Tru Hike Camp Fees

imported
#1

how much should one plan to spend on camping on a thru hike? park fees, tent platform fees, etc? i know food and other expenses should differ from person to person but i thought that these fees would be about the same.

CJC

#2

I don’t know of any park fees on the AT. The National Parks, Shenendoah and Great Smokie Mountains, require thru hikers to pick up a permit, but they are free. The only backcountry campsites and or shelters on the AT that charge a fee are: four (I believe) in Vermont and nine in New Hampshire but you don’t have to stay at them. You have choices: stay at a fee site and pay about $6 to $8, stay at a fee site and if you get work-for-stay camp for free or camp away from the fee sites and spend nothing in dollars or sweat. So what people spend on camping during a thru hike will vary: In 1999 I spent $6 cash and did work-for-stay four nights.

Celt

#3

Celt covered the National Parks, Long Trail, and White Mountains.

In addition, the AT goes through state parks with campgrounds on occasion. So, if you choose to stay there, say because they have a shower, then expect to pay a fee. Likewise, if your choose to stay at one of the Campgrounds in Shenandoah, expect to pay a fee also.

But, bottom line, the only campsites and shelters with fees are the popular shelters and campsites along the Long Trail (Stratton Pond area, Peru Peak, Griffin Lake, Little Rock Pond area) and the White Mountains (Kinsman Pond to Imp, plus Speck Pond in Maine).

Peaks

#4

That budget can be slim. You can always find an alternative. But sometimes it’s nice to get the shower and easy access to things, so allow $50, in my opinion.

Tha Wookie

#5

Actually, I found “commercial” campgrounds near the A.T. to be a good alternative to going into actual towns a few times. You could get a site for about $20, use the shower, laundry, and resupply at the campstore, tho selections were less than a full supermarket and prices a bit higher in some but not all cases. Probably best for short-term resupply in between towns so you don’t have to leave a town carrying so much.

Campgrounds can be especially appreciated during bad weather, as it allows one to get some of his/her stuff dry and actually get out of the weather a bit. Some campgrounds also have low-cost cabins which several hikers can go together on and it’s affordable.

AND . . . an EXCELLENT place to yogi from car campers!

“Skyline”

#6

I spent $9.00 on camp site fees in 03, at the birches, 04 however I think it will be 10.00 That of course does not mean that I didn’t stay at hostels (took awhile but found them to be a great place to stay) and hotels.

casey

#7

Never spent a dime on a camp site on the entire trail. Shiould qualify that I guess I did stay at Abol Bridge but that was choice as there were stealth sites in the area. Plan you days and you can avoid all fees.

Yo-YO