Carrying a Tent in GSMNP Yes or No

[Jagger]

I am hiking from Fontana Dam to Davenport Gap from Sept. 27- Oct. 3 and will be staying in the shelters as required. I was thinking about not carrying my tent to save some weight, but instead carrying a bivy sack instead ( in case of emergency ). Anyone have any thoughts or advice?

[moldy]

You need to carry some sort of shelter. Lots can happen to you like getting lost or hurt or you could get caught by darkness etc. You could also find the shelter full. Last October there was a hiker named solo who without his tent would be dead right now. Check his story out on Trail Journals.com, 2012, solo, October 30.

[Pedaling Fool]

I used a bivy once and will never do it again. All tents get wet, but in a bivy you're in constant contact with that moisture, because it's so small. And there was no room to spread out, which is not a big deal when it's cold out, but is when it's warm it really sucks.

[max patch]

Assume you will actually have to use the bivy. If you are ok with that then go ahead. Personally, I'd take my tent.

[Omaha_Ace]

I am hiking from Fontana Dam to Davenport Gap from Sept. 27- Oct. 3 and will be staying in the shelters as required. I was thinking about not carrying my tent to save some weight, but instead carrying a bivy sack instead ( in case of emergency ). Anyone have any thoughts or advice?

I'll be in GSMNP 8/31 - 9/5 and am just planning on bringing my 8*9 Tyvek tarp - good to sleep on in a shelter, easy lean-to / A-frame tent in a pinch. Less than a pound.

[Slo-go'en]

Personally, I would not bother with a tent or bivy. But if you want some insurance, the bivy would be more practical.

It of course depends on extactly where you are, but there aren't many places along the trail in the GSMNP where you could set up a tent. With a bivy you only need a spot big enough to lay down - in the middle of the trail if no where else. If you can't make a shelter, it probably means you can't move period (like you broke something).

[Ox97GaMe]

The only place you will need a tent in the Smokies is if you either...
a) plan to stay at the Birch Springs CS#113 near Shuckstack
b) plan to take some side trips that will take you to campsites away from the AT
c) want to be prepared in case of an emergency

The shelters are close enough together that getting to your destination should not be an issue, especially in Sept. The AT is easy to follow, even in the dark with a headlamp. The shelters are not likely to be full that time of year. You will be required to get your backcountry permit before you go into the Smokies (not thru hiker season), so you will know that you have a spot if you are on your reservation schedule.

There are 4 sections that may cause concern for an inexperienced or out of shape hiker:
a) the climb from Fontana to Shuckstack
b) the climb from Davenport Gap to Cosby Knob (if SOBO)
c) the hike between Spence Field and Derrick Knob (over Thunderhead either direction)
d) the climb from Double Springs to Clingman's Dome (over Mt Buckley)

the rest of the AT in the park is easy to moderate hiking when broken up in 6 mile chunks.

Early Sept is usually hot and dry in the Smokies. We have had a lot of rain so far this summer, but it will only take 3-4 weeks of hot, dry weather for the springs to dry up at the higher elevations.

[Rasty]

I would be very tempted to just carry a small tarp. But can guarantee I would pack my tent right before leaving. I've spent many nights with reservations for shelters and almost always slept in my tent in the park.

[Wise Old Owl]

Tarp or poncho, guys and ti pegs. Ul pad and under that a space blanket... disposable no see-um as a head cover 4x4foot. Get it as light as possible.

Here is a sample with a Sea to Summit Sil Nylon..

[Jagger]

I would be very tempted to just carry a small tarp. But can guarantee I would pack my tent right before leaving. I've spent many nights with reservations for shelters and almost always slept in my tent in the park.

Rasty, I'm a little confused...I thought you "had" to stay in a shelter if you weren't a "thru hiker" ( I understand the definition in GSMNP )? Do they overbook the shelters? If I had a choice I would carry my tent and never stay in the shelters as I'm not a fan of mice, snooring, etc. Am I missing something?

[Emerson Bigills]

If you don't bring a tent or some other "shelter" you need to have a plan. I did that section around mid-Sept last year and didn't bring a tent. There was always plenty of space in the shelters. Probably not the smartest thing to do, but worst case scenario, I have one crappy night with little or no sleep. Even though there was shelter space, there was always someone looking for an excuse to pitch their tent and escape sleeping in the shelter. Not certain I would try it any later than you are scheduled for your hike. That ridgeline can be pretty extreme in almost any season, I would not want to be "under prepared" even in mid-October.

[Rasty]

I would be very tempted to just carry a small tarp. But can guarantee I would pack my tent right before leaving. I've spent many nights with reservations for shelters and almost always slept in my tent in the park.

Rasty, I'm a little confused...I thought you "had" to stay in a shelter if you weren't a "thru hiker" ( I understand the definition in GSMNP )? Do they overbook the shelters? If I had a choice I would carry my tent and never stay in the shelters as I'm not a fan of mice, snooring, etc. Am I missing something?

