks and drinks. Almost as good as burgers. The best trail magic was a couple of years ago with the guys at Grafton Notch cooking up freash Maine Lobsteres and corn on the cob...
HooKooDooKu
11-01-2013, 13:31
... Yes you can have a picnic and invite all the friends you want. ...
Turns out there's rule for this as well...
"Picnicking by groups of more than 15 people may be considered an event and shall require a Special Use Permit unless done in a designated picnic area."
HooKooDooKu
11-01-2013, 13:58
Now setting up a tent or other large cooking equipment might be a problem.
Came across this today: "The use of portable stoves, including charcoal burners, is prohibited in frontcountry areas except in picnic areas and campgrounds.
Since New Found Gap isn't a designated picnic area, that means you couldn't do something like setup a charcoal grill and cook hot dogs for thru hikers.
windels11
11-01-2013, 15:09
Came across this today: "The use of portable stoves, including charcoal burners, is prohibited in frontcountry areas except in picnic areas and campgrounds. Since New Found Gap isn't a designated picnic area, that means you couldn't do something like setup a charcoal grill and cook hot dogs for thru hikers.
Would I be able to just hand out drinks and stuff?
HooKooDooKu
11-01-2013, 16:01
Would I be able to just hand out drinks and stuff?
It would really be up to the Park Rangers.
Here's what the GSMNP Compendium says (in its entirety) as it relates to Trail Angels:
A special use permit is required for all “trail angel” activities. “Trail angels” or “trail magic” are people or
groups who provide some type of unsolicited, free assistance
to A.T. thru-hikers, primarily providing food or drink.
Permits are issued for thru-hiker support activities to
ensure the supplies and equipment is appropriate for thru-
hiker needs, the management of backcountry resources, and
compliance with backcountry regulations.
However, on the subject of handing out drinks, I came across another interesting rule today. Alcoholic drinks (even just possession of an open container) are prohibited EXCEPT for in campgrounds (front and back country), designated picnic areas, and a short list some other locations.
Since New Found Gap is NOT a designated picnic area, that would imply you wouldn't be allowed to hand out cans of beer.
It is my guess that you would be permitted to hand out soft drinks and pre-packaged foods. I would think they would also allow pre-cooked foods. So in the case of handing out hot-dogs... you might be able to cook them elsewhere, wrap them in aluminum foil, and stack them in a cooler.
But in any case, you'd really have to check with the park rangers. They might impose additional requirements like garbage collection if they thought your activity might over-whelm existing trash receptacles. But then that's a perfect example of why they require Trail Angels to have a permit... just so they can provide a little over-sight to ensure your activity doesn't harm the park.
And even in the case of detailed rules like "no grills except at picnic areas", it is possible that a rule like that is so obscure, and park rangers don't deal with that on a day-to-day basis, and New Found Gap and a lot of open room (on days when the park isn't over-run with visitors) you might be permitted to do something like setup a grill (especially if its a propane grill - so that it produces less of a mess) if you specifically ask.