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Re: [at-l] permits
In a message dated 98-01-24 13:11:39 EST, david travieso
> Tree Hugger writes:
Do you have to have permits for any of the hiking or campsites?
>
The following information is from the <A HREF="http://www.atconf.org/">
Appalachian Trail Conference Page</A>
<A HREF="http://www.atconf.org/gen.hiking.info.html">General Hiking
Information</A>
Wildbill
Permits and Regulations
You do not need a permit to walk the A.T. Overnight camping permits,
however, are necessary in Great Smoky Mountains National Park,
Shenandoah National Park, and parts of the White Mountain National
Forest, and registration is required in Baxter State Park. Permits are
available without fees upon arrival at park or forest ranger stations.
Specific park procedures appear below.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
A backcountry permit is required for all persons spending the night in
the park's backcountry, including the A.T. or its side trails.
Backcountry permits may be obtained in person at all park campgrounds,
ranger stations, and visitor centers and may also be obtained by mail.
Additionally, unless you are an A.T. thru-hiker who is beginning or
ending your hike 50 miles or more outside the park, you must also
reserve in advance a space in a specific shelter through the Park's
Backcountry Reservations Office (423/436-1231, 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.)
Have your itinerary planned before you call. Thru-hikers are required to
obtain a backcountry permit that allows seven consecutive nights and
eight days to traverse the Trail, but are exempt from the reservation
system. Because of the large number of northbound thru-hikers who enter
the park between April 1 and June 15, three bunk spaces at each A.T.
shelter are reserved for them during this time.
No more than one night may be spent at any one shelter. If a shelter you
select for a night's stay has bunk space available, you must use it.
However, if the shelter is full, a thru-hiker may set up camp within 50
feet and in front of the building. No other tent camping is permitted on
the A.T. in the Smokies.
During the spring thru-hiking season, it is quite likely that shelters
will be overcrowded with thru-hikers, with numbers far exceeding the
three spaces allotted at each shelter.If you encounter this situation,
please be considerate of the other backpackers who may have reservations
for the shelter, recognize their legitimate claim to their bunk space,
and set up camp outside per the above regulations.
In addition to the locations listed above, northbound thru-hikers can
obtain backcountry permits at the self-registration station at the
Fontana Dam A.T. Shelter. Southbound thru-hikers may be obtained at the
self-registration station near Big Creek Ranger Station or from U.S.
Forest Service office in Hot Springs, N.C., 33 miles north of Davenport
Gap. Southbound hikers may also obtain permits by mail, regardless of
when you plan to hike through the park; northbound thru-hikers cannot
obtain permits by mail for travel between April 1 and June 15.
Pets are prohibited in the backcountry. Contact the Appalachian Trail
Conference for information on boaon boarding facilities for
Regulations are subject to change. If you have questions or require
additional information, contact: Backcountry Reservations Office, Smoky
Mountain National Park, Gatlinburg, Tenn. 37738; (423) 436-1231 between
8 a.m and 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time daily.
Shenandoah National Park
As in the Smokies, a permit is required for backcountry visitors in the
park. Permits are available without charge at park headquarters, all
entrance stations, all campgrounds, all visitor centers, and at
self-registration stations (on the southern end, the park entrance on
Skyline Drive, and at the northern end, 1.2 miles south of the Compton
Gap fire road. Plans call for that booth to the moved to Tom Floyd
Wayside in 1997). Permits may also be obtained by writing to:
Superintendent, Shenandoah National Park, Luray, Va. 22835.
Huts (shelters) are available on a first-come, first served basis.
The following camping regulations went into effect in 1995: camping is
not permitted within .5 mile of Skyline Drive or any other paved road,
nor is camping permitted within 50 yards of any formal park trail, park
boundary, camping-prohibition sign, trail shelter, or trail hut; find a
campsite that shows no sign of previous use, and stay there only one
night. Conversely, at campgrounds, pitch your tent on areas that do show
signs of previous use; all camping activities must take place with 10
yards of a campsite post.
(The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club also operates six cabins which are
available to the public for a fee. For more information, contact PATC,
118 Park St. S.E., Vienna, VA 22180.)
Campfires are allowed only in constructed fireplaces provided at
trailside shelters; all material packed in must be packed out.
Dogs are prohibited on certain trails (which are posted by appropriate
signs) and must be on a leash at all times in all other areas.
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
Although no permits are required to walk the A.T. in Harpers Ferry
National Historical Park, persons who leave the Trail to visit the
exhibits, shops, and other attractions in the riverside park district
are technically subject to a $2.00 user's fee. The park area is
officially closed to nonresidents after dark, and no camping is allowed.
White Mountain National Forest
In recent years, use of backcountry trails and facilities in the White
Mountains has increased dramatically. Soil erosion, loss of vegetation,
water pollution, and disposal of human waste have become major problems,
necessitating tougher regulations to lessen the impact from camping and
hiking.
To prevent harming the forest's fragile ecosystems and to allow damaged
areas to rehabilitate, the United States Forest Service has designated
parts of the White Mountains as forest protection areas (FPAs). Camping
and fires are restricted in FPAs; no camping above the treeline (where
trees are at least eight feet tall); no camping within 200 feet of the
Trail; and and no camping within one-quarter mile of any hut, shelter,
or tentsites, except at the facility itself. Overnight fees are charged
at some Appalachian Mountain Club-maintained campsites, though all are
available on a first-come, first-served basis; reservations are required
for the AMC-run huts, and fees vary by season. (Click here for more
information about the huts.) Parking fees may be in effect in 1997
throughout the Whites.
The A.T. passes through three state parks within the White Mountain
National Forest: Franconia Notch State Park, Crawford Notch State Park,
and the summit of Mt. Washington. In these state parks, camping is
permitted only in designated campgrounds, huts, or shelters. Camping is
not permitted on Mt. Washington's summit.
For current information on this area, contact: Forest Supervisor, White
Mountain National Forest, P.O. Box 638, Laconia, N.H. 03246;
603/528-8721.
Baxter State Park
Baxter Park is a wilderness park open only from May 15 to October 15.
(Actual dates may vary due to weather-related factors.) Because of the
fragile nature of the alpine environment on Katahdin as well as the
surrounding wilderness area, regulations have been established to limit
impact on the park's resources.
All persons entering Baxter Park, by car or on foot, must register at
one of the entry gates or at the nearest campground. Hikers entering the
park by way of the A.T. must register at Daicey Pond Campground, 7.5
miles north of Abol Bridge. Hikers should register here and check on the
accommodations at one of the campgrounds. There are two lean-tos at
Daicey Pond Campground reserved only for northbound thru-hikers; a $6.00
per person fee is charged. Reservations are required for any other
campsites in the Park near the A.T. Southbound thru-hikers are expected
to make reservations for all campsites and should do so well in advance
of your starting date.
A.T. hikers should obtain a copy of the park regulations and become
familiar with them before coming to the park. You should also be
forewarned that the park is at capacity in July and August, and parking
in trailhead lots is prohibited when the lot becomes full. (If someone
is coming to pick you up at Baxter, it is best to have them arrive
before 6 a.m. or after 5 p.m. to secure a space.) There is no longer
space available to store vehicles at Daicey Pond.
Dogs are not allowed in the park. Contact ATC for information on
boarding your pet.
For more information, contact: Baxter State Park, 64 Balsam Drive,
Millinocket, Maine 04462; (207) 723-5140.
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