GSMNP Elkmont News

“Park Service in favor of preserving Elkmont
"GATLINBURG -- The National Park Service said Monday it would rather preserve a portion of the historic Elkmont resort district in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park than raze it or turn it over to private developers.

The park would save 18 of 74 rustic wood-frame cabins and assorted buildings in Elkmont, most predating the 1930s creation of the country's most-visited national park on the Tennessee-North Carolina border."
...

"Two public hearings will be held on the Park Service's plans in March and public comments will be taken through May 7. A final decision may come six months later."”

“It's about time. Those houses are in BAD shape.”

“That sounds like good news. Do you have any or know where I could see some pictures of Elkmont?”

“Dang, I don't think I have any lumber. It's eerie to walk through there. It's like you're walking around in a Scooby Doo episde.

I'm glad they aren't turning it over to developers. That's a special area that also how some great trail heads. Developers would screw that all up.”

“Good point. This Spring may be a good time to get some pictures.”

“I found a site with some photos.
http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/tn/elkmont.html

If I ever make it down there, I'll have to check that place out. A lot of the work my firm does are one sites similar to Elkmont.”

“I was up there over Thanksgiving and took some pictures of the cabins. I forgot I had put them on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewker”

“score one for the good guys, although i just wonder if that would increase the traffic in an already overran park”

“I wish there was an admittance fee.”

“Why do yo want to eliminate the only National Park that I can afford to visit? I would still get in free, but if they get an entrance fee, they're start charging for backcountry sites, too!

Since that's what the President wants, I guess you're one of his suporters. Fuego Alert.
last edited: 2/07/06 4:46:13 PM”

“Do you walk to the Park?

Charging more fees is a way to keep the NPS healthy woithout Corporate Naming rights becoming a horrible reality.

And it might knock down those horrible crowd numbers.”

“Fee stations often require more expense to operate than the revenue they collect.

A few selected toll stations operating at peak hours in key places might make money

and a sort of lifetime pass to all such places might be a good idea.”

“they should require all heathly (er, physically capable) people to hike 5 miles before they are allowed in the park. Now that would cut down on the influx of visitors.”

“There are several of the cabins that they have done some work on already.

I really can't see them privatizing this. I sort of figured they would let nature take its toll.”

“Fee stations often require more expense to operate than the revenue they collect.

raise the prices.”

“http://www.elkmont-gmpa-ea.com/LocalMap.gif

copied from another thread for those like me who thought this was all about 'Smokemont':

i lied on the other thread
“I meant Smokemount instead of Elkmont.. got me 'monts mixed up!

Two of the three major campgrounds will remain open all year. These year-round campgrounds are Cades Cove in Tennessee and Smokemont in North Carolina. Starting November 1, they will be on a self-registration basis with a reduced number of available sites. Elkmont Campground in Tennessee will remain open through the Thanksgiving weekend and will be closed on December 1.”
smokygirl
11:45:58 AM
12/01/04
last edited: 2/07/06 6:26:30 PM”

“bearmagnet -

1. The Parks are supposed to be for the use and enjoyment of the people. So go ahead, price most people out of the Park!

2. The government has already skirmed out of most of their obligation by using volunteer workers. If these workers ever organize, they will be be able to rename the Parks and run them. GSMNP has over 2,000 such workers, plus the support of other organizations, namely trail and hiking clubs.

3. Most of their fees are already exorbitate. For $17 you can listen to your neighbor's generator, not the birds, and wash yourself in cold water. I compare their rates to renting an apartment or a home. At $527 per month (31x17) I can get a lot more for my dollar in most parts of the country. At least I could be in a dwelling. In the park I have to furnish my own shelter, like a tent or a tarp, and exist w/o many amenities that might be included in a residentual structure.

It is already difficult to enjoy the Parks with all the rules and regulations, many of which are unnessary and excessive, some of them in place simply so as to make life easier for the Park's employees

So I ask you, why can't we keep one park without an entrance fee, so that all people can have an opportunity to enjoy nature.
last edited: 2/07/06 6:59:58 PM”

“How much does going to the movies cost? How much money does the average person spend to get to the park?

would you not agree that the NPS is woefully short-o-cash?

They don't have enough money to take care of all the parks in DC. The ones that don't get tourists are neglected.

