Great Smoky Mountains NP Backcountry User Fee Update – June 6

 

Here is an update to my reporting in Carolina Public Press on the backcountry user fee in the Great Smoky Mountains NP.

 

In addition to an extra pair of socks, a sleeping bag and bug spray, backcountry users in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park must now add another item to their checklist: money to pay a fee.

The user fee went into effect on Feb. 13, and, according to Great Smoky spokeswoman Dana Soehn, the transition has been smooth. The $4 per-night, per-person fee will impact roughly 30,000 backcountry users who collectively spend an estimated 75,000 nights in backcountry sites every year, according to the park. READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE.