Beginning April 3, visitors to the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area on the Pisgah National Forest Grandfather Ranger District in North Carolina will be able to reserve overnight permits online through Recreation.gov.
Previously, permits were reserved by calling the Grandfather Ranger District office, which often led to busy signals and long wait times due to increased demand in recent years.
Despite the change in reservation process, the permit requirements for Linville Gorge Wilderness remain unchanged.
Since the 1970s, the area has had a quota-based permit system to maintain the wilderness character and solitude.
Permits are required for overnight camping within the designated wilderness boundary on Friday and Saturday nights from May through October, as well as Sunday nights on three-day holiday weekends.
However, permits are not required for day use, roadside camping or camping on Table Rock.
For each night when permits are required, a maximum of 50 people are allowed to camp overnight.
Seventy percent of the quota (35 permits) will be available one month in advance, with reservations for May 2023 opening on April 3 at 10 a.m.
The remaining 30% of the quota (15 permits) will be available for last-minute reservations, which can be reserved three days in advance.
Last-minute permits for the coming weekend will be available each Wednesday at 10 a.m.
While permits are free, a reservation transaction fee of $6 will be required for each reservation transaction.
Visitors can reserve for up to 10 people if permits are available. Reservation services through Recreation.gov will be available 24/7, while the call center will be open year-round from 10 a.m. to midnight.
Visitors can prepare for the 2023 season by setting up an account now through Recreation.gov, and searching for “Linville” in the search field at the top of the page.
Phone reservations remain available for those without internet access through the Recreation.gov call center at 877-444-6777.
The move to online permits on Recreation.gov is expected to streamline the process and make it more accessible for visitors to the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area.
With the increased demand for permits in recent years, the move to online reservations is expected to reduce the volume of phone calls to the Grandfather Ranger District office, allowing the staff to focus on other tasks.
This could improve communication and service to visitors, leading to a better overall experience for those who plan to visit the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area.
Moreover, private campgrounds and recreational facilities in the area may benefit from the shift to online reservations.
By streamlining the permit process, more visitors may be able to secure a permit for overnight camping in the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area, which could lead to an increase in overall tourism to the region.
This, in turn, could result in a higher demand for private campgrounds and recreational facilities in the area.
Additionally, the reservation transaction fee paid by visitors will support the Recreation.gov platform, which provides contracted services for online, call-center, and field reservations. This could improve the efficiency and accessibility of the reservation system, ultimately benefiting both public and private entities in the region.
This modification to online reservations for overnight permits in Linville Gorge Wilderness is remarkable. I strongly suggest setting up your Recreation.gov account now for the 2023 season.
Planning a visit to Linville Gorge Wilderness? Don’t forget to grab your permits online and mark your calendar early, especially for those popular dates! It’s key to follow Leave No Trace principles for a stellar time in the great outdoors. Have you brushed up on those guidelines?
Just a heads up – starting April 3, you can snag those Linville Gorge Wilderness permits online at Recreation.gov. It’s a game-changer, right? I’d mark my calendar for May 2023 trip plans now – 10 a.m. sharp on April 3. Let’s secure those permits hassle-free!