a)(1) The lighting or maintaining of fires is generally prohibited, except as provided for in the following designated areas and/or receptacles, and under the conditions noted:
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Designated Areas:
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All park campgrounds in allowed receptacle (Does not apply to sites along the Mountains to Sea Trail (MST)).
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Established picnic areas in allowed receptacle
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Backcountry areas with a permit: Johns River Road, Basin Cove and CCC Camp at Rock Castle Gorge.
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Employee residential areas in allowed receptacle
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Humpback Rocks area adjacent to the Appalachian Trail
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Peaks of Otter Lodge – Fire ring located behind the restaurant.
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Receptacles Allowed:
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Receptacles designed for containing open flames or for the purpose of cooking food. Including gas-powered stoves and grills, portable charcoal grills, canned-heat devices and established fire rings.
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Used charcoal should be disposed of in the existing fire receptacles in developed campgrounds and picnic areas. Disposal in trash receptacles is prohibited.
Established Conditions for Fires:
- The Superintendent may impose emergency fire rescrictions during periods of high fire danger.
- The backcountry permit is adequate control for authorized fires in backcountry camping areas. Fires in established picnic grounds, residential areas, and campgrounds, if contained in park-provided fireplaces or grills brought by visitors, present no danger to park resources. Confining open fires in developed areas to picnic grounds, residential areas, and campgrounds allows for a safe and suitable disposal site for fire residue. Gas stoves are permitted wherever picnicking or camping is allowed, as they carry very minimal risk of wildfire. Further restrictions must be imposed during periods of high fire danger to minimize the threat of uncontrolled fire.
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Conditions on Lighting or Maintaining a Fire - New Information Added on 9/19/25
- A fire may be ignited and maintained only by using fuel sources designed and commonly used for warmth or the preparation of food, such as charcoal briquettes or natural firewood. Lighting or maintaining a fire with other materials including, but not limited to, flammable liquids, garbage, fireworks, plastics, aerosol canisters, batteries, or other manufactured or synthetic materials, is prohibited.
This action is necessary for the maintenance of public health and safety, protection of environmental or scenic values, protection of natural or cultural resources, and the implementation of management responsibilities. Materials other than approved combustibles – especially fire accelerants and substances prone to wind transport or explosion – creates serious risks when used to light or maintain fires. These combustibles can ignite or spread wildfires that directly threaten people and valuable resources and assets. The burning of manufactured or synthetic materials can contribute to air pollution, contaminate soil and water, and be toxic to humans and the environment. Less restrictive measures, such as an education campaign informing visitors of the risks of using certain materials to light or maintain a fire, would not be commensurate with the substantial risks associated with those activities and could lead to adverse outcomes that might be prevented by establishing an enforceable condition.
