Well OK that answers that question I didn't know that the parks where closed to overnight camping, thanks. Is the national forest still open to overnights?
Campgrounds aren't and parking lots might be closed at popular places due to overcrowding problems. You'd have to check on an site by site bases.Originally Posted by krshome
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There are links to specific national forests on the left side of this page:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/covid19-updates
Thanks for the updates guys
I checked Cherokee National Forest...
“Boat launches, most trailheads, and the general forest area, including trails and river corridors, will remain open to hiking, biking, boating, dispersed camping, hunting, fishing, etc.”
Except all AT trailheads are closed.
Does anyone have info about the free sites along Tellico River Rd and the sites on the FS road driving up to Farr Gap? Asking for a friend.
Below are numbers you can call and find out.
In addition to closing camping and group recreation sites, all Cherokee National Forest offices are operating virtually until further notice. This means many employees are teleworking and are no longer doing business in person. To protect the health and safety of employees and customers, no face-to-face meetings are being scheduled. However, continuing service to the public during this time is very important. Customers needing information, permits and maps are encouraged to visit the website https://www.fs.usda.gov/cherokee/ or call the nearest Cherokee National Forest office during regular business hours for assistance:
Ocoee Ranger District: 423-338-3300
Tellico Ranger District: 423-397-8455
Watauga Ranger District: 423-735-1500
Unaka Ranger District: 423-638-4109
Forest Supervisor’s Office: 423-476-9700
Last edited by gpburdelljr; 04-07-2020 at 08:34.
why not day hike with a full backpack and then back yard tent using the gear and food etc you carried? Probably want to use the indoor bathroom at home instead of digging cat holes in your back yard but, hey man, it IS your yard.
https://tinyurl.com/MyFDresults
A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. ~Paul Dudley White
Vernon township in NJ has started trying to control crowds at the two most popular AT parking/trailheads: the boardwalk (rt 517) and Stairway to Heaven (rt 94). I believe the two efforts are limiting parking and assigning a trail steward to limit numbers/encourage distancing.
Graham County in North Carolina has closed its borders to all non-residents. Law enforcement has set up roadblocks to prevent any non-resident from entering the county. Can't imagine that they haven't taken the AT into account and are ready to turn any hikers away.
https://www.trailjournals.com/journal/entry/627512 Interesting journal to read. This guy doesn't seem to be particularly worried about Covid. He has just made it to Damascus and is staying in a hostel. Maybe Lone Wolf can enlighten us about restrictions in that part of Virginia. This guy has also stayed in at least 2 hostels in North Carolina after the Governor ordered all such establishments closed. Note that one of his buddies had to be rescued from Wautauga Lake after he capsized the kayak he was in. So much for social distancing. And when did people start aqua-blazing this section of trail?
Shenandoah NP is now 100% closed.
https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/alerts.htm
I can't imagine the National Forests closing like this b/c of the private inholdings. To cut off dispersed camping in the USFS would also displace some marginally homeless people. It's even called "dispersed camping", so sounds like a pretty safe thing to do.
Be Prepared
Allegheny National Forest in PA is even closed to dispersed camping (recent announcement).
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Article on the impact to the Doyle Hotel due to trail shutdown
“Could a coronavirus shutdown of the Appalachian Trail threaten a historic Pennsylvania hotel?“
https://www.inquirer.com/news/appala...-20200413.html
Hope they can hang on through this.
Whoever it is who awards certificates and badges for completing NH 4000 footers, New England 100 highest and so on announced today that any of these peaks climbed while New England states have "stay at home" orders will not count towards the awards. A vain attempt to keep people "from away", away.
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That's interesting. I googled all the new England stay at home state orders (CT, MA, VT, NH, ME) and they all allow outdoor exercise and several mention hiking / state parks as allowed. now if any state later revised their orders I could have missed it. The health care experts in each state allow it and consider it low risk, but this organization does not like it.
Yeah, the sensible precautions taken most everywhere have been accompanied by a fair amount of over-reactions and posturing, IMO.
The 4000 footer club is basically an AMC gig. As such, some over-reaction and posturing is not unexpected.
At some point, in the very near future, people are going to have to actually risk going outside and seeing and [gasp] interacting with other people in their general vicinity again. Actually, they'll more likely have to get back to work (and around other people) - that is IF they still have any work to go back to. Hopefully they will, especially when the government checks stop coming. Because poverty, along with loss of access to healthcare kills a lot of the same people COVID-19 does - older, underlying health issues, poor, etc. Don't underestimate the economic impact of what we are currently doing and how many will die as a result. There are some geographic areas where draconian measures seem to be necessary - New York and vicinity being the most obvious along with others. But many others, not so much.
I work with 100's of people everyday. We often can't maintain "social distancing". We've started wearing masks only recently, we wash our hands, wipe down surfaces, etc. That's about it. Millions of people - roughly half the workforce is "essential". You would think, given our close interaction and often less than optimal workplace hygiene, that we "essential workers" would be dropping like flies if the "hikers on a trail are a big risk" standard were applied. But we aren't. Yes, ultimately, some of us will get sick. Some will even die. Life is not guaranteed nor without risk. There are lots of other contagious diseases that can kill us too. We are likely going to live with this particular virus around for some significant time. Vaccines take a year and likely more. We're going to have to get back to living our lives, which includes stuff like hiking and other recreation, with added precautions to mitigate the spread. But a few hikers, outside, in a rural area, passing each other on a trail simply does not constitute the major public health concern it's being made out to be.
They also advise staying close to home to get that outdoor exercise, not to travel long distances to get there. Those of us who live in rural areas not yet affected would like it to stay that way and discouraging people from high risk areas from coming here is important. You think the AT is crowded in the spring? You should see a NH 4000 footer trailhead on the weekend. Cars spill out onto the highway for 1/2 mile in both directions. 90% of them from out of state. There can be literally a 100 people on a 3 mile trail to the summit and there are 48 of these trailheads. Over reaction? I don't think so. This is MY backyard. Stay in your own backyard.
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Yes, some local and State parks are open, however people either not used to them, not caring, or both have managed to close several good sized parks in CT and other States. Litter, public defecation, overflowing trashcans, reckless use of wheeled equipment, and over crowding to the point social distancing is no longer manageable, will close these facilities over time.
There are many differences between the AT and State/local parks however which parks don't necessarily have to be concerned with but the ATC has to take into account. Camping areas and shelters are required use in many States, many States have closed these to prevent disease spread. This will probably lead to scofflaws camping illegally with all that comes with it, including forced trail closure by landowners that will not be short term. Also, unlike State/local parks, the AT is a route that takes hikers into rural areas where exposure becomes a more serious issue for small communities, so the potential for illness to travel the AT easily presents a problem with only one known mitigation, recommending against hiking it until circumstances change.
Except it's not YOUR backyard. Most of it, such as WMNF, belongs to "the people" collectively. That you live near it doesn't confer special privilege.
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