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Smokies Backcountry Permit permit area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park - backcountry hiking destination
Booked one camp per night, in order

Smokies Backcountry Permit

Great Smoky Mountains National Park · Tennessee

Required for all overnight camping.

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Party

When it opens

1 month
First come, first served from one month before your entry dateYou book on Recreation.gov.

Source: recreation.gov

70% of the openings our scanner caught on Smokies Backcountry were gone within 10 minutes.

Smokies Backcountry reservation dates

Season
Year-round
max group size
8people

How to get a Smokies Backcountry permit

As of September 2026, Smokies Backcountry in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee requires a permit issued via reservation. Smokies Backcountry rates 6/10 on PermitSnag's demand index. Cancelled Smokies Backcountry permits are re-released on the booking system, and PermitSnag alerts you the moment one opens. The permit season for Smokies Backcountry runs year-round.

Type
Overnight
Location
Southern Appalachians, TN

  1. Step 1: Create a Recreation.gov account

    Sign up at Recreation.gov if you don't have an account. Have your payment info ready.

  2. Step 2: Know the release schedule

    Permits release on a rolling basis. Check the release time for your dates.

  3. Step 3: Be ready when permits drop

    Log in a few minutes early. Have your dates, group size, and payment ready to go.

  4. Step 4: Monitor for cancellations

    If your dates are sold out, people cancel all the time. Set up PermitSnag alerts to catch openings instantly.

Book at Recreation.gov
Learn more:
Best booking timesCancellation huntingRecreation.gov tips

Smokies Backcountry pro tips

  1. Update any bookmark you have. smokiespermits.nps.gov no longer exists. Permits are Recreation.gov 4675347.
  2. The one-month booking window is short by national park standards, which is good news: set a reminder rather than planning a year out.
  3. Watch for site closures from broken bear cables. Campsites 91 and 19 are shut for that right now, and a closed cable closes the site.
  4. AT thru-hikers should buy the $44.50 Activity Pass AP26095, not a nightly backcountry permit.
  5. Budget for a Park It Forward tag as well as the permit: $5 a day for the vehicle, on top of the $8 a head per night.

More on Smokies Backcountry: Live availability activityWhen Smokies Backcountry permits open up

How much a Smokies Backcountry permit costs

Smokies Backcountry permit fee: $8 per person per night plus a $6 non-refundable permit fee. The previous $40 cap has been removed, so there is no maximum total permit cost.

The Smokies Backcountry hike

Route Type
Varies
Duration
Up to 7 nights, the maximum on a single permit

Smokies Backcountry landmarks

  1. 1Campsite 113

    Singled out in the park's own rules: you may not stay consecutive nights here, the same restriction that applies to every shelter.

  2. 2The six large-party campsites

    Campsites 17, 20, 46, 60, 86 and 90 can take groups up to 12. Recreation.gov says to call the Backcountry Office to arrange those.

  3. 3Bullhead Trail

    Closed Monday through Thursday each week, excluding federal holidays, from May 4, 2026 for the Bullhead Rehabilitation Project. Recreation.gov gives an end date of September 19, 2026; the park's conditions page says through November 19.

  4. 4Cades Cove Loop Road

    Closed to all vehicle traffic every Wednesday from May 6 to September 30, 2026. Recreation.gov's note is blunt: backpackers should plan accordingly.

Designated sites and shelters only, bookable one month out, $8 a night per person. The portal you may have used before no longer exists.

About this permit

Great Smoky Mountains National Park requires a permit and advance reservations for all backcountry camping. As of April 30, 2026 all new permits are issued through Recreation.gov. The park's own smokiespermits.nps.gov portal has retired and the domain no longer resolves, so any link you find pointing there is dead. The live product is Recreation.gov permit 4675347.

The camping fee is $8 per person per night, unchanged. What changed alongside the portal is a new $6 non-refundable permit fee and the removal of the previous $40 cap, so there is now no maximum total permit cost.

Permits may be obtained up to one month in advance of the first night of your trip, and the maximum on a single permit is seven nights. Camping is permitted only at designated backcountry campsites and shelters. You may not stay at any backcountry campsite for more than three consecutive nights, and you may not stay consecutive nights at any shelter or at campsite 113. Maximum party size is 8. All odorous items (the park's list includes food, trash, lip balm, toothpaste, stock feed and hay) must be hung on the bear cable system at each campsite or shelter.

