Average time to complete smoky Mountain national park?

[Goatgas]

A week? Ten days?

[liteweight]

I would plan five nights.

[MuddyWaters]

A week for average people with heavy packs.

Many will do it in 5-6

[Gambit McCrae]

Also depends on the weather. Muddy is pretty spot on with 5-6 but with snow it'll prolly slow you down to add another day or so.

I did it in 4 nights

[map man]

A week for average people with heavy packs.

Many will do it in 5-6

+1 to this..

[MockingJay]

You also have to figure in that you are required to stay at the shelters or designated campsites and they aren't spaced evenly on the trail. Agree, 5-6 days to do the 70+ miles is accurate unless you can do big miles. Ran into a couple of section hikers recently who did it in 4 days but they had to do some night hiking to make that happen.

[colorado_rob]

I would plan five nights.

Seems about right. We did it in 4 nights, but we were cruising, anxious to get out of there, though beautiful, it was way crowded for our tastes. Having to stay at packed shelters, etc. This is one stretch I'd like to repeat in the fall sometime. Or even winter.

[liteweight]

The park thought the average nights were five. When talking to the previous sup he said that's why they capped the permit fee at $20.00.

[HooKooDooKu]

The GSMNP thru-hiker permit only allows for 8 days to traverse the park.

You can obtain the permit upto 30 days before you enter the park. But once you enter the park within those 30 days, your permit expires after 8 days. So the only way your permit remains valid for the "upto 38 days" listed on the web site is if you enter the park on the 30th day after obtaining the permit.

If you plan to take longer, you would be required to obtain a general hiker permit where you are required to obtain a reservation for each camp site you plan to stay at.

[redseal]

4 days for me and my wife, but I think that may be a bit fast. Either way, here is a link to the final trip report to maybe help with planning. http://www.backpackingengineer.com/a...win-tn-day-11/

[QiWiz]

I would plan five nights.

+1 yes, unless you are carrying a heavier pack than you should and/or are not in any kind of hiking shape and/or want to take your time.

[Seatbelt]

Seems about right. We did it in 4 nights, but we were cruising, anxious to get out of there, though beautiful, it was way crowded for our tastes. Having to stay at packed shelters, etc. This is one stretch I'd like to repeat in the fall sometime. Or even winter.

Fall is terribly crowded with all the "leaf-peepers". I found winter to be ok and late spring is not bad--after the main bubble is gone.

[Captain Bluebird]

Fall is terribly crowded with all the "leaf-peepers". I found winter to be ok and late spring is not bad--after the main bubble is gone.

When is the "thru" bubble gone? That is when I would like to section the GSMNP.

[Praha4]

depends on how many days you get sucked into Gatlinburg.....

[rafe]

When is the "thru" bubble gone? That is when I would like to section the GSMNP.

Probably starting to wane around the end of April, I'd guess.

[TNhiker]

Probably starting to wane around the end of April, I'd guess.

kinda more like the middle of may....

i was up there a few years ago during may, and basically every shelter was full of thruhikers.......


for a section hike of the park----i would pick mid summer or early september, right after schools start up.....

or mid winter....

there will never be complete solitude along the trail in the park as there's always people on the trail.....

[HooKooDooKu]

I would pick mid summer and save lower elevation hikes for Spring and Fall.

[NewHeart]

A week for average people with heavy packs.

Many will do it in 5-6

What's a heavy pack?

[Skyline]

Unless it's a very dry year (water sources iffy or dry) mid-to-late September is great. Leaf peepers aren't there yet. Weather isn't extreme one way or the other. Usually.

[MuddyWaters]

What's a heavy pack?

35-40 pounds +