Smokies New reservation system

[Blue Mountain Edward]

Could have charged vehicles a entry fee. Roads and parking lots cost money and need maintenance. Then you are required to camp at designated spots with no privys. Seems like a shltty idea.

[ATL Backpacker]

Could have charged vehicles a entry fee. Roads and parking lots cost money and need maintenance. Then you are required to camp at designated spots with no privys. Seems like a shltty idea.

I don't know the exact language but NPS is prohibited with charging an entry fee to the park. Dates back to the original agreement when they were acquiring land.

[aficion]

Too many people are uninformed on the facts about this fee. It will not improve anything. The only thing it does is fund 2 rangers to patrol and make sure you've paid your fee, and makes it harder on thruhikers. It wont be used to repair trails or shelters. This has been confirmed by the park superindendent himself. I suggest visiting the southern forest watch site http://www.southernforestwatch.org/ to learn the TRUTH behind this double taxation and will donate to bring this to court and with some luck stop it altogether. All I can say for myself is that if this fee is enacted, good luck finding me, ill do my camping just off the trail well away from the shelters and campsites.

Me too. Shelter areas are filthy anyway with no privies provided.

[Lone Wolf]

if one plans to walk the whole trail in one season, that person needs to research all the parks to know what's required of them. being uninformed is a lame excuse

[MuddyWaters]

I don't know the exact language but NPS is prohibited with charging an entry fee to the park. Dates back to the original agreement when they were acquiring land.

I dont recall if that is the case.
They are however prohibited from charging a fee on 441, which bisects the park. Building that road was part of the deal for aquiring the land from the states.

It seems stupid to me, build a great national park because its land that should be protected and saved for all, and then build a highway right down the middle of it, spoiling the wilderness aspect of much of it. Politicians.

[Feral Bill]

I dont recall if that is the case.
They are however prohibited from charging a fee on 441, which bisects the park. Building that road was part of the deal for aquiring the land from the states.

It seems stupid to me, build a great national park because its land that should be protected and saved for all, and then build a highway right down the middle of it, spoiling the wilderness aspect of much of it. Politicians.

Road development has been part of NPS policy forever, until recent years. It's not unique to the Smokies.

[Helas]

Yeah. I agree with all. The article is really nice and most informative. I would like thanks to you that you share this post here with us. It is really helpful and appreciable. I also hope that you post more threads here.

[birdygal]

they have lowered their fees to use their campgrounds it was $23 a few years ago now its $17 plus its seems to be on an honor system as there was no one collecting when we used 2 different campgrounds there last month

[Epoling]

Just so I am clear on this...
I am leaving Saturday morning for the trail head at Springer. I just heard about this permit today and by the time I called the back country office it was closed for the night. If I pay the fee tonight and make my reservation tonight will I immediately be able to print out my permit?
btw I am attempting this on about a weeks planning and prep. Physically I am in good condition but definetly beginning to worry that there are fees and obstacles I did not know about. Like this.

[hikerboy57]

Just so I am clear on this...
I am leaving Saturday morning for the trail head at Springer. I just heard about this permit today and by the time I called the back country office it was closed for the night. If I pay the fee tonight and make my reservation tonight will I immediately be able to print out my permit?
btw I am attempting this on about a weeks planning and prep. Physically I am in good condition but definetly beginning to worry that there are fees and obstacles I did not know about. Like this.

yes the permit gets sent immediately to your email where you can print it out. you need a valid email address to do it on line

[George]

link:

https://smokiespermits.nps.gov/permitappatth.cfm

[sliderule]

they have lowered their fees to use their campgrounds it was $23 a few years ago now its $17 plus its seems to be on an honor system as there was no one collecting when we used 2 different campgrounds there last month

Campground fees vary by campground and, is some cases, the specific campsite. I suspect that you will be hardpressed to cite an actual reduction in the fee schedule.

http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisi...ry-camping.htm

[LuckyMan]

I don't get it; fees for backcountry sites in the Smokies aren't starting early next year; they are already in place. In September I went online and paid $40 for a couple of weeks of backcountry camping in GSMNP in October (of course, then some congressional morons pitched their temper tantrum and caused the parks to close with their extremely expensive government non-shutdown, but at least NPS kept its promise and refunded the fees).

[sliderule]

I don't get it; fees for backcountry sites in the Smokies aren't starting early next year; they are already in place.

It's all a matter of perspective. What was "next year" in 2012 will be "last year" in 2014.

[HooKooDooKu]

I don't get it; fees for backcountry sites in the Smokies aren't starting early next year; they are already in place.

Pay attention to dates... this thread is over a year old. It had actually almost died (no posting in 6 months) until someone added the link to the reservation system.

[bamboo bob]

I just came through the A.T. section of the Smokies three weeks ago. Some of the new shelters are really nice, with translucent roofs and some newly designed eating areas that look like they are missing bar stools. But it was a big mistake to not put privies on site. Seriously, no privies. Paying to stay at a shelter is a bad precedent. Soon we will have to pay a fee to register with the ATC to get a permit to travel the Trail, then a State Fee when entering each state and a Federal fee for crossing state lines.

You left out paying the caretaker at every shelter and campsite. $8 a night GA-Me. It's inevitable.

[bamboo bob]

I' not finished,darn it!!!
This here I pad thingy just Tears me up!!!!
I don't have the solution as Privvies are hard to maintain but all that shoot paper blowin in the wind,AHHHHHHHHHHH and UGHHHHHHH!!!!!
Does anyone have a solution to this ?

Money wasted on reservations might well be better spent on education and some form of privy mgt during the busy season...
Jus sayin.....

Actually, the solution is to go off trail instead of at the shelter. Disbursing all along the trail, 100 ft off trail. In a cat hole.

[Joey]

I agree with this post. People are slobs!

I spend a lot of time in Yellwostone NP during the summer. Not only do they have an entry fee they also have a camping fee and a fee for a fishing license. You want the facilities yet nobody wants to pay for them.



IMOHO his post is NOT FOS! While on my hike in 09 I actually came across where some human pig defecated right in the middle of the trail in the Smokies. I was also amazed and POed at the amount of toilet paper and garbage all along the trail. I met one trail angle in VA whose trail name is Garbage Man or Trash Man because he spends his time on the trail picking up all the friggin garbage.

One minor mistake here! He only mentions "thru hikers" in his rant! Well, I too have spent MANY MANY nights on the trails and shelters in the Smokies! I had more issues with "TOURIST HIKERS" and inexperienced ones at that who did not care one bit about leaving trash or waste behind, not to mention bringing alcohol into these areas which is against the law! Never had one issue with a thru hiker! They to me are more concerned about cleaning up behind themselves unlike the tourons (tourists aka morons) have! I just hope they start enforcing some of the regulations in the backcountry!

[nuknees]

I just came through the A.T. section of the Smokies three weeks ago. Some of the new shelters are really nice, with translucent roofs and some newly designed eating areas that look like they are missing bar stools. But it was a big mistake to not put privies on site. Seriously, no privies. Paying to stay at a shelter is a bad precedent. Soon we will have to pay a fee to register with the ATC to get a permit to travel the Trail, then a State Fee when entering each state and a Federal fee for crossing state lines.

...and your name and address...because they like to send out a mailer....

[gollwoods]

the poo on the trail is usually hog, itissmallish but looks like people poo. maybe this was the case hopefully.