I heard rumors of shelter closures do to bear activity. I'm going from Neels Gap to Damascus starting June 14th. Do I need to be concerned with closures??????
I heard rumors of shelter closures do to bear activity. I'm going from Neels Gap to Damascus starting June 14th. Do I need to be concerned with closures??????
going through the Park---yes, you will have to worry about closures......
there are a few closed down right now....
As far at AT Thru hikers are concerned... TNHiker is referencing the fact that GSMNP has temporarily closed the shelter where the recent bear attack occurred as well as the neighboring about 2 miles away. But all other shelters in GSMNP along the AT are currently open.
With warnings (which could lead to closures) at 4 of the AT shelters ........
spence/russell are the ones mentioned aboved that are closed. that's about 150 miles into your hike... so by the time you leave and get there, there could be other closures and/or those could be reopened
So just check the NPS site when you're closer
https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvis...proadclose.htm
Aside from those GSMNP shelters currently closed due to bear activity, the ATC & NPS et al. are discussing decommissioning selected shelters along the AT. This is a piece of the new P.A.T.H.E. plan. (Preserving The Appalachian Trail Experience). This is part of a broader plan to eliminate them all together, as there is a conservationist view they create more problems in terms of trail impact than they are worth. I know ya'll aren't going to believe this so if you're interested I'd be happy to fwd you my e-mails from Mr. Andrew Downs the ATC's Central and Southwest Virginia Regional Director. Clearly, removing ALL shelters makes no sense however, not building new ones and removing the decrepit old ones without replacement is a serious topic of conversation. Shelters are unique to the AT, and the AT has some pretty unique overpopulation problems currently.
Standing Indian Mountain Shelter was closed we when walked past it on our section hike to Fontana currently in progress.
As well as many camp sites in North Carolina.
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Weren't there a couple in Georgia as well? Maybe those were temporary closures.
Watauga Lake Shelter, near Hampton, TN, is closed due to bear activity.
See you on the trail,
mt squid
how to hike
The bear activity is no joke. Almost everyone I spoke to going through the Smokies saw at least one bear. A guy got stuck at the fire tower for half an hour cause a bear wouldn't leave. At Crosby shelter a bear stole a woman's boot and probably the same one came right up on the shelter and wouldn't leave even when people threw rocks at it.
So hang your bags people!