cell phone service in Smokey Mountain section

[tass]

We are planning an April hike only through The Smokey Mountain NP section. Does anyone know what the cell service is like through there? I have read it is spotty at best, but I wondered if anyone was there recently and had any luck.

[Trance]

If you do not have Verizon south of Harpers Ferry.... you will always have spotty coverage.

I had two bars with Verizon at Gooch Gap Shelter. Everyone else had zero.

[full conditions]

The Smokies have very poor coverage. I got two bars on Clingman's Dome otherwise pretty much zero - even with Verizon. And, that includes Cades Cove and most sections of the Lakeshore Trail

[HooKooDooKu]

As I understand it, there are no cell towers anywhere inside the park. So the only time you will have any cell service is when you are near the park boundary (such as climbing out of Fontana) or on a mountain peak with a good line-of-sight to a tower outside the park.

I've tried using my cell phone at Mt. LeConte overlooking Gatlinburg. From there, telephone calls have been iffy, and text messaging possible only if it is not raining.

[TurboPants]

The closer I got towards LeConte the weaker the signal with my iPhone4 and Verizon. My friend with a Sprint phone was texting from the peak of LeConte while all others with T-Mobile and Vz were spotty at best. If you are on the north face of the mountains you'll get decent signal because the towers are all near Gatlinburg and I-40, but on the south side of the park from Fontana up to Clingmans Dome my phone had 1 or 0 bars. You will get intermittent texts coming in though, so there are tiny pockets where you will get a slow connection until the wind blows the wrong way hehe.

[Seatbelt]

I have made calls(Verizon) from Spence Field, Siler's Bald, Clingmans Dome, Newfound Gap.

[tass]

Thanks all. I'm looking to make a quick daily call to my kids while on the trail, but from the sound of it ill be lucky at best. I have sprint but the bf has Verizon. Maybe between the 2 of us we can catch the wind while standing in our left foot on a rock ill be able to touch bases with home! (Ha ha)

[daddytwosticks]

Made a call from the top of Rocky Top in a fog back last Labor Day Weekend. I have a Verizon work phone. The reception was very weak and spotty south on the AT from Clingman's.

[Sandy of PA]

I used a cheap Tracphone last year going thru the Smokies. Was able to call home every day from a ridgetop.

[dandelionwine]

a few years ago I had serivce at Clingman's Dome, I was a Sprint user. I did not turn my phone on much throughout the rest of the Smokies section but pretty sure I had service at Fontana Dam too.

[Ranman5]

AT&T service is pretty much non-existent in the park from my experience.My son can get spotty service with Verizon around Gatlinburg.

[tass]

[QUOTE=Sandy of PA;1856615]I used a cheap Tracphone last year going thru the Smokies. Was able to call home every day from a ridgetop.[/QUO

Thanks, this might be something worth looking into. I've read about this on other sites also.

[flemdawg1]

Made a call from the top of Rocky Top in a fog back last Labor Day Weekend. I have a Verizon work phone. The reception was very weak and spotty south on the AT from Clingman's.

My buddy made a call from Spence Field Shelter last year too. At Mt Cammerer we had a couple of bars too, i think.

[flemdawg1]

He had Verizon.

[Many Moons]

What is so important?? I have two jobs, own a business, a large property,2 dogs, 3 elderly parents, 2 kids and a wife. I did not carry a cell for a 4 day this fall on a hike!! Don't worry, just hike. You might enjoy your hike more! Tell your peoples that you might not be able to reach them some days. Going off the grid is good! HIKE ON!!!

Miller

We are planning an April hike only through The Smokey Mountain NP section. Does anyone know what the cell service is like through there? I have read it is spotty at best, but I wondered if anyone was there recently and had any luck.

[tass]

Most definitely this is how I feel, off the grid is the only way to go, however, being a divorced mother of a 5 and 7 year old, the quick daily phone calls are something I feel is important enough to try to do on the trail being that I will be without my boys for an 8 day stretch (which is something very new to them!) I'm going to tell them there might be days I won't be able to talk to them, but I know I will have a little anxiety if I go 8 days without any contact with them. I'm feeling selfish/ guilty for going on this hike if I cannot make contact and at least talk to them once or twice during this trip. Still getting used to the idea, ya know? Call me silly.

[Chair-man]

Both Verizon & At&t have coverage maps. since the AT goes right along the TN NC border you can get an idea of where you have a chance of picking up signal. Looks like any signal you might get is coming from the TN side. Which means you should look for an unobstructed view to the north or NW.

click> Verizon Coverage Map
click> At&t Coverage Map

[GLIDER304GUIDER]

I just did a hike in the Smokies a few weeks ago. Had good coverage at Ice Water Springs shelter. Could not get a signal at the shelter on Mt LeConte. I was using a Verizon Iphone. Hope that helps.

[Malto]

Most definitely this is how I feel, off the grid is the only way to go, however, being a divorced mother of a 5 and 7 year old, the quick daily phone calls are something I feel is important enough to try to do on the trail being that I will be without my boys for an 8 day stretch (which is something very new to them!) I'm going to tell them there might be days I won't be able to talk to them, but I know I will have a little anxiety if I go 8 days without any contact with them. I'm feeling selfish/ guilty for going on this hike if I cannot make contact and at least talk to them once or twice during this trip. Still getting used to the idea, ya know? Call me silly.

Silly!

[tass]

Thank you! This was so nice of you! =)