How hammock-friendly is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
How hammock-friendly is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
Back country campsites are fine. Front country campgrounds I'm not sure about, but all see heavy use. You can't hang in or from a shelter, so if you're camping on the AT take this into consideration. There is also a new fee for back country use, so make sure you get your permits and pay your fees (which do not support the park).
They are fine, hammocks are welcome and the least of their problems.
Each campsite is covered in blue tarps, pulled high and tight. They have more tree damage from huge tarps hung by RV'ers and tent campers, but the campground hosts seem oblivious to it.
I will bet somewhere down the road this activity could be detrimental to the future of ham mocking in GSMNP.
I've hanged my hammock in the backcountry with no problem. I've even spoken to lady at backcountry office about hanging near shelter. The shelter is a gray matter, the ruled spurred from overcrowding and hammock suspension line getting in the way. If you're alone at the shelter you can hang inside the shelter, but if others are there they want you to refrain from hanging. Personally, the shelters are too crowded for me anyhow. I prefer hanging in the backcountry campsites. The only problem you have to worry about in backcountry is finding the right tree!
Hanging at shelters is specifically addressed here: http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisi...untry-regs.htm Refer to rule #8. It's very clear.
Texas, when are you going up there?
I use to live up there.... and I unfortunately I moved
away before I started hiking and the such.
It was such a beautiful area, and it still has my heart.
We still have some land that backs up to Pisqah.
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