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Great Smoky Mountains National ParkNational Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

In Partnership with

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Christine Hoyer

Backcountry Management Specialist

Great Smoky Mountains National Park



522,000 acres



848 miles

of maintained trail



89 Campsites



15 Shelters



7 Privies



Hitch rails….

Footlogs, fire rings, etc.



Both park tradition and

traditional tool in wilderness



~89% proposed or recommended wilderness – managed as W by policy



Benton MacKaye Trail = 86 miles in the Park

Total length-Springer to Big Creek = 286 miles



Mountains-to-Sea Trail = 24 miles in the Park

Total length-Clingmans Dome to Outer Banks = 1,150 miles



Appalachian Trail = 71.6 miles in the Park

Total length–GA to ME = 2,168 miles

* AT is not on the park trail crew inventory – cooperatively managed, involving a

large volunteer effort



535 miles of the 848 mile network is horse trail – 63%

*Including ~30 miles of the 71 miles of A.T. in the park



~11.4 million

Visitors in 2018!



-

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

Camper Nights by Month and Year (2014-2018)

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018



“The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources

and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration

of this and future generations.”



Recognition of Park Need(s)

Special Interest

Framework Skills

Program Lead Interested Volunteers



5 Year Agreement at the National LevelSigned Oct 2014



5 Year Agreement at the National LevelSigned Oct 2014

(NPS VIP Program Framework)



Employees Volunteers



• Requires a Supervisor and detailed

position description

• Park assumes liability for volunteers – Workman’s Comp

• Same safety/program requirements, rules, regulations

• Requires commitment of funds - for staff support or necessary

supplies/equipment

• Mutual benefit for both sides of the partnership



Spring Trail Clearing Mulch Pack Support

LNT Smokies Master

Educator Alliance Special Projects



Spring Trail Clearing Program Goals: Assist with the clearing of

blowdowns in the spring on the AT and other

identified park horse trails.

Certification Requirements:

• USFS MTDC Chainsaw Certification (AT

requirement) or equivalent

• CPR/FA or higher

Program Requirements:

• Annual safety meeting and agreement per

individual

• Detailed scheduling, radio and safety

protocol must be followed – including

riding helmets

• Chainsaw use is only authorized during

one-month ‘chainsaw window’

• Clear activities only apply to blowdown



Program Notes:

• Program includes ‘Chainsaw Operators’ and

‘Spring Clearing Assistants’

• Risk is high – very detailed JHAs/safety

protocols in place; significant coordination and

oversight necessary

• Agreement can be utilized (would be valid) at

other times throughout the year if necessary -

but exercising that is extremely rare

• This program is built on the trail crew utilizes

chainsaws to clear the trails, based on a

programmatic MRA and inclusion in our

Backcountry Management Plan



Program Goals: Pack support for the Rocky Top Trail Crew who completes

trail maintenance and rehab on the AT. Packers provide support at the

beginning and end of the season to establish the backcountry spike camp

and provide the tools and equipment needed by the crew. Throughout the

season, packers provide a food re-supply for each 8 day hitch.


• No specific certifications are required

• These trips are not leisure rides and those participating are to be

seasoned riders/packers in the Smokies



Program Notes:

• Spike camp location changes each season –

some pack in routes are much longer, more

difficult/logistically challenging than others

• Risk is high – very detailed JHAs/safety protocols

in place; significant coordination pre-season and

for beginning and end of season pack-in and

pack-out


• Annual safety meeting and agreement per individual

• Detailed scheduling, radio and safety protocol must be followed – including riding

helmets

• Coordinate with Rocky Top Crew to coordinate

specific pack in needs prior to each hitch

• Coordinate any backcountry overnight

needs for packer volunteers prior to the

start of the season



Mulch Pack Support

Program Goals: Provide pack support for mulch

supply to moldering backcountry privies that are

horse-accessible on the Appalachian Trail.


• No specific certifications are required

• These trips are not leisure rides and those

participating are to be seasoned riders/packers

in the Smokies


• Annual safety meeting and agreement per individual

• Detailed scheduling, radio and safety protocol must be followed – including riding

helmets

• Coordinate with the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club to pick up the mulch and pack-in



Program Notes:

• Privies are located on high use corridors to concentrate

the impact

• Mulch pack support is provided for Spence, Cosby,

Tricorner (and Pecks)

• Significant work is done to prepare the mulch before it is

packed – created (park trees), bagged and weighed

(hiking club), staged (in some cases by helicopter in the

backcountry in conjunction with other airlift efforts in the

area)



LNT Smokies Master

Educator Alliance

Program Goals: Team teach (as the Smokies Master Educator Alliance) an annual

Leave No Trace Trainer course that covers the standard and equestrian LNT

curriculum. Any outdoor enthusiast can attend.


• The members of the Smokies Master Educator Alliance (SMEA) are park staff

and equestrian volunteers that have completed the Stock-specific Leave No

Trace Master Educator Course.


• Each active member of SMEA must teach

sections of the annual LNT Trainer course

• Assist with recruiting and planning efforts for

each years’ course

• Remain in good standing with the Leave No

Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics



Program Notes:

• SMEA was established in 2012 – this year will be our 8th year in partnership and 8th

LNT Trainer Course (and counting !)

• Annual LNT Trainer Course cost is supported by one of the park partners (either

Friends of the Smokies or Great Smoky Mountains Association, depending on the

year)

• The majority of the courses to date have been held at Big Creek Horse Camp –

horses are not used as part of the actual training

• Continue to try to recruit a higher number of equestrian participants – if anyone in

this audience has an idea of how we do that, please let Tom or I know!



Program Goals: Support and complete other

projects at the request of the Park and/or the

Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

Certification and Program Requirements:

• Project-specific

Examples of Projects:

• Construction of hitch racks at backcountry shelter sites that are horse-accessible

• Packing and construction work for some of the shelter remodeling/repair projects

• Packing-in of fire-rings/wooden signage, when replacements are necessary

• Pack and swamper support for hazard tree mitigation at the overnight sites

(upcoming related to an on-going RTP grant project)

Program Note:

• These projects are planned with input from all

of the relevant partners



• We benefit from a strong park packing program and strong

local horsemen groups

• Our programs are long-standing but have evolved

• Keep the focus on the mutual goals and vision

• Clear and open communication and flexibility are key –

rules change and expectations much be known

• Agreements must work and be

honored by all sides of the partnership



QUESTIONS?

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