Smokies, possible to avoid?

[yonderway]

Are there options to avoid the Smokies? Trails that go around, or would it be yellow blazing? I realize she can't be with me at the end, but thats a long way off still. The closer my start date gets, the more I want to take my very well trained and well behaved yellow labrador. I wasn't planning on it originally, and probably won't, but the thought is there.

[swjohnsey]

Nope......

[Sarcasm the elf]

I haven't heard of any alternate trails. There are some kennels/shuttlers that can arrange to take your dog for a few days as you enter the Smokies and then drop the dog off to you at the other side. I don't have personal experience doing this, but there is more info about it somewhere within this forum.

[Slo-go'en]

You'll have to either kennel the dog, shuttle or hitch hike around the park. Take a look at a map. It's a long way around. What is 70 miles by trial is more like 150 by road.

[johnnybgood]

Another option to expensive kennel arrangements and applicable shuttle fees would be to have a family member bring you the pup after existing the Smokies.
Depending on their proximity, paying for gas roundtrip would save you a butt load of money.

[yonderway]

Thank you all.

Yeah, I looked into kenneling, may well pursue that. Only threw this out there from curiosity if there was an alternative. I have very limited support from base, already asking a lot getting my meds picked up and shipped to me each month. Not going to ask someone to come up from home.

I could just skip the park entirely. Not doing this for a piece of paper or a patch.

I am legally disabled, but she is not a service dog. I do have a disabled access park pass issued by the Dept of Interior, supported by documents from the SS Admin and VA... but I won't be that guy. Seems that loophole is being widely abused.

Really, the closer my start date gets, I'm just feeling/realizing she'll be the only thing I miss on this walk.

[illabelle]

I am legally disabled, but she is not a service dog. I do have a disabled access park pass issued by the Dept of Interior, supported by documents from the SS Admin and VA... but I won't be that guy. Seems that loophole is being widely abused.

Thank you for that!

[squeezebox]

Thanks for your honesty. Maybe someone will post a list of kennels>

[RED-DOG]

Find a good reputable keenel and hike through the park, when a person starts skipping sections before long their on their way home.

[RED-DOG]

Find a good reputable keenel and hike through the park, when a person starts skipping sections before long their on their way home.

What are you going to do IF you make it to Baxter State Park QUIT ?

[saltysack]

Standing bear farm and Donna @ cabin in the woods near Fontana dam mentioned starting offering this....she is great and a animal lover......


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[yonderway]

What are you going to do IF you make it to Baxter State Park QUIT ?

Psshhh... You don't know me, so I'll let that slide.

[Sirsnappy09]

A walk in the woods in gburg used to. Not sure if they still do.

[Peepsinc]

To be honest, from experience. Unless your dog is use to traveling 15 miles a day. carrying a pack with his own food supplies, & sleeping in the cold, consider leaving it home. It will be a lot happier there.... Not to mention all of the distractions for a dog like Wild Hogs,Bear, Other dogs, & lots of hikers that may or may not be particular to sharing quarters with a wet dog.(It will rain on you & your gear) Even if you tent camp, @ some point you & your gear will be soaked & you'll want to sleep in a shelter.

[yonderway]

It rains on the trail? Man, I may just have to rethink this. But I can just plug in my blow dryer at the shelters right?

[illabelle]

It rains on the trail? Man, I may just have to rethink this. But I can just plug in my blow dryer at the shelters right?

Haha! That's funny.
Seriously, though, if you've been lurking on WB for a while, you probably already know this. If not, be advised that there have been some heated discussions about dogs and shelter etiquette.

[yonderway]

I would have posted in Straight forward, but thought Dog would avoid that heat... I can return fire with the best of them.

Why would I want to stay in a shelter anyway? Thats where the entitled, drunk, party, tourists are at. Isn't that the party line here?

Yeah, I lurked for a long enough to know the waters here before I joined, and kept lurking before I posted.

Whiteblaze has a well deserved reputation. But I have found value here, so thanks all.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Haha! That's funny.
Seriously, though, if you've been lurking on WB for a while, you probably already know this. If not, be advised that there have been some heated discussions about dogs and shelter etiquette.

Sadly you can't ask a question in the dog forum without getting a ton of unsolicited advice from non-dog hikers.
The forum has specific rules that can be found below, but they go unenforced far too often:

...So if you plan to post here, post advice about how to backpack responsibly with the pet as a response to the question or topic. Due to past experiences the threads will be monitored closely for failure to comply. Abusers will loose the ability to read or post on this forum.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...before-posting

[saltysack]

Sadly you can't ask a question in the dog forum without getting a ton of unsolicited advice from non-dog hikers.
The forum has specific rules that can be found below, but they go unenforced far too often:



http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...before-posting

Really is BS....never had an issue with people bitching about my dog while on trail......


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[rhjanes]

Noticed your comment about limited support and the medicine issue. If that is really an issue, and it could be from logistics also "Hey, I'm hiking faster/slower, so I need the meds shipped someplace else"....."Well, they are already mailed....to the place now behind you"
You CAN go in any pharmacy and have them contact your "home" pharmacy and fill your RX. So, Get into town, make hitting a pharmacy one of the first items you do, so they start the process. I did this once in the small mountain town my grandparents lived in. I'd left a RX I didn't THINK I'd need, at home. My wife walked a block to the mom&pop pharmacy. They looked up our home pharmacy, called them, got the RX and filled it. Took like 30 minutes (they knew she was going to sit there and wait). If you use like Wal-Mart or something, it might be even easier. Just putting that out there.