BTW - The National Mall is Free. Monuments, Smithsonian. All free. :D”

“bearmagnet - The government is no better at handling money than I am, in fact, they are worse because they can just print more and go further in debt. When my monthly funds are exhausted, I have no more until the next month.

No, I do not walk to the Park. It is 666+ miles away. But I have riden a bus to get there. And I do not attend movies. They are out of my budget. And I can't remember the last time I attended a concert or opera. I miss them. FYI, GSMNP is included in my health program. I have been using the backpacking there to lose weight(always a problem) and to strengthen my leg muscles so that they can hold me up. My knees cannnot do it. Both need replacements.

So you're telling me that the government needs more money and does not have enough taxes in place. Well, you're right! We do need more $1,000 toilet seats in some of the military airplanes.
last edited: 2/07/06 7:28:41 PM”

“I'm in favor of fees and season passes, but won't happen in GSMNP. When the park was founded, since so much of the land had been bought from or donated by private citizens, it was agreed that access to the park would always be free.”

“isn't there a National Park Pass available for 50.00? Isn't that good for any National Park no matter how many times you go there. If you travel a lot to the parks that is a good deal, even if you don't doesn't the money still go towards the NPS”

“I used to buy a pass when I was going to Big Bend each year. I always thought of it as a good "donation".”

“yep, your right Ewker - 50 bucks gets you yearlong admittance to any NPS facility that charges a fee - that includes Parks, Monuments and any other place managed by the NPS.

They restored a few cabins in Little Cataloochee Valley a few years back too. Its pretty cool to walk thru the middle of nowhere and see where and how peeps lived in 1890 or 1910.”

“My Golden Age Passport has saved me a bundle on Park Entrance Fees and reduced camping fees. What Bush wants is not only an entrance fee, but backcountry fees as well. I spend a lot of time in the backcountry, so this could hit me hard.

Here is one of the Government tricks, which scares me.:

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
Fees and Park Passes
The entrance fee to the park (a seven-day permit) is $10.00 per vehicle, $5.00 for pedestrians or bicyclists. Fees for those arriving by commercial bus or tour vary by passenger capacity. Persons holding a valid Golden Age Passport (available to U.S. citizens or residents 62 years of age or older for a one-time fee of $10.00), Golden Eagle Passport, or National Park Pass ($50.00 pass is good for 1 full year from date of purchase and allows entrance to any national park that charges an entrance fee) are admitted free of charge. An annual tri-park pass may be purchased for $20.00 which allows access for 1 full year from date of first use at Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Haleakala National Park, and Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park.

Most visitors are there only one day. But they charge for a full week!

The Fee Schedule, also, answers the question about the National Park Pass.”

“That fee structure is similar to the fee structure for all parks that charge fees. The standard "day pass" is typically good for a full week. If you only use a day or two, thats your choice.

Rocky Mtn's 'day pass' is 15 bucks I think, but its good for a full week. Glacier is the same way.”

“The GSMNP is unique in the Park Service in that it charges no fees. This is in part due to the act that it was part of the deal when the Park Service bought up entire towns within the borders of the park. They promised not to charge any fees for admittance or recreational use.

The thing that screws up the GSMNP in the way of crowds is that awful road that bisects the park between Cherokee and Gatlinburg. If that road had never been built, the park would be a far nicer place to visit. If it were shut down (which, of course, would never happen since it would make it harder to get from tourist trap Gatlinburg to tourist trap Cherokee), the park would become a far, far friendlier place to enjoy nature. Car access to Clingman's Dome and Newfound Gap and the fragile high country would cease. You'd have to walk to get to such amazing places. It would be great.

I like the fact that there are no fees to enter or use the GSMNP. A true citizens park.
It would be nice, however, if they got more money to keep the park from deteriorating and if there were efforts made to regulate the traffic in Cades Cove and along the highway between Cherokee and Gatlinburg.

I stayed at the Wonderland in Elkmont just days before it closed permanently. We were among the last guests to use it. It was sad to see it go, and I wanted to stay there before it was gone forever. It was a relic of the days when big lodges were routinely built in the national parks. Of course it was nothing like the great western park lodges, but it was nice in its way.

Now that it and the cabins are shut down, they should be torn down or allowed to disintegrate, with the exceptions of those historical cabins.”

