Adapting to GSMNP Shelter Requirement

[mad goat]

Robblandon,

It is against park regulations to sleep in your hammock at a shelter, unless you are a thru hiker with a valid thru hiker permit. To be considered a thru hiker, on must start their hike 50 AT miles outside of the park and end their trip 50 AT miles past the park.

From the 2014 GSMNP backcountry map Rules and Regulations

"6. Use of tents and hammocks at
shelters is prohibited. They may not be
used inside or attached to shelters. Tents
may only be used within designated
campsites. Hammocks may be used at
campsites as long as wide or tree saver
straps are used and they are set up in
areas where vegetation will not be
trampled."

[mad goat]

Steve,

The best place to start for GSMNP trip planning is downloading the latest backcountry map from the park. http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisi...omplete4-2.pdf

It has all the marked 800+ miles of trails in the park shown with mileages, backcountry campsites, trail heads, roads, etc. The second page of the pdf has rules and regulations, and instructions for how to get a backcountry permit.

The free map is not a topo, so you may want to get a Nat Geo topo map for the park, or the little brown book that has elevation profiles for each of the trails.

There are plenty of great loop hike options that allow you to avoid shelters, or only stay in shelters only one or two nights.