Whats with the smokies?

**Mace** · 03-25-2009, 10:12

Do they not alow dogs still? and didnt they take the cages off the shelters? Does that mean you are alowed to camp at camp sites now?

**Pedaling Fool** · 03-25-2009, 15:33

The cages are coming off, but some shelters still have them. Page 13 discusses camping http://www.nps.gov/grsm/parkmgmt/upl...Compendium.pdf

**Red Hat** · 03-25-2009, 15:42

No dogs, and you must stay in shelter unless it is too full. During thruhiker season, they fill up pretty fast and those who want to are able to use tents...

**Many Walks** · 03-25-2009, 15:48

The cages are probably coming off so the campers can't feed the bears through the wire and find themselves trapped in the shelter. Duh!

**Seeker** · 03-25-2009, 18:25

no dogs is a no brainer.

cages came off because, yes, people were feeding the bears through the cages, and taking pictures. this trained the bears to come to the shelters to eat. some people did NOT want to feed the bears, and you can see the resulting problem.

i'm not sure what you mean by asking if you can camp at campsites now. it implies that you couldn't. sometimes they close a site or shelter temporarily due to bear activity, but that's usually only a few weeks, until the bear realizes he can't get anymore food there.

you can camp in any designated campsite, but all the campsites along the AT are shelters, to the best of my knowledge, and you must stay in a shelter unless, as noted, it's full. then you can set up a tent nearby.

**CrumbSnatcher** · 03-25-2009, 18:29

if you don't want to stay in the shelter,just hang out,cook or whatever and wait let others fill up the shelter then throw up your tent! no dogs allowed, the birds eat the dog poop and die! horses are allowed because of the grandfather clause and the horse poop is not toxic to the birds!

**Mace** · 03-26-2009, 16:16

Originally Posted by CrumbSnatcher

if you don't want to stay in the shelter,just hang out,cook or whatever and wait let others fill up the shelter then throw up your tent! no dogs allowed, the birds eat the dog poop and die! horses are allowed because of the grandfather clause and the horse poop is not toxic to the birds!

very informative about the poop. thanks! lol Ive never been much of a shelter fan, i like me tent, thats why i was asking.

**RiverWarriorPJ** · 03-26-2009, 16:47

Originally Posted by CrumbSnatcher

no dogs allowed, the birds eat the dog poop and die! horses are allowed because of the grandfather clause and the horse poop is not toxic to the birds!

..And coyote poop is so differernt than a dogs poop..??.. ..!!..

**SGT Rock** · 03-26-2009, 16:54

Yes. Dog poop is mostly meal and stuff. Coyote poop is mostly boar pigglets.

**Mace** · 03-26-2009, 17:00

Originally Posted by SGT Rock

Yes. Dog poop is mostly meal and stuff. Coyote poop is mostly boar pigglets.

HEY! You were going to watch my beagle, Diggs for me 2 years ago while me and the wifey hiked through the smokies sobo!

**SGT Rock** · 03-26-2009, 17:02

Yep, I never heard from you. How did your hike go.

**WorryWart** · 03-26-2009, 17:15

Thanks for the info everyone. I guess I'm looking forward to busy shelters. It's definately more spacious and comfy in my good ole Hubba.

**Footslogger** · 03-26-2009, 17:18

Originally Posted by WorryWart

Thanks for the info everyone. I guess I'm looking forward to busy shelters. It's definately more spacious and comfy in my good ole Hubba.

==============================

If your goal is to stay in shelters my suggestion is ...get up early, hike to the shelter of choice, secure your spot and call it a day.

I rarely managed to get a shelter space in the Smokies during my thru. I was too slow and they were bulging at the seams by the time I got there. I tented close by the shelters and took advantage of the water supplies and bear cables.

'Slogger

**SGT Rock** · 03-26-2009, 17:19

Or hike the BMT and have the trail to yourself.

**Mace** · 03-26-2009, 17:59

Originally Posted by SGT Rock

Yep, I never heard from you. How did your hike go.

We took a pit stop in Asheville and got stuck there for a year... never finished... time to do it again this year... just gotta stay clear of the hippie towns and i should make it. hahaha

**SGT Rock** · 03-26-2009, 18:01

You hear the one about hippys and Asheville?

Why did the hippy move to Asheville?

**Pedaling Fool** · 03-26-2009, 18:44

Birds eating dog crap and dying? What kind of bird eats dog crap? Maybe they should go extinct.

**Mace** · 03-26-2009, 19:05

Originally Posted by SGT Rock

You hear the one about hippys and Asheville?

Why did the hippy move to Asheville?

why? lol

**SGT Rock** · 03-26-2009, 19:06

He heard there wasn't any work there.

**Mace** · 03-26-2009, 19:20

lmao. aint that the truth

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Whats with the smokies?

Prefer my comfy tent personally

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