Smokies Backcountry Camping
For backpackers spending one to four nights at designated backcountry campsites and shelters in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
- SeasonMar-Nov (peak Apr-May and Oct); wet year-round
- Length1-4 nights
- Sections7
- Items44
- Essential25
- Reviewed2026-10-07
Use this template All templates
Assumes a spring-to-fall backpacking loop for up to 8 people using reserved backcountry campsites or shelters. Covers the Recreation.gov permit (new $6 fee and system as of April 30, 2026), mandatory bear-cable food storage, shelter rules and the park's famously wet weather. Appalachian Trail thru-hikers use a different permit; winter trips need more insulation and traction.
Check before you go
- All backcountry camping requires an advance reservation on Recreation.gov (from April 30, 2026): $8 per person per night plus a $6 non-refundable permit fee with no cap; reservations open 30 days ahead. The A.T. thru-hiker permit is $44.50.
- Camp only at designated sites and shelters; max party 8; no more than 3 consecutive nights at a site and no consecutive nights at shelters or site 113. If your itinerary includes a shelter you must sleep inside it, and hammocks may not be used inside.
- All odorous items (food, trash, toothpaste, lip balm) must hang on the bear cable system at every site; stay 50 yards from bears; use bear spray only if a bear is within 20 yards.
- Fires only in existing rings at designated sites using dead-and-down wood or certified heat-treated firewood; never burn trash.
- Expect rain in any month, slick roots and rock, and fast-moving cold fronts; hypothermia is a risk even in summer at elevation.
- No soap of any kind in water sources; wash and bathe away from water and camp. Bury human waste 6 in deep at least 100 ft from water, camps and trails.
- Check Trail Cautions and Closures for storm damage and bear-activity closures before you go.
What's inside
- Essential
- Optional
- Needs a permit
Permits & Planning 5/7
- Backcountry permit and reservation for every night Recreation.gov from April 30, 2026; $8/person/night plus $6 fee; reservable 30 days ahead.
- Permit printed or saved and carried on the trail
- Parking tag for any vehicle left in the park $5 daily, $15 weekly or $40 annual (as of 2026).
- Itinerary matching reserved sites, shared with a contact
- Check Trail Cautions and Closures and the forecast
- Shuttle or car shuttle for point-to-point routes
- Group of 8 or fewer; no two affiliated groups at one site
Food Storage & Bear Safety 3/6
- Stuff sack and clip ready for the bear cablesCables are provided at every site; hang your whole food bag, pack or canister.
- All smellables hung: toothpaste, lip balm, sunscreen, trash
- Bear canister (optional in the Smokies; ATC recommends one)
- Cook and eat away from the sleeping area
- Bear sprayUse only if a bear is within 20 yards.
- Meals repackaged, plus one extra day
Shelter & Sleep 3/5
- Tent with full rainfly and footprintNeeded for campsite nights; shelter nights require sleeping inside the shelter.
- Sleeping bag rated for the forecast
- Sleeping pad
- Earplugs (shelters are shared)
- Hammock with straps for campsite nights onlyHammocks may not be used inside shelters.
Clothing 5/7
- Rain jacket and rain pants
- Non-cotton layers plus fleece or puffy
- Wool socks (3 pairs) and dry camp socks
- Boots or trail shoes with grip for wet roots and rock
- Warm hat and gloves
- Camp shoes
- Pack cover and pack liner
Water & Kitchen 3/6
- Water filter or treatment
- Capacity for 2 liters
- Stove and fuel
- Cook kit
- Lighter plus backup fire starter
- Wash dishes well away from streams; no soap in water
Navigation & Safety 3/8
- Park trail map
- Headlamp with spare batteries
- First aid kit
- Whistle
- Trekking poles
- Satellite messenger
- Tick and insect repellent; nightly tick check
- Sunscreen
Leave No Trace / Pack-out 3/5
- Trowel for a 6 in cathole 100 ft from water, camp and trail
- Pack out all trash and food scraps; never burn them
- Pack out toilet paper or bury it deep in the cathole
- Fires only in existing rings with dead-and-down or heat-treated wood
- Leave shelters clean with no food stored inside
Sources 2026-10-07
Rules, fees and conditions change. Verify with the official source before you go.
- Backcountry Camping National Park Service - Great Smoky Mountains · 2026-10-07
- Black Bears National Park Service - Great Smoky Mountains · 2026-10-07
- A.T. Permits and Fees Appalachian Trail Conservancy · 2026-10-07