Appalachian Trail thru-hikers use a different product entirely: a thru-hiker pass at $44.50, sold as Recreation.gov Activity Pass AP26095. That is a flat one-time pass rather than the $8-per-person-per-night plus $6 structure.

Separately from the permit, the park runs Park It Forward parking tags at $5 daily, $15 weekly and $40 annual, required for all vehicles parking for longer than 15 minutes. The park is explicit that the parking tag is not an entrance fee.

Two current closures worth checking: Recreation.gov lists campsites 91 and 19 as closed due to broken bear cable systems, and the Bullhead Trail has been closed Monday through Thursday each week since May 4, 2026, excluding federal holidays, through November 19.

The route

Camping is permitted only at designated backcountry campsites and shelters. Campsites allow up to three consecutive nights; shelters allow one, and if your itinerary includes a shelter you are required to sleep inside it. Campsite 113 shares the shelters' one-night rule.

A single permit can carry up to seven nights, and permits may be obtained up to one month in advance of the first night. Maximum party size is 8 throughout.

Why it matters

Great Smoky is the most visited national park in the country and its backcountry is the part almost nobody sees. The permit system changed in April 2026: the park's own smokiespermits.nps.gov portal retired and everything moved to Recreation.gov, so old links and old bookmarks are dead.

The feeling

Rhododendron tunnels, creek crossings, and bear cables strung between trees at every site. The elevation range across the park is big enough that a two-day trip can start in oak forest and finish in spruce-fir.

Smokies Backcountry hike highlights

  1. Recreation.gov permit 4675347; the old smokiespermits.nps.gov portal is gone
  2. $8 per person per night plus a $6 non-refundable permit fee, and no total cap
  3. Reservable up to one month before your first night; seven nights maximum per permit
  4. Designated campsites and shelters only, no dispersed camping
  5. Three consecutive nights maximum at a campsite; one night at a shelter
  6. Bear cables at every site, and everything odorous goes on them
  7. Maximum party size 8

How hard the Smokies Backcountry hike is

  • Physical DemandFitness and endurance required3/5
  • Technical SkillClimbing, scrambling, or specialized skills1/5
  • Exposure RiskSteep dropoffs and fall potential2/5
  • NavigationRoute finding and trail clarity2/5
  • CommitmentDifficulty of bailing out mid-route2/5

Best for: Backpackers of most experience levels. The trail network is dense, maintained and well signed, and the sites are numbered.

Recommended experience: Basic backpacking plus creek-crossing sense. The exposure rating covers wet rock and high-water fords rather than heights.

Not recommended for: Anyone unwilling to hang food properly. Bear activity here is constant and the cable system is the whole defence.

Trailhead information

Backcountry Office at Sugarlands Visitor Center

Primary

Not a trailhead. This is the permit desk, and the only location Recreation.gov publishes coordinates for on this permit. Open daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern, 865-436-1297.

  • No restrooms
  • No water

Parking

A parking tag is required to park anywhere in the park for longer than 15 minutes, including every trailhead. Tags are $5 daily, $15 weekly and $40 annual, are not location-specific, and NPS states that buying one does not guarantee you a spot. America the Beautiful passes are not accepted in place of a tag.

Getting There

From I-40 take Exit 407 to TN-66 South, continue straight onto US-441 South at the Sevierville intersection, follow US-441 through Sevierville and Pigeon Forge into the park, then turn right onto Fighting Creek Gap Road at Sugarlands Visitor Center. The office is left of the visitor center main entrance.

When to hike Smokies Backcountry

Best time to visit

April to June and September to November. Summer is hot, humid and busy in the low country; winter closes some access and ices the high trails. October is peak colour and peak demand together. Permits are available year-round.

Weather Forecast

Trailhead (5,000 ft)

⚠️

Backcountry Tips

  • Day 5: Start early. Be below treeline by noon due to lightning risk.
  • Day 5: 76% chance of precipitation. Pack rain gear.
  • Day 6: 68% chance of precipitation. Pack rain gear.

Today

☀️

67°

51°

Wed

☁️

71°

56°

Thu

☁️

76°

58°

Fri

🌧️

78°

57°

46%

Sat

⛈️

70°

60°

76%

Sun

🌧️

62°

60°

68%

Mon

🌧️

60°

47°

42%

View full NWS forecast →Mountain weather changes rapidly. This forecast is a guide—always be prepared for worse conditions.

