Great Smoky Mountains

imported
#1

I’m dreamin’ big, again. This time I’m looking to do about half of the A.T. in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in early June. Can anyone provide answers to the following questions:

-How are trail conditions during this time of year? Muddy, dry, buggy, pest-free, crowded, empty?

-Which is best? Fontana Lake to Newfound Gap? Or Davensport Gap to Clingman’s Dome?

-Camping at the shelters. Are backpackers with permits required to stay inside the shelters? Or, in the event that the shelters are crowded, can backpackers put up a tent nearby (like Shenandoah National Park)?

Suvid

#2

The AT this time of year is a hopping place. A lot of spring breakers are out on the trail this week as well as nobo thru-hikers. If you’ve not reserved space at a shelter by now, you’re probably out of luck.

As far as trail conditions it depends on weather. It should be dry now, but can be a creek when a spring storm comes through or you could end up with a couple of feet of snow. No bugs, however.

Davenport Gap to Clingman’s is definitely more scenic–a lot of ridgeline walking and great views espcially with no leaves on the trees.

No tents outside of shelters on the AT unless you’re a long distance hiker (travelling at least 100 miles on either side of the park along the AT.

I’d say try hiking the Benton MacKaye Trail in the Park, a LOT less people and fewer campsites that require reservations. The AT is a highway this time of year. But the other 700+ miles of trail are usually devoid of people. Just you, bears, elk, boar, and lots and lots of rhododendron.

Cap’n

#3

Cap’n

Great info, but I’ll be there in June. How are things at that time of year?

Suvid

#4

And what’s behind this little bit from Gorp.com?

Once you leave a parking area or campground in the Smokies, you are in the wilderness. The National Park Service advises against solo camping or hiking in the backcountry. Even experienced hikers can get into trouble and, if alone, may not be able to obtain help.

Suvid

#5

Ah, June, didn’t see that in your post.

The AT will still be crowded. I think the best time to hike it and get any semblance of solitude is during winter. In June expect bugs and if it’s been a wet summer, mud.

As to hiking alone, the NPS like any big organization has to have their disclaimers. Know your limits both physical and navigational. Leave info regarding your route, time expected to be back, etc. But on the AT, expect to see others unless you wander off-trail or down a rarely trod trail. And like I said, make your reservations now.

Good luck, happy hiking.

Cap’n

#6

Unless you are a long distance hiker (which GSMNP defines as starting more than 50 miles outside of the Park), then you need to reserve your space in shelters and get a back country permit. Contact the National Park Service about this.

There are special exceptions for long distance hikers, but a hike 1/2 way through the park doesn’t qualify.

Peaks

#7

Suvid, I’ve thru-hiked the Smokies in March and in August. You will need to get a permit from the park service. You can reserve the shelter up to a month in advance. You’re required to stay at shelters, but you could probably get away with ‘stealth camping’ if needed.

I found the hike from Fontana - Newfound Gap to be a bit more difficult, yet rewarding. Newfound Gap - Davenport Gap is easier as your’re walking a ridgeline. At many points the trail becomes very flat.

It’s no problem hiking alone in the GSMNP. You will find, even in June many people up there hiking. When I was there in August there were several thru-hikers I was hiking along with.

The weather is always unpredictible in the GSMNP. I have no idea if it will be muddy or dry. You shouldn’t have any problems with bugs at that elevation. And like I said, you won’t be alone. But it shouldn’t be overly crowded.

I’m actually planning on hiking from Fontana - Climgmans Dome sometime in April. April 1 is when Clingmans Dome road opens again.

Go with either side of the park, you can’t go wrong.

Here’s a link to a nice site which provides a trail map of the GSMNP.

http://www.nps.gov/grsm/pphtml/maps.html

guru

#8

Bees, bees, bees. I hiked the first week in August through this same area. Comfortable heat -70-80’s with highest heat index at 90 degrees. Enough but not too much water/mud. Empty shelters-only shared with 1 person 1 night-otherwise all empty. No misquitoes or flies. but lots of bees on shoulder high grasses/flowers. At first I would swat at them with hiking poles- don’t. After a while, I learned to duck my head and walk steadily through without incident (except for one bee that flew up my shirt and gave me a belly hicky. Lots of leaves/ not so many views–BUT still a grest section.

Zydecajun

#9

It’s a real shame you can’t tent camp at the shelters. That’s one perk with Shenandoah. You can mingle with other hikers at the shelters, but when it comes time to fall asleep you avoid the snorenasium by tent camping nearby.

As for going solo, I read the national park’s disclaimer and wondered if there were problems with pandhandler bears and solo backpackers. That’s one reason why if I go solo I prefer the A.T. because the throught of dealing with an agressive bear at a campsite alone in the backcountry isn’t a comfortable thought.

Suvid

#10

As Cap’n said there are many side trails in the GSMNP that loop up to the AT. You could pick one shelter with a great view and hike a loop and camp in the back country. I usually select several because some of the back country sites are closed off and on because of bear activity. That way you can hike on the AT and get some great views but not have to register for a shelter. You will see the bears on top (AT) when the service berry (the locals call it sarvis berry) bush is ripe. I’ve hiked across the AT too many times to count and in the last 20 years I’ve had trouble getting shelter register permits. The problem is scout troups and one night hikers will sign up for one or two shelters and you end up hiking past a shelter to get to another one. You can do from Fontana to Davenport in 6 days with no problem (10 to 12 miles a day). I wouldn’t recommend stealth camping up there, there are ridge runners and they have professional hunters for the pig problem. These pro hunters travel at night when the wild boar is active and if they find you they turn you in and it is a big fine. They have a big problem with ginseng hunters and wild flower hunters. Last year they caught a guy with about 10 lbs of ginseng root and took his truck and fined him $10,000.

If you just do half (about 35 miles) you may end up doing a 15 mile one day and a 6 the next then a 15 and your out of the woods in 3 days. If you have a couple of extra hours of drive time try the Roan Mountain and Hump Mt. Further north The Grayson Highlands and Mt. Rogers. I do this section every year in June. It is one of my favorite sections on the whole trail in the south.

Papa Smurf GA-ME '02

Papa Smurf

#11

How would one know if a hiker were a long distance hiker or a weekender out for a short hike? 50 miles prior and after but how would one know? What about section hikers? Can they not qualify as a “long distance hiker” if they hiked the previous portion (or intend to)? Camping on “Blue” trails? Is this legal?

Skylander

#12

In the SMNP the “blue” trails have numbered campsites that you have to register for. Usually you have no problem with a campsite but they are at least a couple of miles off of the AT down hill. Most have pulley systems for bear bages. The only problem you have with the campsites is bear activity. I usually plan for 2 or 3 different loop hikes and when I get to the ranger station to register one of the loop campsites is closed. We camped at campsite 23 in 2000 and had a bear in our camp all night. We reported it and the next week the lady that was killed and partially eaten by a black bear was at campsite 23!!!

That will pucker the old sphincter muscle.

Papa Smurf