I am planning a trip to Gatlinburg/ Great Smoky Mountains National park this summer.
I was wondering if the locals were familiar with the laws on the carry of handguns/long guns in the park and concealed in Gatlinburg?

I do not have a concealed carry permit, what are the ins and outs of constitutional carry in TN?

Unfortunately, carry of long guns is an issue that still hasn't been fixed in TN laws.

Carry of long guns is limited to certain activities - hunting, range, etc.

Thank you for the heads up on long-guns. Reading online the carry laws are pretty good. So pistol only it is.

Carry in G-burg is fine, but don’t consume alcohol while carrying.  Check here for definitive state laws on Out of State carry: Non-Tennessee Citizen reciprocity

Basically, if you have a permit from a state we share reciprocity with, you’re G2G.  Tennessee concealed carry permit (not the enhanced permit) is valid ONLY for TN residents.  So, if you do not have a permit from your state, you would be in violation if caught carrying in Tennessee.  See here: Tennessee Code Annotated. It’s a misdemeanor offense.

Carry in the National Forest is legal for Enhanced Permit holders, and residents of states with TN reciprocity.  Pistols only, no long guns…

Now, there are several 5.56mm, .300 BLK, and 7.62x39 pistols on the market.  Carefully weight your desires against prudent thought.  Do you really want to draw unwarranted, yet lawful attention from a Park Ranger(s) because some Karen saw you with your Sig Rattler and brace?

My preference is a 10mm with hard cast bullets—great for anything in East Tennessee up to and including black bears.  More than you’d need for two-legged snakes.

Attached File


Hill People Gear is a great chest rig, plenty big enough for G40 with RMR, extra magazine, and lots of trail snacks.  Tourniquet and IFAK were added, not included.

See you on the trails!

The GSMNP is a National Park, not a National Forest.

Thanks for the recommendation on the chest rig. G40 is what I was thinking as a carry gun.
I'm surprised about the lack of constitutional carry in TN for out of state visitors.  Looks like I'll have to go about getting a MO permit before my trip.

Our carry laws are still a work in progress, and have been for decades.

Passing the permitless carry bill was delayed for at least a year, thanks to the NRA stepping in and offering the mostly pointless 'concealed only' carry permit as an alternative to passing Constitutional carry (and their 'concealed only' permit became completely pointless, once permitless carry passed).

Semantics.  It’s got a fuck ton of trees…you get the point.

TN accepts all CCW permits from all other states regardless of reciprocity.

No permit from your state, I'm pretty sure you can't carry in TN.  Some legal beagel correct me if I'm wrong.

That statement has to be the stupidest statement I've read on this board.  Ther'e a fuckton of difference between NP and NF rules and laws on firearms.  Holy Fucking Shit.  

Amen brother. The differences between a NP and a NF are immense.

Sigh.

Why don't people read the code?

https://advance.lexis.com/documentpage/?pdmfid=1000516&crid=e1b5d8be-a0de-4906-82d9-9afc22cc1cae&nodeid=ABNAAOAANAAH&nodepath=%2FROOT%2FABN%2FABNAAO%2FABNAAOAAN%2FABNAAOAANAAH&level=4&haschildren=&populated=false&title=39-17-1307.+Unlawful+carrying+or+possession+of+a+weapon.&config=025054JABlOTJjNmIyNi0wYjI0LTRjZGEtYWE5ZC0zNGFhOWNhMjFlNDgKAFBvZENhdGFsb2cDFQ14bX2GfyBTaI9WcPX5&pddocfullpath=%2Fshared%2Fdocument%2Fstatutes-legislation%2Furn%3AcontentItem%3A62H2-XGN0-R03N-23H0-00008-00&ecomp=vg1_kkk&prid=c4c9fadd-6625-41bf-bbbd-e8c3df792ced

https://legiscan.com/TN/text/SB0765/id/2362562

TN is a Constitutional Carry State now.