It is confusing. If it's busy at the shelter and it's full then just tent. No reason to investigate who shouldn't be there.

[Alligator]

Bring something in case you have an emergency. I would bring a tarp personally, but that's generally what I use anyway.

[RF_ace]

you can get a tent thats is under 2 pounds, best to have it just in case

[Drybones]

I'd at least take a tarp and know how to set it up efficiently. I have a 26 oz tent I would take, bad thing about tarps is if you have heavy rain and dont have them in a good location run off can be a problem. I've had to set my tent up after dark and woke up in a small pond, the bathtub floor in the tent kept me dry where everything would have been soaked under a tarp.

[Pedaling Fool]

Rasty, I'm a little confused...I thought you "had" to stay in a shelter if you weren't a "thru hiker" ( I understand the definition in GSMNP )? Do they overbook the shelters? If I had a choice I would carry my tent and never stay in the shelters as I'm not a fan of mice, snooring, etc. Am I missing something?

It's not that they overbook, rather it's thru-hikers that are the issue. Not just AT Thru-hikers, but also LD hikers that qualify as thru-hikers under GSMNP rules (someone that's hiking thru the park and that starts and ends at least 50 miles before and after the park boundaries). Then I guess you got people that don't stick to their schedule; I have no idea how common that is.

You'll be going thru in a period in which there are no NOBO AT thruhikers, but you should see some SOBO'ers and whatever number of LD thru-hikers and then those that can't stick to their schedule. So it's possible to have too many people for shelter capacity.

In my experience, when that happens it's pretty easy to volunteer to tent out, because it seems like the majority want to use the shelter. You as a section hiker is suppose to shelter, but I imagine if you volunteer to tent out, then you'll probably be seen as a "cool dude". However, I'm not sure how a ranger would see you, but I imagine most wouldn't care as long as the shelter is full

[4Bears]

With the minimal weight premium of a light weight tent, I would take a tent, not much different than most of the bivys I have seen and a whole lot more comfortable in a pinch. Besides your pack gets lighter every day, after day 2 it really weighs nothing.

[TIDE-HSV]

It's not that they overbook, rather it's thru-hikers that are the issue. Not just AT Thru-hikers, but also LD hikers that qualify as thru-hikers under GSMNP rules (someone that's hiking thru the park and that starts and ends at least 50 miles before and after the park boundaries). Then I guess you got people that don't stick to their schedule; I have no idea how common that is.

You'll be going thru in a period in which there are no NOBO AT thruhikers, but you should see some SOBO'ers and whatever number of LD thru-hikers and then those that can't stick to their schedule. So it's possible to have too many people for shelter capacity.

In my experience, when that happens it's pretty easy to volunteer to tent out, because it seems like the majority want to use the shelter. You as a section hiker is suppose to shelter, but I imagine if you volunteer to tent out, then you'll probably be seen as a "cool dude". However, I'm not sure how a ranger would see you, but I imagine most wouldn't care as long as the shelter is full

I've had to tent a couple of times and got checked by a ranger without incident. Both just listened to my explanation and checked my permit. One went in the shelter, questioned the hikers and gave out a citation. The only other time I've seen a citation given out was at Walnut Bottoms. A couple of guys were camped there when their permit was for another site. The ranger wrote them both a citation and offered to write them a new permit for Walnut Bottoms. They refused, broke camp and almost literally stomped off. I think that, if he hadn't been wearing a badge and gun, they would have cursed him. I was doing a lot of camping in the east end of the park at the time and had gotten to know the ranger (Big Creek). He was a very nice guy but firm...

[Kerosene]

I would bring the lightest tarp or bivy I could find, ideally less than 8 ounces. If you're forced to use something, it would likely only be for one, potentially less-than-ideal night. I certainly wouldn't go out and buy a new tent or carry 2+ pounds of extra weight. I've seen thin plastic tarps over a guyline that would be fine for an emergency pitch.

[Jagger]

This has been very helpful, but I'm still undecided on what to do. Let me explain a little more and try and narrow my thoughts. First, I have a Big Agnes Fly Creek UL tent that weighs a little less than 3lbs and I really like it so spending a ton of money is not an option ( hopefully can find a solutions for under $50? ) Under normal circumstances I would carry this and use it 90% of the time vs. using the shelter. Even though I don't like shelters I will honor the GSMNP rules and use them...unless there is some type of emergency. My guess is there won't be a ton of thru hikers ( I'm guessing not even a ton of regular hikers ) during the time we are planning so risk of not enough space is fairly small. So I think my main need is for emergency? I will be hiking with at least one other hiker so if I "break a leg" I would have help setting up some type of emergency shelter or would get off the trail before needing one. Next emergency would be a lesser injury or sever weather that would require stop hiking before arriving at the planned shelter. My concern is I'm not a trap person so I don't understand how a one pound or less tarp is set up to be water proof ( dealing with run off, open ends, etc. ). Can anyone please advise.