More Loop Talk; Smoky Nat. Help greatly need

[DawnTreader]

Hey All,
So, Roomie and I are leaving for ME on Saturday for 3 months of peakbagging/backpacking and trip leading. We hoped to take a trip in the Smokes on the way through. As it's Thursday and I've got a crap ton of stuff to get together, I need your help! Anyone that knows about the smokies and and has a few minutes on the internet would be a great help. I know reservations are filling up and we are kind of handcuffed at this point. I want to make reservations today, but also want to be sure that I'm choosing the right loop(I have been following the other thread). Also I am not tech savy so I'm finding it hard to figure out which campsites are already taken... ...
This is what I need specifically... start hiking on Sunday May 17th.. I need an under 10 mile out to the car on the morning of Wed. May 20th because I need to drive to Detroit (10 hr drive) for a Dr. apt. the next morning. ....3 nights, 4 days total in the park......I need to be on the AT as little as possible and would not consider reserving an AT shelter unless it was our last choice... It needs to be aprox 40ish> miles in total will hike aprox 15mpd(first 3 days) more or less.. We would like to hike some quality/strenuous peaks/ridges, but would not want to be in the most popular parts of the park.. campsites are preferable to shelters.. We prefer creekside or higher elevation sites. preferably a loop, however will hitchhike if necessary/possible/unenforced by Law... And I love long walks on the beach... Okay Smokies Geeks who were praying for something to do right now.. help us out !

[illabelle]

DT, your post is a little confusing. You're in Michigan, headed to Maine, but you wanna stop in the Smokies along the way?????
If that's ...somehow... correct, maybe some of this will help.
https://smokiespermits.nps.gov/index...PermitTypeID=1
http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisi...omplete4-2.pdf
If you don't want to be on the AT, no problem, plenty of non-AT trails in the Smokies.
Should be easy enough to park at one of the campgrounds, Cosby for example, and plan a loop with the miles per day that you feel you can do.

[DawnTreader]

In Missouri right now

[HooKooDooKu]

First of all, if you can't find a loop to hike, there are shuttle services available (A Walk In the Woods and AAA Hiker Services are just two that come to mind, especially if you're on the TN side).

Second, hitchhiking by hikers to get to/from trailheads is an activity the compendium of rules and regulations for GSMNP expressly allows.

Third, while nowhere near the only possibility, here's just one suggestion off the cuff I could find:
Deep Creek Campground: BC52, BC53, BC61 (reservations look wide open for all three campsites)
BC52 is on top of a former bald (no former therefore don't expect views). I love this camp site and it has a terrific water source just 50ft down the raven on the North East side of the camp. I loved this particular camp site.
BC53 isn't all that terrific as a site, but it's by water, and if temperatures are warm enough, I've seen great lightning bug displays at this campsite this time of year.
BC61 is beside Noland Creek.

Park at the trailhead to Noland Divide Trial.
Day 1: While there are numerous ways to BC52, the most direct path is Deep Creep Campground to Deep Creek Tr To Indian Creek Tr to Deeplow Gap Tr to Thomas Divide Tr to Newton Bald Tr to BC52.
Day 2: Thomas Divide Tr to Sunkota Ridge Tr to Martins Gap Tr to Deep Creek Tr to BC53.
Day 3: Fork Ridge Tr to AT (on other side of Clingman's Dome Rd). Turn left and hike until you come to a saddle where the road and the AT are side-by-side (there's also a parking lot visible here in Google Earth). Hike 0.8 miles along the road to Noland Divide Tr to Noland Creek Tr to BC61. If you want to stay off the AT, just walk the 2 miles along the road between Fork Ridge Tr and Noland Divide Tr.
Day 4: Back track up Noland Creek Tr to Noland Divide Tr. back to your car.

Daily Mileage: 9.6 / 11.1 / 12.2 / 8.9