Call to Re-Open Smokies Shelters

The Mountain Press has published a letter to the editor from Morgan Briggs of Pigeon Forge questioning the Park Service's logic in closing -- and then refusing ever to re-open -- backwoods shelters in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

Under the title "Park service uses poor logic with regard to closed shelters" Briggs focuses particularly on the recent work done at the oft-crowded Icewater Spring shelter. He says some of the crowding could be alleviated were to Park Service to re-open a nearby shelter.

False Gap is a nice, stone shelter, with a fireplace, spring and an excellent location. In the mid-’60s, the park service, in their infinite wisdom, decided to close False Gap. If this shelter was reopened it would be a tremendous asset for the park. It would take a lot of pressure off Icewater.

I guess maybe the NPS logic is that more available shelters will increase the total number of users, rather than spread out the current number, and that would be a bad thing.