Permit for Backcountry camping

[Bowlegs]

A.T. 2012 thru hiker NOBO... Do I register at Fontana not knowing exactly which shelter I would be staying at. Rules say no tenting at shelter, though plenty have when crowds move in. I tried to search forum before asking, but could not get a direct answer. Thanks in advance!

[Rasty]

I think you are required to state which sellers you are staying at.

[Slo-go'en]

You get a permit at Fontana dam, write in THRU_HIKER and where it says to list where your staying, write "as required by my pace".

The chance anyone will actually look or ask for your permit is slim. The last two times I was through there, never once was asked for it. I was just going to carry a blank one. The rules say you need to have the permit attached to your pack, but they don't say it has to be filled in.

You are allowed to tent if the shelter is full up.

[Bowlegs]

Thanks a bunch Slo!

[Bearpaw]

Be sure to check in again before your thru-hike. What has been stated here is correct right now, but the park is looking at a whole new system requiring fees and online registration. This may or may not come to pass. There has been a great deal of debate about whether or not the "thru-hiker" permit will continue. It sounds like it may, even if others have to log in and pay to hike.

Just be sure to follow up before you step off from Springer. Right now, the system is pretty flexible. Let's hope it stays that way.

[Papa D]

As a thru-hiker, you don't have to tell them what shelter - just fill out the permit and put the yellow part in your pack -- you can guess at where you will be but they won't hold you to it -- like the prev. posters have said, they are pretty flexible -- I just hiked the park last week -- it was snowy -- I saw a ranger just south of Davenport and no one after that.

[moldy]

One of the confusions you encounter when filling out the form is that are no posted directions. There is no mention of how to fill it out if you are a thru-hiker and no person to ask. My opinion here is that you should in fact, predict when and where you are likely to be at the end of each day. This is so you can be tracked if anything goes wrong. You should also indicate that you are a thru-hiker so that the Park trail Nazi's can see that it's just a guess so that you can't be held to that schedule. I think they enjoy the fact that the rules for filling out the form are unclear for thru hikers so they can bust anyone who crosses them. So if you were to smart-off to one of them he can look at your paper and find something wrong. You should also know that if you arrive at the dam after the little gift shop is closed you will have to find the place where they keep the forms and the deposit box on your own. No signs to direct you here. Go through the alcove to the left of the door to the shop, then left again near a coke machine. There is or was another spot to register for NOBO's, when you first come out of the woods at the marina next to a coke machine.

[Camping Dave]

One of the confusions you encounter when filling out the form is that are no posted directions. There is no mention of how to fill it out if you are a thru-hiker and no person to ask. My opinion here is that you should in fact, predict when and where you are likely to be at the end of each day. This is so you can be tracked if anything goes wrong. You should also indicate that you are a thru-hiker so that the Park trail Nazi's can see that it's just a guess so that you can't be held to that schedule. I think they enjoy the fact that the rules for filling out the form are unclear for thru hikers so they can bust anyone who crosses them. So if you were to smart-off to one of them he can look at your paper and find something wrong. You should also know that if you arrive at the dam after the little gift shop is closed you will have to find the place where they keep the forms and the deposit box on your own. No signs to direct you here. Go through the alcove to the left of the door to the shop, then left again near a coke machine. There is or was another spot to register for NOBO's, when you first come out of the woods at the marina next to a coke machine.

Why would you fill it out differently if you were a thru-hiker vice not? (I never hiked that area, but it seems strange that there are different rules.)

[Pedaling Fool]

There's just no need to, that is only for reservations so that the park officials can ensure you're sticking to your itinerary, thru-hikers don't have a schedule. I always just write "THRU-HIKER" in big words across that section of the permit. No reason even to guesstimate, because you don't have a reserved spot anyway, that's why you (as a thru) gotta tent out if the shelter is full.

[hunter121]

That is a great site!A lot of useful information here.

[bigcranky]

Why would you fill it out differently if you were a thru-hiker vice not? (I never hiked that area, but it seems strange that there are different rules.)

Non-thru-hikers require reservations for each night in the backcountry, and they are required to put the locations on the permit. These reservations are made 30 days in advance.

Thru-hikers can't know when they are getting to the park, thus they can't make reservations, so the park allows them to put "thru-hiker" on the permit and just stop wherever. During the thru-hiking season the park automatically reserves several bunks at each shelter for thrus, and extra thrus are allowed to camp near the shelter.

[Tipi Walter]

Also, prepare to shell out cash for every night spent in the Park.

[Storm]

Tipi, why do you have to shell out cash. Never heard of that before. Do they charge you and if so how much?

[Tipi Walter]

Tipi, why do you have to shell out cash. Never heard of that before. Do they charge you and if so how much?

Are you not aware of the new proposal in the Park to require all sites to be reservation-only with a registration fee coupled with a nightly use fee?? It's coming down the pike.

[Storm]

Thanks Tipi, yes I have heard about the new regulations they are thinking about implementing. Thought you meant they already had fees in place. Thanks for clearing that up.