I believe that Nat'l parks and Nat'l Forests are governened differently, IIRC according to the Forestry info people I spoke with re carrying in Pisgah, state laws apply in the Forest. Parks are another matter.
If you look up info on line, there seems to be some room for some carry in a manner that is not immediately accessible - but it is not certain how an individual officer may interpret that.
http://www.nps.gov/pub_aff/e-mail/weapons.htm
I found deep in a federal website once the idea that one could have a firearm for protection in ones camp, but no real provision for how to get it there. Can't find that tonight in the time alloted.
Does TN require a permit for open carry? Spending a lot of time there, I would like to know. Thanks
TN does require a permit for open carry. We don't have to conceal if we don't want to. We have a lot of reciprocal states though so you might be one. TN and most of the law enforcement officers are very cool with permit carrying people.
I looked up Tennessee's firearm policy and you should be able to find out here. Tennessee Firearms