Legality of using drinking alcohol for fuel on trail
I normally use 190 proof alcohol (Everclear, Volkov, or similar) for my alcohol stove. Although I find out a bit more expensive (I get it for $17 a liter), I feel that the multipurpose use warrants the costs. Apart from fuel, non-toxic nature, hand/wound sanitizing, and the potential for mixing it into a beverage (I wouldn’t drink it straight) seems to be a no brainer for me. Though not quite easily obtainable on the AT, I often wondered about the legality of carrying drinking alcohol in areas where the county is dry? Mind you normally people will not be carrying this in the original glass liter bottle and repackage it into a soda bottle or similar (accidental ingestion of a bit of it wither won’t really harm ya...unlike other alcohol alternatives). Something I just began to ponder....
Legality of using drinking alcohol for fuel on trail
Alcoholic beverages are expressly forbidden in state parks in GA, NC, VA, MD, and PA. National Forests and Parks may or may not have restrictions depending on where you are. Then you have local restrictions as noted above. Seems like a lot to figure out for a product that performs marginally better and costs much more than other alcohol fuel options.
Legality of using drinking alcohol for fuel on trail
Yes, my statement was too broad.
In Georgia consumption of alcohol or intoxicants is forbidden
https://gastateparks.org/ParkRules
In North Carolina possession or consumption are forbidden
https://www.ncparks.gov/park-rules
In Virginia state law permits alcohol use only in private areas (inside a cabin or camping unit) or in areas designated on permits issued by the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/rules-and-regulations
In Maryland alcohol may only be consumed in full service cabins
https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/alcoholfaq.aspx
In Pennsylvania alcoholic beverages are not allowed in state parks
https://pennsylvaniastateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/big-pocono-state-park/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=PA&parkId=880404
Now, that's a lot legality to navigate in order to carry grain alcohol for a stove. Just use stove fuel.