Smokies Backcountry rules, gear and safety

Gear checklist

Required
  • A stuff sack you can hang on a bear cable
  • Rain gear: the Smokies are among the wettest places in the eastern United States
  • Water treatment
  • A stove
  • Layers for a park whose high country is spruce-fir and its low country oak

Recommended gear

  • Shoes you can ford in; many routes cross creeks unbridged
  • Traction for winter and early spring at elevation
  • Trekking poles
  • A Park It Forward parking tag for the vehicle

Rules & regulations

  1. 01A permit and advance reservation are required for all backcountry camping in the park
  2. 02Camping is permitted only at designated backcountry campsites and shelters
  3. 03You may not stay at any backcountry campsite for more than 3 consecutive nights
  4. 04You may not stay consecutive nights at campsite 113 or at any shelter
  5. 05Backpackers with itineraries that include shelters are required to stay inside the shelter
  6. 06Maximum party size is 8
  7. 07All odorous items must be hung on the bear cable system at each campsite or shelter
  8. 08The maximum number of nights on a single permit is 7

Hazards & considerations

  • Active bears: the park publishes named trails under bear warnings and updates the list regularly
  • Creek crossings that rise fast in the park's frequent heavy rain
  • Ice on high-elevation trails from late autumn to spring
  • Broken bear cable systems, which close sites outright: campsites 91 and 19 are currently shut for this

Safety & planning

Emergency Info

Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for Smokies Backcountry.

Food Storage

Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit.

Gear Checklist: Required and recommended gear for Smokies Backcountry · Shuttle Services: Trailhead transportation options · Guide Services: Experienced wilderness guides

Some links may be affiliate links. Purchases support PermitSnag at no extra cost to you.

Smokies Backcountry FAQ

Do I need a permit to camp in the Great Smoky Mountains backcountry?

Yes. The park requires a permit and advance reservations for all backcountry camping. Since April 30, 2026 permits are issued through Recreation.gov. The old smokiespermits.nps.gov portal has retired and its domain no longer resolves.

How much does a Great Smoky Mountains backcountry permit cost?

$8 per person per night, plus a $6 non-refundable permit fee introduced with the move to Recreation.gov. The previous $40 cap has been removed, so there is no maximum total permit cost.

How far in advance can I reserve a Great Smoky Mountains backcountry permit?

Up to one month in advance of the first night of your trip itinerary. The maximum on a single permit is seven nights.

How many nights can I stay at one Great Smoky Mountains campsite?

Three consecutive nights at a backcountry campsite. Shelters and campsite 113 are the exceptions: you may not stay consecutive nights at either.

Do I need a bear canister in the Great Smoky Mountains?

No. The park uses bear cables instead. All odorous items must be hung on the bear cable system at each campsite or shelter, and the park's list of what counts includes food, trash, lip balm, toothpaste, stock feed and hay. A broken bear cable closes a site. Campsites 91 and 19 are shut for that reason.

Do Appalachian Trail thru-hikers need a Great Smoky Mountains backcountry permit?

They use a different product: an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker pass at $44.50, sold as Recreation.gov Activity Pass AP26095. It is a flat one-time pass rather than the $8 per person per night plus $6 structure that applies to other backcountry trips.

Do I need a parking tag for a Great Smoky Mountains backcountry trip?

The park's Park It Forward rule is that parking tags are required for all vehicles parking for longer than 15 minutes, at $5 daily, $15 weekly or $40 annual, and it states that the parking tag is not an entrance fee. Plan on the general rule applying to a car left at a trailhead.

Smokies Backcountry trail conditions and trip reports

Trail Conditions

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Alternatives to a Smokies Backcountry permit

  • Same AreaPermit required

    LeConte Shelter

    The backcountry shelter on the park's third-highest peak, at 6,593 feet.

    Tradeoffs

    One night only, and you sleep inside the shelter rather than in a tent. Five trails reach it, from 10 to 16.2 miles round trip.

  • Similar ExperiencePermit required

    Shenandoah Old Rag Day-Use Ticket

    A ticketed day hike on Virginia's best-known rock scramble.

    Tradeoffs

    $2 a head and no overnight, but capped at 800 people a day and released in two batches, 30 days and 5 days ahead.

  • Similar ExperiencePermit required

    Big Bend South Rim

    Designated high-country campsites in the Chisos Mountains of west Texas.

    Tradeoffs

    A desert range instead of a temperate rainforest, with no water at all in the high country and in-person permits only from April 16 to October 31.

Where to stay near Smokies Backcountry

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