Smokey Mountain Stealth hiking

[ncmtns]

I know the rules say stay on the trail, but doesnt your curiosity get the best of you when you wonder what all those hollers and mountains are hiding in that park?

[orangebug]

It is a truly beautiful park, but also one full of dangers. It is possible to get into trouble from weather, critters and accidents - while staying on the trail. Going off trail and bushwhacking puts you at risk, and possibly an SAR team at risk.

If you choose to bushwhack and explore the back coves, don't go alone, please.

[SGT Rock]

As I understand it, you can get an off trail permit, but you need a plan before you get permission. I have thought about looking into this myself.

[Frosty]

There is a rule that you have to stay on the trails? Are you serious?

[SGT Rock]

There is a rule that you have to stay on the trails? Are you serious?

From the park regulations:

Camping in the backcountry is permitted only at established backcountry sites, except as authorized by a cross-country permit. Cross-country permits may not be self-issued and must be approved by a Ranger Activities employee or VIP. Cross-country camping (at other than designated sites) is permitted under the following conditions:

a. The maximum party size is four persons. The use of horses or other stock is prohibited.

b. The campsite must be at least one-half mile from any designated trail, one mile from any designated road and 100 feet from the nearest surface water.

c. Camping in spruce-fir, beech gaps or on grassy or heath balds is prohibited.

d. The duration of stay at each location cannot exceed one night and the same location cannot be used a second time on the same trip.

e. Wood fires are prohibited.

f. Campers are required to obliterate all traces of human presence upon leaving a cross-country camp.

g. Camping locations for each night should be as closely pinpointed as possible using natural landmarks or map coordinates, and trips are expected to follow the designated itinerary as closely as possible.

Cross-country hiking is a special use and requires special equipment, training and/or experience. These regulations are an attempt to permit this special use, while minimizing the potential impact on natural resources.

(b)(3) Camping within 100 feet of a flowing stream, river or body of water is permitted only at designated front and backcountry campsites.

Camping within 100 ft. of water normally increases erosion and sanitation problems in water sources.

The total regulations can be found here: http://www.nps.gov/grsm/gsmsite/comp...#_Toc447354551

including the reg about thru-hikers and permits:

Reservations are required because of the high demand for the limited space available.

The use of tents at shelters is prohibited except by persons qualifying as thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail (by definition an Appalachian thru-hiker is a backpacker who is using the Appalachian Trail exclusively while in the Park and whose trip begins and ends a minimum of fifty miles outside the Park). Thru-hikers may pitch tents outside shelters only when all bunks are otherwise occupied.

It is unrealistic to expect thru-hikers to obtain advance reservations when they do not know when they will be entering the Park.

Note: A Compendium of Orders for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail sets forth additional restrictions which apply to specific sections of the A.T. outside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. For information, contact the Appalachian National Scenic Trail office in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.

[flyfisher]

All that Sgt Rock quoted is not only true, it is enforced by a number of people in the park. This includes rangers, pig hunters, and ATC ridge runners.

I shake my head at these regulations, especially when remembering the wonderful AT trailway north and south of the Smokey Mountains which has no stringent regulation. What's to boot, the trail is prettier, better maintained, and it is also less crowded.

[Frosty]

Oh, okay. Camping. Mysery solved.

I knew that camping was only allowed at designated campsites. When the poster said you had to stay on the trails and not explore the backcountry, I thought he meant that one had to stay on (i.e., not set foot off) the trails. Not that many people want to bushwhack, but it seemed odd that there would be a rule about it.

[SGT Rock]

Well I figure that the rule was probably put there for a reason, but I think I can demonstrate a reasonable proficciency in land navigation and LNT camping. I hear tell there are some old roads and train track beds out there that go to some cool places but aren't on a map. I also assume that like anything, I should start small and build on it in order to get the Rangers to trust my abilities before I try planning long multi day trips in the back country. I figure if I get that sort of trust, maybe I can take some friends out there.

Then again, maybe I'll get a ranger job when I retire and bust y'alls balls over the regs

[Capt Chaos]

I do know of several routes throughout the park that people take quite often that are considered of trail. One being right of the A.T. on Thunderhead leading you through gullies and an old railroad bed and others throughout the Abram's Creek area where old roads lead you weaving all throughout the lowland area. If you get a hold of some old maps, you can have a lot of fun. Rock is right on the regulations. But if you can show rangers your experience level, then you should be fine. I really want to do some of this bushwacking stuff.

