Article about the AT in the Smokys, but check out the quote.

[Don H]

I hated the shelters in the Smokies but loved the hiking.

[P-Train]

It only has a bad reputation among those who bad-mouth it. Typical "glass half-full" negativity v. positivity. I hiked the GSMNP during thru-hiker and Spring Break season in '05 with my nephew and we had a ball.

Bad-mouthing is something of a self-justifying contagion. The GSMNP really is a beautiful place and a national treasure.

It's hard to understand folks who set out to hike one of the most popular trails in the world, then complain about there being people on the trail (which is different from complaining if someone does something bad on this or any trail).

RainMan

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Well said. The GSMNP is in my back yard. People come from all around the world to experience this biosphere. It's exceptional to say the least.

[Praha4]

it's a bit of fun to make fun of these guys, they sound like they would have better enjoyed hiking down main street in Gatlinburg to sample the Smoky Mountain fudge and Smoky Mountain pancakes.

I stayed at Russell Field, Icewater Springs and Cosby Knob shelters in May 2010, don't remember any of the horse manure issues. The frequent complaint I heard from some other thru hikers was the condition of the trail, some compared the AT in the Smokies to hiking in a gravel filled drainage ditch. Another said he was going to call his Congressman after he returned home to complain about the condition of the trail.... as I recall his speech that night at Icewater " he pays taxes and wanted to know why the trail was so bad in the Smokies, he was going to demand the Park Service get out with work crews and repair the trail".

maybe I was lucky in May 2010, the shelters were all close to being full when I went thru there, but we never had any "tent cities" around the shelters. I do recall a large group of graduating medical school students arriving at Tri Corner Knob late in the afternoon while I was taking a luch break, they were out on their graduation hike party, complete with large quantities of liquor and large cigars. They were actually kind of funny listening to their humorous stories of medical school.
It's ironic cuz even AWOL was not very complimentary of the Smokies during his 2003 thru hike, he hit bad weather and the rain, fog and mud were his experience.

I think the weather has everything to do with how hikers feel about the Smokies. We had 4 days of nothing but sun in May 2010, and it was a fantastic experience. Looking forward to doing it again later this year.

[Veetack]

Only place I saw horse manure was at Tri-Corner Knob shelter, and it was like one pile. Animals defecate. Feces composts, compost feeds new plantlife. It's natural. that's my take on it. Frankly, I loved the shelters, but I tented outside of them. I really only appreciate them for the social aspect while making dinner. I stayed at Icewater Springs with probably 40 other people, it just happens. Now if I were doing a thru, and a section hiker showed up and told me to move because he "had a reservation" I'd tell him exactly what he could do to a certain portion of my body and that he could stick his head up his. I do find it rather absurd that they have the reservation rule in GSMNP. Other than that, I think people should be able to freely camp at shelter sites in tent, tarp, hammock, or shelter without persecution. I honestly don't see how the park is going to enforce their pay for a backcountry permit rule on thru hikers and I really don't think there will be a necessity to blue blaze around the park any time in the forseeable future.

[max patch]

. Now if I were doing a thru, and a section hiker showed up and told me to move because he "had a reservation" I'd tell him exactly what he could do to a certain portion of my body and that he could stick his head up his.

Please tell us why you think you are special and the rules of the park don't apply to you.

[ChinMusic]

Now if I were doing a thru, and a section hiker showed up and told me to move because he "had a reservation" I'd tell him exactly what he could do to a certain portion of my body and that he could stick his head up his.

YOU then, are the problem.

[Rain Man]

...Now if I were doing a thru, and a section hiker showed up and told me to move because he "had a reservation" I'd tell him exactly what he could do to a certain portion of my body and that he could stick his head up his. ....

And you would be very, very wrong. And one of the "entitled" cretins who give thru-hikers a bad name.

Rain Man

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[Rasty]

. Now if I were doing a thru, and a section hiker showed up and told me to move because he "had a reservation" I'd tell him exactly what he could do to a certain portion of my body and that he could stick his head up his.

Please tell us why you think you are special and the rules of the park don't apply to you.

Both times I have made reservations for the GSMNP it took about thirty tries throughout the day until someone was available to answer my call. I would be pissed if after spending that much time to follow the rules someone stole my reserved spot.

[ChinMusic]

Both times I have made reservations for the GSMNP it took about thirty tries throughout the day until someone was available to answer my call. I would be pissed if after spending that much time to follow the rules someone stole my reserved spot.

It is MORE than an issue of "stealing a spot". The section hiker can be fined for not following the rules.