(a)
(1) A person commits an offense who carries, with the intent to go armed, a firearm or a club.
(2)
(A) The first violation of subdivision (a)(1) is a Class C misdemeanor, and, in addition to possible imprisonment as provided by law, may be punished by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500).
(B) A second or subsequent violation of subdivision (a)(1) is a Class B misdemeanor.
(C) A violation of subdivision (a)(1) is a Class A misdemeanor if the person's carrying of a handgun occurred at a place open to the public where one (1) or more persons were present.
(b)
(1) A person commits an offense who unlawfully possesses a firearm, as defined in § 39-11-106, and:
(A) Has been convicted of a felony crime of violence, an attempt to commit a felony crime of violence, or a felony involving use of a deadly weapon; or
(B) Has been convicted of a felony drug offense.
(2) An offense under subdivision (b)(1)(A) is a Class B felony.
(3) An offense under subdivision (b)(1)(B) is a Class C felony.
(c)
(1) A person commits an offense who possesses a handgun and has been convicted of a felony unless:
(A) The person has been pardoned for the offense;
(B) The felony conviction has been expunged; or
(C) The person's civil rights have been restored pursuant to title 40, chapter 29, and the restoration order does not specifically prohibit the person from possessing firearms.
(2) An offense under subdivision (c)(1) is a Class E felony.
(d)
(1) A person commits an offense who possesses a deadly weapon other than a firearm with the intent to employ it during the commission of, attempt to commit, or escape from a dangerous offense as defined in § 39-17-1324.
(2) A person commits an offense who possesses any deadly weapon with the intent to employ it during the commission of, attempt to commit, or escape from any offense not defined as a dangerous offense by § 39-17-1324.
(3)
(A) Except as provided in subdivision (d)(3)(B), a violation of this subsection (d) is a Class E felony.
(B) A violation of this subsection (d) is a Class E felony with a maximum fine of six thousand dollars ($6,000), if the deadly weapon is a switchblade knife.
(e)
(1) It is an exception to the application of subsection (a) that a person is carrying or possessing a firearm, loaded firearm, or firearm ammunition in a motor vehicle or boat if the person:
(A) Is not prohibited from possessing or receiving a firearm by 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) or purchasing a firearm by § 39-17-1316; and
(B) Is in lawful possession of the motor vehicle or boat.
(2)
(A) As used in this subsection (e):
(i) “Boat” means any watercraft, other than a seaplane on the water, designed and used primarily for navigation or transportation on the water; and
(ii) “Motor vehicle” has the same meaning as defined in § 55-1-103.
(B) This subsection (e) shall not apply to a motor vehicle or boat that is:
(i) Owned or leased by a governmental or private entity that has adopted a written policy prohibiting firearms, loaded firearms, or firearm ammunition not required for employment within the motor vehicle or boat; and
(ii) Provided by such entity to an employee for use during the course of employment.
(f)
(1) A person commits an offense who possesses a firearm, as defined in § 39-11-106(a), and:
(A) Has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 921, and is still subject to the disabilities of such a conviction;
(B) Is, at the time of the possession, subject to an order of protection that fully complies with 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8); or
(C) Is prohibited from possessing a firearm under any other state or federal law.
(2) If the person is licensed as a federal firearms dealer or a responsible party under a federal firearms license, the determination of whether such an individual possesses firearms that constitute the business inventory under the federal license shall be determined based upon the applicable federal statutes or the rules, regulations and official letters, rulings and publications of the bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives.
(3) For purposes of this section, a person does not possess a firearm, including, but not limited to, firearms registered under the National Firearms Act (26 U.S.C. § 5801 et seq.), if the firearm is in a safe or similar container that is securely locked and to which the respondent does not have the combination, keys or other means of normal access.
(4) A violation of subdivision (f)(1) is a Class A misdemeanor and each violation constitutes a separate offense.
(5) If a violation of subdivision (f)(1) also constitutes a violation of § 36-3-625(h) or § 39-13-113(h), the respondent may be charged and convicted under any or all such sections.
(g) It is an exception to the application of subsection (a) that a person is carrying, whether openly or concealed, a handgun and:
(1)
(A) The person is at least twenty-one (21) years of age; or
(B) The person is at least eighteen (18) years of age and:
(i) Is an honorably discharged or retired veteran of the United States armed forces;
(ii) Is an honorably discharged member of the army national guard, the army reserve, the navy reserve, the marine corps reserve, the air national guard, the air force reserve, or the coast guard reserve, who has successfully completed a basic training program; or
(iii) Is a member of the United States armed forces on active duty status or is a current member of the army national guard, the army reserve, the navy reserve, the marine corps reserve, the air national guard, the air force reserve, or the coast guard reserve, who has successfully completed a basic training program;
(2) The person lawfully possesses the handgun; and
(3) The person is in a place where the person is lawfully present.
(h)
(1) A person commits an offense who carries, with the intent to go armed, a firearm and:
(A) Has been convicted of stalking as prohibited by § 39-17-315;
(B) Has been convicted of the offense of driving under the influence of an intoxicant in this or any other state two (2) or more times within the prior ten (10) years or one (1) time within the prior five (5) years;
(C) Has been adjudicated as a mental defective, judicially committed to or hospitalized in a mental institution pursuant to title 33, or had a court appoint a conservator for the person by reason of a mental defect; or
(D) Is otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm by 18 U.S.C. 922(g) as it existed on January 1, 2021.
(2) An offense under subdivision (h)(1) is a Class B misdemeanor.

There is NO REQUIREMENT for you to be a resident.

You are wrong.

Sources:

https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/management/statistics.htm

https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/10listens-can-you-carry-a-gun-on-the-appalachian-trail/51-9485f2e7-bb34-47d8-841a-9d8d06e90349

https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/management/lawsandpolicies.htm

Well that's good for the OP!

A bit more of an explanation, from the third link you posted:

I signed up for a local CCW class after the earlier advice. So I should have my MO permit shortly.
That will allow me to travel to more states anyways.

Thank you everyone for your responses.  

And that’s how people wind up sitting on the side of the road in handcuffs because someone didn’t know the difference between the two.

Since I have my permit, it won’t be me.