[ncmtns]

Maybe I need to pal up with an old indian in Cherokee who most likely has some good info.

[The Weasel]

Bushwhacking much off the AT can be a little risky, and not from blisters. Close to the Trail in a lot of NC and GA are marijuana plantations - it is NC's largest cash crop, now - which are often patrolled by people who are not nice and have big guns. That's another reason to ask a ranger about where it's safe to go.

The Weasel

[Nightwalker]

Then again, maybe I'll get a ranger job when I retire and bust y'alls balls over the regs

Ahh, you ain't never gonna retire. You'll get to twenty, and then thirty will start looking good to you. First Sergeant's nice and all but Command Sergeant Major has a ring all its own, doesn't it?

Plus, why retire on half pay when you can retire on full?

[Stuart]

There is an interesting story in the book LOST written by a GSMNP ranger on a resuce involving 2 young men probably had no business experience-wise going off trail. They jumped off the AT to avoid Rocky Top trying to hook up with Hazel Creek Trail. Another in the book about a young lady with experince off trail in the winter whom got into a rough spot. Reference to an old silver mine or something thereabouts is made. That would be neat to come across, but for me I'll stick to the 900 miles of trail in the park. They alone will take me within the park sufficiently, but I do wonder with no trails coming down the north side between the Boulevard and that long stretch to around Tricorner I have wondered.

[veteran]

Try these sites:

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/map_it...k.+-+Image%201

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage...ic+information

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/nphtml/gsmhome.html

http://www.cs.utk.edu/~dunigan/gsmnp/mrsid.php

[ncmtns]

Alot of good stuff there, thanx alot! Rumor has it the 'Little People" still abide deep in the untouched recluses of these hollers. Maybe I will get lucky...

[zephyr1034]

[QUOTE=Capt Chaos]I do know of several routes throughout the park that people take quite often that are considered of trail.

================================================== ===========

Some others that I've heard about over the years:

1. From the Sugarland Mountain Trail to the Chimney Tops.
2. From the upper campsite on Porter's Creek to the AT at Dry Sluice Gap.
3. From the Gregory Bald Trail at the site of an old poplar tree (destroyed by lightning in 1974) to Ekanalee (sp?) Gap.
4. From Ramsey Cascades to the AT on Mt. Guyot.

I'm not recommending that anyone hike any of these, and #2 is reported to be especially dangerous. But I've read about all of them. They are sometimes called "manways."

Tom

[Jack Tarlin]

People should be aware that they take a VERY dim view of illegal camping in the Park, and if one elects to stealth or to stay at unofficial sites, you risk fine, arrest, and/or expulsion from the Park.

I'm not saying don't do it. I'm merely saying that one shouldn't complain if one gets in serious trouble while doing so.

[SGT Rock]

People should be aware that they take a VERY dim view of illegal camping in the Park, and if one elects to stealth or to stay at unofficial sites, you risk fine, arrest, and/or expulsion from the Park.

I'm not saying don't do it. I'm merely saying that one shouldn't complain if one gets in serious trouble while doing so.

I think that is why I would try to get a real cross country permit if I were going to do it.

[Deerleg]

I know the rules say stay on the trail, but doesnt your curiosity get the best of you when you wonder what all those hollers and mountains are hiding in that park?

If you’re confident in your navigation skills is there any problem spending the day hiking that hollow that is off the trail? I live close to an area called the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area. No overnight camping anywhere in the park, but a great place to hike “off trail”. Some of my best hikes have been in areas that there are no trails….just my desire to see what’s over the next ridge…usually lots of deer, turkey and interesting old homesteads long abandon and covered again by the forest, glades of daffodils probably planted a hundred years ago and now seen only by a few that venture off trail. I hope there aren’t any regulations against wondering the hills in our national parks and recreation areas.

[tlbj6142]

4. From Ramsey Cascades to the AT on Mt. Guyot.

Now that's one I'd be interested in. I've always wanted to visit Ramsey Cascades on a trip, but as its on a 5mile "dead-end" route, I never could find a means to squeeze it in. I've often wondered why its not connected to the rest of the nearby trails.