Tent Camping rules

[HeartoftheTrail]

I will be section hiking on and off for the next few years and saw that thread about not being allowed to tent camp in the smokies. Was wandering if anyone else could inform me of some of the rules I'm not aware of yet.

Thanks in advance

[dmax]

You're allowed to tent camp in most of the Smokies, but only at designated sites. On the AT however, you must stay in the shelters. Unless that is, if you are thru hiking and the shelter is full, you have the option of piching a tent, outside of the shelter.

[HeartoftheTrail]

Thanks man

anyone else have anything to offer?

[HeartoftheTrail]

Thanks man

anyone else have anything to offer?

[Heater]

Thanks man

anyone else have anything to offer?

No dogs allowed except "service dogs" in the Smokies and Baxter.

And, as a general rule, dogs on the trail suck, shelters suck, cellphones suck, trekking poles suck, guns... yep, they suck... and most of the time, trail magic sucks.

<<<< sucks!

[Tractor]

I think you can find all the official Smokies rules on the park website. I pitched twice while there, both times due to shleter overcrowding.

I visited your OutdoorSource yesterday by the way. Nice folks and a fair amount of useable bits.

[trailmomma4]

And, as a general rule, dogs on the trail suck, shelters suck, cellphones suck, trekking poles suck, guns... yep, they suck... and most of the time, trail magic sucks.

WOW!! You've been hanging around LW too much! Surely everything can't suck?

[Heater]

Surely everything can't suck?

That'd be right...

[beeman]

yeah , well, I can tell you for sure that vacuums suck! Unless you put the hose on the outlet side. THen it really blows...

[Cookerhiker]

Shelters rock!

[rafe]

WOW!! You've been hanging around LW too much! Surely everything can't suck?

It either sucks or blows. Yin and yang.

[Tin Man]

yeah , well, I can tell you for sure that vacuums suck! Unless you put the hose on the outlet side. THen it really blows...

You meant water filters, right?

[double d]

From what I understand and as others have noted, you are required to tent within sight of a shelter and this is regulated by park rules. Good luck and have fun.

[Appalachian Tater]

If you you are thru-hiking with the mass of thru-hikers and prefer to tent over staying in the shelter and get there "early", don't worry, plenty of people will show up who prefer the shelter. On the other hand, be prepared to tent even if you don't want to. The whole point is to minimize impact by maximizing shelter use over tenting, I believe, but it doesn't really matter who is in or out as far as who gets there first.

[Pedaling Fool]

If you you are thru-hiking with the mass of thru-hikers and prefer to tent over staying in the shelter and get there "early", don't worry, plenty of people will show up who prefer the shelter...

This was true for me through the smokies, never had to stay in those shelters. Here's the rules for the smokies http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/...s&cutoffdate=7

[Heater]

If you you are thru-hiking with the mass of thru-hikers and prefer to tent over staying in the shelter and get there "early", don't worry, plenty of people will show up who prefer the shelter. On the other hand, be prepared to tent even if you don't want to. The whole point is to minimize impact by maximizing shelter use over tenting, I believe, but it doesn't really matter who is in or out as far as who gets there first.

I thought long distance hikers with +50 miles on-trail (non-paying?) had to give up space for those that entered the park straight from off-trail.

Maybe its a paying/Non-paying sort of thing.

[Rcarver]

From April 1st thru May 31st, the park service reserves 4 spaces for thru hikers. The rest of the year they allow reservations for all shelter spaces. There is not a fee for the Smokies.

[Heater]

From April 1st thru May 31st, the park service reserves 4 spaces for thru hikers. The rest of the year they allow reservations for all shelter spaces. There is not a fee for the Smokies.

Thanks, Rcarver.

[Heater]

So, what was the +50 trail miles thing I was thinking of about. (am I losing it)
I thought it was permit fees. Hmmmm....

[Appalachian Tater]

I thought long distance hikers with +50 miles on-trail (non-paying?) had to give up space for those that entered the park straight from off-trail.

Maybe its a paying/Non-paying sort of thing.

I don't think it has anything to do with payment, it has to do with reservations. There are spots reserved for thru-hikers and all the other spots may not be reserved and are supposed to be filled before anyone tents. I'm just saying that if you get there early and there are spots open and it's during thru-hiking season it is likely that someone will show up who will take the shelter space and let you tent.