Great Smoky Mountains Backcountry Permits
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
This page allows you to book a backcountry permit reservation for overnight backpacking trips in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Overnight backpacking trips require hiking multiple miles from the nearest trailhead and carrying all of your necessary gear for the night.
Reservations for developed frontcountry campgrounds with facilities and vehicle access can be found here.
Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker Permits are required for individuals thru-hiking the A.T. and can be found here.
With over 800 miles of trail, Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers a wide range of scenery, including spectacular mountain vistas, rushing streams and waterfalls, historic structures, and quiet groves of old-growth forest. World-renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this is America's most visited national park.
The Smokies backcountry is a mountainous, wilderness environment and is much more challenging than many people realize. Rugged terrain and unpredictable conditions pose serious risks. Safety is never guaranteed. Any backcountry trip, even a short one, involves risk and requires careful planning. You can download a park trail map to find the location of trails, backcountry shelters, and campsites in the park. For information on current conditions in the backcountry, for trip-planning advice, or to obtain permits over the phone, call the Backcountry Office (865-436-1297).
Notifications and Alerts
Starting April 30, Great Smoky Mountains National Park will transition its backcountry permit system to Recreation.gov. This upgrade will improve reliability, security, and ease of planning.
Visitors with existing reservations do not need to do anything—all permits issued before the switch will be honored.
To make reservations prior to the April 30 transition, please visit https://smokiespermits.nps.gov/.
Permit & Season Information
Backcountry permits are required year-round for all backpacking trips in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Permits are site and date specific, and backpackers must stay at designated campsites/shelters in the backcountry. This requires significant planning and preparation before beginning a trip.
Backcountry permits may be obtained here or by visiting or calling the Backcountry Office at Sugarlands Visitor Center, near Gatlinburg, TN. The Backcountry Office is open daily, from 8 am to 5 pm Eastern Time (865-436-1297).
Permits may be obtained up to one month in advance of the first night of your trip itinerary.
The maximum number of nights on a single permit is 7 nights.
Backpackers may not stay consecutive nights at any shelter or campsite 113. Backpackers may not stay more than 3 consecutive nights at any other campsite.
Backpackers with permits for shelters are required to stay inside shelters and are not permitted to set up tents outside or inside shelters.
Need to Know
Backcountry Permit Conditions
Permit holders are responsible for their group, including everyone's safety and compliance with park rules and regulations. Backpackers must be familiar with and follow all permit rules and regulations:
Backpackers MUST have a backcountry permit to camp overnight in the backcountry. All permits are non-refundable/non-transferable. Parking is limited and, obtaining a parking tag does not guarantee a parking spot at a specific location. Parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis throughout the park. Backcountry users should plan to arrive early in the morning to secure a parking spot for their intended backcountry itinerary, especially at the busier trailheads in the park.
Rescue is NOT a certainty! I am aware of the risks involved with traveling/camping in the backcountry and that the safety of my group is my responsibility. As the permit holder, I understand it is my responsibility to make sure everyone in my group abides by the conditions of this permit, or I could be cited for their actions.
DOGS/PETS ARE NOT ALLOWED. I will NOT bring dogs or any other pets into the backcountry.
I understand how to utilize the scented items/food storage cable system and that I MUST hang ALL scented items on the cable system when I am not using them (i.e., food, cookware, toiletries, and trash) regardless of what type of container they are in. If I CHOOSE to carry a bear canister, it will be placed in my pack and hung in the cable system to comply with the park requirement. I will not leave my pack unattended. Click here to learn more about black bears.
I will protect everyone’s drinking water by being prepared to bury my human feces and toilet paper ONLY in a six-inch-deep cathole or use privies where available. Dishwashing and bathing in any water source with soap is prohibited. I will filter any drinking water.
I will pack out everything I bring into the backcountry, including ALL trash and gear. I will ONLY use established fire rings and burn dead/downed wood. I will not cut down any trees. I will not burn any trash or food. I will not leave a fire unattended until the ash is cold to the touch.
I will NOT vandalize the park. I understand Leave No Trace ethics and that writing, drawing, or carving on shelters, privies, rocks, trees, or features is considered vandalism and prohibited by law.
I understand that if my permit itinerary includes a shelter, I am REQUIRED to use it and must stay inside the shelter. Closures can occur unexpectedly, and you may or may not get a notification.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is Bear Country: Bear activity is especially high during May-August. Visitors may experience a higher likelihood of bear encounters this time of year. Over the last 10 years, an average of 339 negative human-bear encounters have been reported each year; many more go unreported. Visitors should be aware that high bear activity can occur in any area, and that your safety is not guaranteed. To increase your odds for a safe visit, please follow best practices for living and recreating in bear habitat. Stay alert and be prepared to react appropriately during possible encounters, and always report any unusual bear interactions as soon as possible. Click here to learn more about black bears.
To enhance the overall experience and safety of backpacking trips, backpackers in Great Smoky Mountains National Park should always carry the 10 Essentials and practice Leave No Trace.
Seasonal and weather-related road closures may affect your ability to access trailheads. Prior to starting your trip, please check the Roads, Facilities, and Backcountry Updates page and the weather forecast. Please remember that road and weather conditions change constantly. Be prepared for the unexpected!
Fee Policy
Reservation Fee: $6 per permit (non-refundable)
Recreation Fee: $8 per person per night (non-refundable)
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation Policy:
Permits are non-refundable. Permit holders may cancel their permit at any point prior to permit issuance/printing. Permit holders will have the ability to print their permit through their Recreation.gov account at any point after their reservation has been made. Once printed, the permit is considered issued, and modifications or cancellations will no longer be allowed.
Change Policy:
Once created, the permit holder may modify their Group Size (availability permitting), Entry Point, Exit Point, Travel Method, and Emergency Contact prior to permit issuance/printing.
Permit holders MAY NOT modify their permit start date; if permit holders would like to change their start date, they will be required to cancel their existing reservation and book a new reservation
If the group size is increased, the permit holder must pay the additional per person per night fees. If group size is reduced, no refund of the per person per night fees will be provided.
Contact Information
Mailing Address
1420 Fighting Creek Gap Road Gatlinburg TN 37738
Phone Number
(865) 436-1297
