Great Smoky Mountains National Park Institutes Backcountry Camping Fees
By Rocky Thompson on March 8th, 2012
During a public commenting period 230 people wrote in and two petitions were launched. The overwhelming sentiment was “keep the Smokys free.” Beginning in 2013 people who camp overnight in the backcountry will have to pay a per-day fee, likely $4 per night. The park won’t use the off-the-shelf software from recreation.gov to manage the fee use. It has issues with lead times and often campers and hikers in the Smoky Mountains are on a more spontaneous schedule. But I have to wonder, how much will it cost to develop something that will work for them? Even if they find it reasonably cheap, it’s going to cut deep into those $4-per-day fees. On the upside, all money raised is meant to go to improving backcountry services including increasing and extending hours of the ranger staff (so they can spend their time catching scofflaws who don’t pay the user fee).
Tags: access, Camping, fee, National Parks, smoky mountains
This proposal received a ferocious backlash from a very hardcore group of backpackers in the Smokies. A months-long debate on GoSmokies (with 100s of posts/comments) became so acrimonious that KnoxNews took the posting down about a month ago. As someone once said, though; “this too shall pass”….
I’ve got a low cost way of collecting fees: Wooden lock box with a slot, next to a box of envelopes and golf pencils. Take the money you make and use it efficiently. Those that are highly opposed can opt out of payment. Those without proper cash that want to pay can keep their little envelope and visit the website printed on it when they get back home to make their payment. Park service gets something without spending much money.
People in the parks a generally goodhearted and I would imagine the rate of payment would be fairly decent. I backpack and use these boxes frequently and have even had over payments mailed back to me. Don’t waste money on going after the non-payers. To me it feels like everyone gets a little something that way.