“It was a relic of the days when big lodges were routinely built in the national parks.

Now that it and the cabins are shut down, they should be torn down or allowed to disintegrate, with the exceptions of those historical cabins.”
Bob Smith
9:24:31 AM
2/08/06

why not leave or restore it like they will hopefully do with the cabins. I can't see your logic in wanting one historical site to go away while saving another one in the park.”

“My only complaint is that I wish more of the campgrounds took reservations. I always wind up getting a reservation at the Cove because I'm afraid to "gamble" on a non reservation site. If I'm driving 4.5 hrs with kids I don't want to get up there and be SOL because at that point the Cove or others would be full. I feel like reservations at all might help overcrowding at the big campgrounds.”

“Stay out in Cosby CG, dayhiker. It never fills up. I've talked to the personnel about that out there.”

“I lucked out and got to stay at the lodge on Mt LeConte this past summer.
It was something I had been wanting to do for the past 30 years.”

“Thanks tb. I love family camping at the cove, but would also like to explore other areas. We usually do lots of swimming at the "Y". Recently Reece said he didn't want to swim this year because it's too cold. Since we might now swim this year we're considering going in April or May instead of hte usual July or August. They're also getting big enough to do some hiking.”

“SS, was it worth the cost. I know it is expensive for one night and 2 meals. Have heard the food is great though”

“Dayhiker, the community center in Gatlinburg on 321 has a heated pool. It's a very nice facility.”

“Thanks tb. We avoid Gatlinburg like the plague. A pool would be fun though. The kids love to swim.

Ewk - good question. I've wondered the same thing. I've thought about doing that with my wife but figured we could do something better for the same money. It seems awful steep to me for bunkhouse sleeping. I'd rather talk her into backpacking and be private in a tent.”

“We're trying to figure out a time to bring Laurel back up in the next couple of months.”

“Maybe we'll get lucky on timing this year.”

“dh, when I stayed at the shelter last yr we hung around the lodge some. One guy was there with his family of 6. They were up there for the weekend (2 nights). I was thinking on where I could have gone with all that money...a cruise maybe..lol”

“Exactly. You could get a remote cabin and have better accomadations and more freedom to do what you want. OTOH it is a very different experience and would be nice if you don't have the equipment that we all have.”

“I love Cosby, its quiet and away from the crowds, Mt Cammermer is awesome to hike to, and you dont even have to go through Gatlinburg!”

“I'll look into some of hte other camp grounds. The Mt looks like a 12 mile dayhike. Kids will be 6 and 4 then and wife will be about 5 months along.”

“Dayhiker, somehow I missed the news that you were expecting another one. Congratulations!”

“I've wondered about Cataloochee. My perception is that it's all horse campers, but I'm probably off base on that. It has a small campround but I don't think they accept reservations.”

“Deep Creek is nice too. If the kids get bored they can always go for a train ride in town. We did that last spring with Laurel, on the "Little Engine that Could."”

“Thanks. I haven't announced it really. No one at work knows yet. I have a coworker that reads the board and he's in San Antonio this week so I felt it was safe. We're announcing to the locals in about a week and a half. A good friend had the same due date and miscarried 2 weeks ago. We're trying to get some space there before we announce. Also, we miscarried last July and are gunshy ourselves.”

“I like staying at Cosby. I have based camped and did some nice dayhikes from there. One nice hike is up Low Gap to the AT to Mt Cammerer tower, then down the AT to the Lower Mt Cammerer Trail and back to the campgrounds. Really nice campsite on that trail. A Ranger I talked to said Cosby has never been full in the 5-6 yrs he has been there. That includes July 4th. Most people don't like it because it is to far away from Gatlinburg”

“I don't blame you one bit there.



Yeesh, I'm talking with someone vis email and just got the conversations crossed. I hate that.
last edited: 2/08/06 11:02:41 AM”

“tb - I've looked into the Smoky Mtn Railroad but that thing is about $100 for 4. Is that the one you're tlaking about?”

“$25 a head? Is it the one that operates out of Bryson city? It could be. We didn't actually go on the Smoky mtn. rr, just a steam engine decked out like the storybook, with all the personnel dressed as characters.”

“http://www.gsmr.com/excursions.php

It looks like the Thomas one might be a possibility. That's still $15 a head.”