[dlittle]

Today, a Holiday, I called and got thru on first try.

Next yesar there will be a reservation system online and I am sure there will be threads about the 30 second booking process taking too long.
Relax alresady.

[PapaGarrettP]

Have now sectioned from Amicalola to the NOC. Next hike all be through the GSMNP via the BM Trail, using Sgt. Rock's guide. I only get to the woods for a week long trip once or twice a year. Definitely wouldn't want to have to stay in a shelter.

[Rasty]

Today, a Holiday, I called and got thru on first try.

Next yesar there will be a reservation system online and I am sure there will be threads about the 30 second booking process taking too long.
Relax alresady.

I'm not complaining about making the reservation. I fully understand that the reservation phone is staffed by a volunteer and really appreciate their effort and also realize that a Backcountry emergency takes priority over answering the phone.

[WIAPilot]

Only place I saw horse manure was at Tri-Corner Knob shelter, and it was like one pile. Animals defecate. Feces composts, compost feeds new plantlife. It's natural. that's my take on it. Frankly, I loved the shelters, but I tented outside of them. I really only appreciate them for the social aspect while making dinner. I stayed at Icewater Springs with probably 40 other people, it just happens. Now if I were doing a thru, and a section hiker showed up and told me to move because he "had a reservation" I'd tell him exactly what he could do to a certain portion of my body and that he could stick his head up his. I do find it rather absurd that they have the reservation rule in GSMNP. Other than that, I think people should be able to freely camp at shelter sites in tent, tarp, hammock, or shelter without persecution. I honestly don't see how the park is going to enforce their pay for a backcountry permit rule on thru hikers and I really don't think there will be a necessity to blue blaze around the park any time in the forseeable future.

Sorry, but I have to go with the consensus on this one. I abhor the whole reservation system, but that said, if someone does have a reservation and I do not - who am I to think I am special enough to throw them out? In parts of the trail where it is on a first come basis, yes - I will definitely stand my ground, but not in this case.

[waasj]

Hiked through the GSMNP in 2009. Had no problem getting reservations. Shelters were crowded but on par with the rest of the shelters along the trail, some nice and clean (Spence Field, Ice Water Springs), some not so much (MountCollins, Davenport Gap). Tri Corner looked like someone had stabled horses in the shelter, but the only fertilizer I saw was out by the tie rail (and in the privy). Ran into one ridge runner who was quite pleasant although performing the not so pleasant task of cleaning a trashed fire pit and servicing the privy at Siler's Bald. As far as The weather goes, what part of "temperate rainforest" suggests that rain should not be expected? All in all, I had a great time and would do it again.

[bessiebreeze]

If you are not a thru hiker, in other words, if you are a section or a weekend hiker, and you want to hike thru the Smokies, the first rule is DON'T GO IN THE SPRING WHEN THE THRU HIKERS ARE THERE. You are only asking for problems, like the guys here experienced. I hiked through in the middle of the summer, had made my reservations, and I had a fantastic experience. The shelters in the Smokies are the best on the AT I think. Granted, if I had been there with 30 or 40 other hikers, I'm sure I would not like them either.

[Mrs Baggins]

And you would be very, very wrong. And one of the "entitled" cretins who give thru-hikers a bad name.

Rain Man

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Amen to that. A friend and I went thru from Newfound Gap to Standing Bear in May 2008 and we didn't take tents precisely because we had reservations (don't even start on the "wrongs" of not carrying a tent). We always got to each shelter in the early afternoon, so we never had to "fight" for our spaces. We LOVED the Smokies. If I had to pick a shelter to complain about it would be Tri-Corner Knob only because of the privy - - which had a massive flock of a bazillion flies in and around it at all hours. And we saw plenty of people at every shelter deliberately sit back and wait for the shelter to fill so that they could tent or cowboy camp. A ridge runner came along at Ice Water Springs (and we agreed he looked about 15 yrs old) and tried to get tenters to move closer to the shelter but as far as I remember nobody moved. And after he left, some of them moved even further away.

[10-K]

If I'm going to hike the AT I have to realize that about 75 miles of it goes through a national park with rules about where I can stay. I can bitch about it or just suck it up and start hiking. It's only for a few days....

If you don't like the shelter system on the AT in the park simply hike the BMT through the park and get back on the AT at Davenport Gap. Problem solved, plus if you're lucky you won't even seen another hiker except when you hike through Smokemont.

[Monkeywrench]

Something I will never understand about hangers.

Please note that only some hangers do that, just like some tenters pitch their tent inside a shelter. I never have, and don't imagine I ever will, hung my hammock in a shelter.