Group Plans to Sue GSMNP Over Fees

[Spokes]

Group announces intent to sue Smokies over new backcountry camping fee |Knoxnews.com

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/se...kies-over-new/

[swjohnsey]

Why ain't someone suein' AMC and MAMC?

[hikerboy57]

gee. backpacking is sooooooo expensive.
we spend thousands of dollars on gear and transportation to the trail, but we object to a fee that amounts to far less than a monthly cell phone bill.

[Nutbrown]

What's wrong with supporting the facilities that we use? Bunch of cry babies I think.

[Train Wreck]

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong - I heard about this from a friend earlier this year who has been involved in the discussions over implementing the fee. I may not have the complete story, but I think the biggest problem was in the way the ruling was passed without regard to public opinion, and without a sufficient amount of due diligence being performed to demonstrate the need. And also the ongoing fear that it will set up a worrisome precedent for other publicly owned areas to just decide to arbitrarily impose fees at will.

[Different Socks]

C'mon this has to stop somewhere! Look at the Grand Canyon NP and other places. They charge you a fee to get in, a fee to get a permit and then a fee to use the permit.
And if i read the article correctly, AND GSMNP is one of the most visited parks in the country, is it really true they don't have an entrance fee? Millions of people getting in for free every year!! Is that right? And if it is, how about charging all those people for the money the park needs?

Here is what the article says:

Unlike other national parks throughout the system, the Smokies has never charged for backcountry camping, and it's the only national park to not charge an entrance fee.

So charge all those other people!

[swjohnsey]

According to it's last financial statement, the AMC is only worth about $120,000,000. They need the money.

[hikerboy57]

According to it's last financial statement, the AMC is only worth about $120,000,000. They need the money.

different discussion.

[tdoczi]

C'mon this has to stop somewhere! Look at the Grand Canyon NP and other places. They charge you a fee to get in, a fee to get a permit and then a fee to use the permit.
And if i read the article correctly, AND GSMNP is one of the most visited parks in the country, is it really true they don't have an entrance fee? Millions of people getting in for free every year!! Is that right? And if it is, how about charging all those people for the money the park needs?

Here is what the article says:

Unlike other national parks throughout the system, the Smokies has never charged for backcountry camping, and it's the only national park to not charge an entrance fee.

So charge all those other people!

charging an entrance fee at GSMNP is a practical impossibility as it would turn the only highway through the mountains for miles in either direction into, effectively, a toll road.

i always laugh at the claim of "most visited national park" that the smokies makes. if you didnt count cars that just drove through without ever leaving newfound gap road i doubt that statement would hold anywhere near true.

[10-K]

Charge an entry fee to the park, sell an E-Zpass equivalent to non-visitors who regularly travel the road and be done with it.

If a non-vistor just passing through doesn't want to pay what amounts to a toll they can drive around the park to avoid it.

[RED-DOG]

I wonder how this will affect long distance hikers coming to and from the park via the AT ?

[Train Wreck]

Charge an entry fee to the park, sell an E-Zpass equivalent to non-visitors who regularly travel the road and be done with it.

If a non-vistor just passing through doesn't want to pay what amounts to a toll they can drive around the park to avoid it.

That would definitely start some screaming from the Gatlinburg and Dollywood visitor contingent!!

[swjohnsey]

It will just be ignored like the rest of the unenforced and unenforceable BS rules and regulations they pass.

[moytoy]

The laws about charging entrance fees for GSMNP have been discussed on WB before. It all has to do with deed restrictions from Tennessee which prohibit such fees. These restrictions wouldn't apply to backcountry permits.

[Train Wreck]

charging an entrance fee at GSMNP is a practical impossibility as it would turn the only highway through the mountains for miles in either direction into, effectively, a toll road.

i always laugh at the claim of "most visited national park" that the smokies makes. if you didnt count cars that just drove through without ever leaving newfound gap road i doubt that statement would hold anywhere near true.

Agree. I don't see much validity in patting yourself on the back for refraining from a toll fee that would blatantly take advantage of geographic isolation. And a lot of the long-time residents in the area still remember the "Road to Nowhere" controversy (google if you don't know). I would expect most federal and park officials wouldn't touch this idea with a 10-foot trekking pole.

[gearfreak]

Not that it's going to break the bank, but I don't agree with the fees charged by any of OUR national parks. These assets belong to the American people not the American government, yet we must concede to extortion in order to use them. And as for the AT through the Smokies, citizens even provide the upkeep. A redirection of the tax dollars that are already being collected in order to cover the costs of operating these facilities would make more sense to me; however, these budgets are always the first to be slashed when cuts are made. Again, it's a small price to pay but where does it end?

[hikerboy57]

the american government belongs to the american people.we do need to shift priorities for sure, but again, it wont break the bank. getting through the whites, western maine and baxter state park has some logistics involved as well.itll add an element of "pain in the a**" to thrus going through gsmnp, but not the end of the world.

[moytoy]

Agree. I don't see much validity in patting yourself on the back for refraining from a toll fee that would blatantly take advantage of geographic isolation. And a lot of the long-time residents in the area still remember the "Road to Nowhere" controversy (google if you don't know). I would expect most federal and park officials wouldn't touch this idea with a 10-foot trekking pole.

It's a moot point because it's against the law to charge a fee on 441 across the GSMNP. The feds don't have a choice in this matter.

[Train Wreck]

It's a moot point because it's against the law to charge a fee on 441 across the GSMNP. The feds don't have a choice in this matter.

Exactly. So their bragging, excusing, whatever, about GSMNP never charging an entrance fee is seems like they're jumping to take undeserved credit for something that is beyond their control anyway.

[Northern Lights]

Seriously? It's 4.00! How much money is being wasted in the courts to sue over 4.00 freaking dollars.

I hiked the Smokies this spring and would not have had issue with a 4.00 fee. It's a beautiful NP and I don't think 4.00 is going to ruin anyone's good time in the park. When I was halfway through they hauled someone out of the park for medical, who pays for that now? I assume the tax payers, so maybe the 4.00 will lessen the amount you taxpayers have to pay for that type of incident.

It's 4.00 freaking dollars. How much do you spend on frivolous items when you go shopping. And if 4.00 is going to ruin your hike or make you go hungry then maybe you should re consider your priorities. Sheeesh 4.00 people, get a grip.