Not free ?

[skinnbones]

I'm reading that there is a $20.00 permit fee to hike through SNP. I thought one aspect that made the trail special was that it was free of charge. Is this fee new? Are there any other permits that charge a fee? Thanks.

[egilbe]

Baxter State Park charges a fee.

[GoldenBear]

CORRECTON: although the link below would indicate you must pay to enter the Park on foot, apparently the Rangers don't charge for doing so. So I'm changing what I wrote.

It could be interpreted that there's a $10 fee for an individual to enter the Park on foot.
https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvis...rance_fees.htm
There's no fee to self-register for back-country camping, and the kiosks with such forms are along the A.T., at both the north and the south entrance of the Park.
https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvis...pbc_permit.htm
https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/campbc_regs.htm

A free permit is required for each backcountry camping party

[skinnbones]

Why did I think that the trail was cost free for thru hikers? Oh well, learn something new every day.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I'm reading that there is a $20.00 permit fee to hike through SNP. I thought one aspect that made the trail special was that it was free of charge. Is this fee new? Are there any other permits that charge a fee? Thanks.

It was free at one time (edit: until fairly recently actually), but times they are a changin'.

Great Smokey Mountain national park now charges a permit fee for thru hikers. I have not heard of any fee for thru hiking Shenandoah National Park, but don't take my word for it.

[johnnybgood]

It is still free for backpackers entering Shenandoah National Park via a hiking trail .

[Diamondlil]

There is no fee to hike the AT thru the SNP


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[rafe]

I didn't pay to hike through either SNP or GSMNP. But I did pay at Baxter SP on each of my visits.

I paid small fees at shelters and campsites in GMC and AMC territory.

[Studlintsean]

As others have said, it is $20 to enter the park via car (per carload). You can walk in through the gate for $10 (new to me) or via a trail for free. If you start at the north or south points, you will be walking in so there will be no fee. Just an FYI if you plan to come back, an annual pass is $40 and well worth it if you live decently close.

[Nooga]

The Thru Hiker permit for the GSMNP is $20.

[Gambit McCrae]

There is no fee to hike the AT thru the SNP


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Just hiked thru the park this year, in the last 2 months or so. Entering the park we kindly told the park ranger we were hiking the AT to Waynseboro VA, and they did not charge us. When our trail angel dropped us back off and we went thru the toll, we kindly told them she was just dropping us off that we had just finished hiking the AT, no charge either time.

[peakbagger]

Baxter State Park charges a fee. Technically BSP doesn't charge a fee for hiking through the park but except for those intrepid folks who day hike in from Abol Bridge, summit and leave the park in the same day, there is $10 fee per night to stay in the Birches if there is space and the individual is thru hiker. If the Birches is full or the individual does not meet the definition of thru hiker, then reservations have to be made at a cost for a designated campsite or shelter. Stealth camping is not permitted and those caught will at a minimum be escorted out of the park

There is no entrance fee to the park for individuals but there is a road fee for any vehicle with out of state license plates.

This link to the BSP site may help http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com/hiking/at.htm