Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Denition

In the Great Smokies, the term thru-hiker is dened as follows: a person who is hiking the entire length of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) in a single trip; or a person who begins a hiking trip on the A.T. at least fty (50) miles outside the park, hikes the A.T. through the Smokies, and nishes the trip at least fty (50) miles outside the opposite boundary of the park.
Hiking the Appalachian Trail is an ambitious undertaking, and one you are sure to nd both challenging and rewarding. To preserve backcountry resources and ensure a reasonable degree of solitude, the Smokies has implemented regulations governing backcountry camping. These regulations are listed in the Great Smoky Mountains Trail Map. Because thru-hikers have found it particularly difcult to obtain reservations for specic shelters on specic nights, they are allowed to tent camp in some situations. See the second paragraph under the heading Regulations for more information. Thruhikers are required to abide by all other park regulations. A partial list of those regulations is below. 3. Thru-hikers who leave the A.T. to camp at a backcountry campsite or a shelter off the A.T. (e.g. Le Conte) are no longer considered thru-hikers and must possess appropriate permits. Departures for the purpose of replenishing supplies, or for rest and relaxation in a local town, do not void thruhiker status. The following park regulations are of particular interest to thru-hikers. No exceptions will be made to these regulations: Pets are not permitted in the backcountry. Fires are permitted only in shelter replaces and in the metal re rings outside the shelters. Campers may not stay more than one (1) consecutive night at a specic shelter, regardless of whether or not bunk space is available.

Introduction

Regulations

1. Thru-hikers must obtain a backcountry permit. They should complete all sections (writing THRUHIKER in the space for campsite name), keep the yellow copy and deposit the original in the box provided. A thru-hiker permit allows the hiker seven (7) consecutive nights and eight (8) days to hike the A.T. in the Smokies without the need to designate which shelter will be occupied on a given night. See Southbound thru-hikers or Northbound thruhikers for permit issuing locations. 2. Thru-hikers must stay in shelter bunks if space is available. If the shelter is full, thru-hikers may camp in the immediate vicinity and within sight of the shelter. No other tent camping is permitted on the A.T. in the Smokies, except at the Birch Spring campsite, #113. Campers with reservations have priority for bunk space. Everyone needs to practice courtesy for the continued success of this policy.

Photo by Mary Ann Kressig

Southbound Thru-hikers

Permits for southbound thru-hikers can be picked up at the National Park Service self-registration station at the U.S. Forest Service ranger station at Hot Springs, North Carolina. This station is located near the A.T. in Hot Springs, approximately 33 trail miles north of Davenport Gap.

Northbound Thru-hikers

Permits for northbound thru-hikers can be picked up at the National Park Service self-registration station on the A.T. at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) visitor center at Fontana Dam.

Special Note

To minimize the need for thru-hikers to camp outside shelters, four (4) bunk spaces are withdrawn from availability (i.e. not subject to advance reservations) at all A.T. shelters during the period of heavy south-to-north trafc (spring). The above procedures are intended to reduce impacts at shelter sites and provide more comfortable camping conditions. Questions concerning this policy should be directed by mail to the Backcountry Reservations Ofce, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 107 Park Headquarters Road, Gatlinburg Tennessee 37738, or by phone to (865) 436-1231, between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. daily. For a special map/guide to hiking the A.T. through the Smokies, visit www.SmokiesInformation.org or call (865) 436-7318, ext. 226. The item number is 490104.

www.SmokiesInformation.org www.nps.gov/grsm

Revised 1/12

Funding for this publication provided by Great Smoky Mountains Association Printed on no-new-tree recycled paper

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