Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont

Reptiles & Amphibians Class
Discover the secret lives of reptile and amphibian species in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Sign Up Today!
Part of our Naturalist Certification Program.

Tremont Events
Workshops, school, programs, hikes, camping trips and more!
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Tremont Jobs
A unique opportunity to work inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Check out our jobs page.

Current Road Closures
The park is now distributing road closure information via Twitter. Click here to check closures.

Tremont eNews
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bi-weekly enewsletter including Tremont and park information and articles
by our naturalists.

Walker Valley Reflections
The Spring Annual Report Edition of Walker Valley Reflections is out! You'll see it in your mailbox soon, but check it out here first.
View online.

Plans to Improve Tremont
Click here to learn more from Tremont
about the Environmental Assessment
that the park released on improving our facilities.

What to Bring - Women's Backpacking

NOTES ON APPROPRIATE GEAR

Description of Items

Hiking boots – When hiking, your feet are your most valuable possession, so make sure your feet have the support that they need. Hiking boots should be comfortable and broken-in to avoid blisters. The weight of your hiking boots (lightweight nylon, lightweight leather, or heavy leather) depends upon how much support you need for your ankles, but all boots should have a good sturdy sole with excellent traction. If you plan to purchase a new pair of hiking boots, remember to try on new shoes with the socks that you plan to use for hiking. Usually, this means hiking boots will be 1/2 to a full size larger than your regular shoes. Outdoor stores are generally very helpful in giving you advice. We recommend that you wear your footwear as often as possible prior to arriving for your trip.
Socks – Should be wool or synthetic. Consider wearing thin, synthetic sock liners along with the wool, to give extra protection from blisters and added warmth in wet, cold weather.
Sleeping bags – We recommend nylon bags with synthetic or down filling. Synthetic bags are often cheaper than down and work better when wet. If you bring a down bag, you will need to take extra precautions to keep it dry. Bring a nylon stuff sack (or several heavy-duty garbage bags) to help keep your sleeping bag protected and dry. We strongly discourage using cotton sleeping bags (the bulky, “slumber-party" variety). These bags are inefficient as insulators and are heavy and useless once wet.
Long underwear, tops and bottoms – Cotton undergarments are fine when dry, but are the least likely to dry once wet. Wool, silk, and synthetic undergarments have the advantage of maintaining much of their insulating ability when wet. Also, synthetic and silk are lightweight and quick to dry.
Shorts/T-shirts – These are for hiking comfortably and can be any kind that you choose. Nylon shorts dry (from sweat or rain) much quicker than cotton and can double as swim trunks.
One long sleeve and one short sleeve T-shirt are a good combination.
Long pants – Long pants are useful on cooler hiking days and on buggy evenings around your campsite. They are best if nylon or a cotton/polyester blend. Nylon tends to be light-weight; it dries quickly, and acts as a good barrier to wind in cold weather. Blue jeans are not recommended; they are heavy and will not dry fast.
Insulators: Long sleeve shirt and long pants – Could be wool, fleece, or a thick flannel. If these items are not available to you, sweat shirts and sweat pants with a pair of nylon pants or rain pants will act as a substitute. Good quality, cheap wool pants (under $10) can often be found at army surplus stores.
Raingear – Expect rain at some point during your stay here in the Smoky Mountains. Layering of clothes with a raincoat as the outer layer will provide plenty of warmth and wind protection. A good plastic or rubberized raincoat is acceptable. Other more expensive and lighter-weight alternatives are available, such as Gore-Tex or coated nylon. Rain pants are a wonderful luxury if you have them. We do not recommend Ponchos, as they often rip within a few hours of wear and can be very cumbersome while hiking with a pack and going through vegetated areas.
Underwear – Wear what you like, although one per day should suffice.
Bandanas – Exceptionally versatile. Can be used as washcloth, dishrag, Kleenex, potholder, sweatband, etc. They are thinner and dry quicker than a traditional washcloth.
Camp shoes/wet shoes – Any pair of light-weight shoes with a good sole, or a pair of tough sandals (such as Tevas) are good to have for river crossings and for wear after a long day of hiking.
Wool hat, mittens/gloves – Should be wool or fleece. In cold weather, up to 60% of your body heat can be lost through your head since the blood vessels flow close to the surface of the skin.
Plastic bags – Plastic bags have a number of important uses. Large, heavy-duty bags (30-55 gallon) can be used as pack covers and as pack liners. Other smaller bags (such as, freezer bags or ziplocks) provide convenient protection from rain for clothes, toiletries, cameras, sketchbooks, etc. Extra bags always come in handy for packing out trash and used toiletry items.
Feminine Hygiene Products – If there is any doubt as to whether you will need them, bring them. Staff will not carry extra supplies. These must be packed out, so bring a few extra plastic bags.