Smoky-mountain-national-park – Useful information for a great vacation!

Smoky-mountain-national-park Backcountry Camping Permits

Smoky-mountain-national-park Backcountry Camping Permits are free but they are compulsory for all overnight backcountry camping. The permit system is designed to protect the Smoky mountain national park natural environment. Y

ou can self-register for a permit at any ranger station by following the posted instructions, however your itinerary may require access to a public pay telephone. Some park camping sites are rationed due to heavy usage.

If you wish to familiarize yourself with rationed and non-rationed sites you should contact the Smoky-mountain-national-park Backcountry Office at (423) 436-1231 for a Smoky Mountains Trail Map. This includes a chart which shows all the rationed sites.

It is compulsory to telephone the Backcountry Reservation Office to obtain permission before using rationed sites and if you don’t the penalty is invalidation of your permit and puts you in violation of regulations.

If your itinerary includes at least 1 rationed site then it is best to make advance reservations up to a month ahead of your trip. Plan your Smoky-mountain-national-park journey out and indicate exactly which site you intend to occupy for each night.

Park Information and Rules

The Smoky-mountain-national-park Phone Numbers are General Park Information: (865) 436-1200 - Backcountry Information: (865) 436-1297 - Backcountry Reservations: (865) 436-1231 - Park Literature: (865) 436-0120 - LeConte Lodge: (865) 429-5704

Smoky-mountain-national-park Operating Times – The park is open year-round. The visitor centers located at Sugarlands and Oconaluftee are open all year, with the exception of Christmas Day. The Cades Cove Visitor Center has limited opening hours during the winter.

No entrance fee is charged to enter the Park. Park operations are supported by modest fees charged at campgrounds and for special programs developed by Park Rangers and volunteers. The maximum party size is 8 persons and you may stay no longer than 1 consecutive night at a shelter, or 3 consecutive nights at a campsite.

You also must follow your identified itinerary. It is not good practice to reserve a camping space if you don't intend using it and you end up stopping someone else from using it.

Smoky-mountain-national-park Mountain Hiking and Camping Hints

Weather The park is subject to a relatively wide range of temperatures and conditions with variations some 10 degrees cooler than your point of origin at a lower elevation. The Smokies are also the wettest location in the South so be prepared some considerable and wet discomfort when sudden storms appear and drench the area.

The parks higher elevations in the park can get some 90 inches of precipitation in a single year. Don’t be deceived by early morning weather conditions. They often start clear with cloud building up during the morning followed by heavy showers. During winter frontal systems roll through the area with alternating cloudy and sunny days. Be prepared for all weather conditions and have appropriate clothing such as rain gear and a warm sweater. Also wear the appropriate footwear for the trails you are using.

Trail Sense Always stick to the designated trail, and most lost hikers are a result of going off-trail and losing their bearings. If you think you are lost, stop, think and attempt to retrace your steps.

Don't start out on a hike if thunderstorms are looming. These storms can be quiet savage and it is best to wait it out rather than get caught out in one. Always cross streams very carefully and avoid getting wet, as this can lead to hypothermia even in summer.

Don’t bother the bears and they won’t bother you! To date there is no record of a person being killed by a bear in the Smokies. Always carry enough water and it is not recommended that you drink water from a Smoky-mountain-national-park stream without boiling it or using treatment tablets first. The streams look wonderful refreshing however they carry bacteria that may cause you some problems.

Go White Water Rafting in Smoky-mountain-national-park

This is a great place to go white water rafting and the Nantahala Outdoor Center is has an international reputation. Situated on the Nantahala River you can go whitewater rafting, or get canoe and kayak instruction as well as hire them.

The NOC can offer white water rafting on six southeastern whitewater rivers. The Nantahala River (rated Class 2-3) and pronounced nan-ta-HAY-la which means River of the Noonday Sun, alternates between calm spells of river flat water to over 20 named rapids. This river suits family adventures as the U.S. Forest Service stipulates that children weigh only 60 pounds to take the trips.

The rafting voyages are typically a half day down eight and a half miles of spectacular scenic terrain. Rafters will have adventure as they go over rapids with names such as Isle of Dumping, Root Canal, Little S.O.B. and the Bump. For the braver souls you can run the river in a one or two person inflatable duckie that is also known as a funyaks.