Visiting Tennesee.... Questions

[Guest paridgerunner]

Hello all from PA...

My faimly and I will be visiting Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg this summer. I am looking for a list of places I can not carry while there. I know I can not carry in the following (please correct if I am wrong)

Restaurants that have posted "no guns" signs

school property

State/Local parks that are posted "no"

No consumption of alcohol while carrying.

What about duty to inform a LEO?

Smokey Mts national Park and buildings?

Thanks,

Paridgerunner

[Guest bkelm18]

Hello all from PA...

My faimly and I will be visiting Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg this summer. I am looking for a list of places I can not carry while there. I know I can not carry in the following (please correct if I am wrong)

Restaurants that have posted "no guns" signs

school property

State/Local parks that are posted "no"

No consumption of alcohol while carrying.

What about duty to inform a LEO?

Smokey Mts national Park and buildings?

Thanks,

Paridgerunner

You may carry in any state park and national park. They may have signs that say no firearms however those do not apply to permit holders. Buildings inside the national park are usually off limits as they are federal buildings. There is no duty to inform in TN. Otherwise your info is correct.

[Fallguy]

^^^What he said^^^

[tnhawk]

Hope you enjoy your visit to Tennessee. TN DPS or several other sites- (usacarry.com or opencarry.org) list the laws pertaining to handgun carry in TN.

[Guest PapaB]

One clarification where you can not carry.

Restaurants that have posted "no guns" signs

Any business, including restaurants, that are posted. In Tennessee it's not just "please leave", they've actually made it a crime.

[Mike.357]

if you cross over 441 to Cherokee you might want to find out about gun laws there too. Not sure if the laws on the reservation are different or not.

[enfield]

Yup, North Carolina is really close. Might as well keep your options open.

[Guest friesepferd]

As someone else corrected, it is not just resaraunts that are posted, it is ANY establishment that is posted (including the simple circle-shash with a gun in it).

So just keep an eye out for signs at the front entrances of buildings and you will be fine.

No duty to inform officer, but many do anyways.

State parks are fine as long as they arent posted. No federal buildings of course.

There have been some posts here already about places in pigeon forge and gatlinburg already that list some places which are known to be posted, such as the aquarium, so you might want to search for those. I'm pretty sure the aquarium is posted, but its a great place to check out. Its the only reason I ever head up there really. They might? have lock boxes you are allowed to put your gun in. Might want to give them a call and check on that.

[Guest bkelm18]

State parks are fine as long as they arent posted. No federal buildings of course.

State Parks are fine, even if they are posted. By law, State Parks cannot forbid a HCP holder to enter. It's only local parks that can forbid your entry. State Parks may have signs saying no weapons allowed, however they do not apply to permit holders.

Edited June 9, 2011 by bkelm18

[buck1032]

The Ripley's Aquarium is/was posted when the family and I were there a few months ago. You could look through the Carry Probitited board and get a few more places

Carry Prohibited Locations

[Fallguy]

State Parks are fine, even if they are posted. By law, State Parks cannot forbid a HCP holder to enter. It's only local parks that can forbid your entry. State Parks may have signs saying no weapons allowed, however they do not apply to permit holders.

Correct.

[Fallguy]

if you cross over 441 to Cherokee you might want to find out about gun laws there too. Not sure if the laws on the reservation are different or not.

Yes, they are...

Carry on reservations is determined by tribal law, not state or federal.

http://www.handgunlaw.us/documents/tribal_law_ccw.pdf

From the above...

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina

Sec. 14-34.11. Aggravated weapons offense.

(a) It shall be unlawful to carry a dangerous weapon concealed on the person or to threaten to use or exhibit a dangerous weapon in a dangerous and threatening manner, or use a dangerous weapon in a fight or quarrel; or to possess a shotgun or rifle having a barrel or barrels of less than 16 inches in a length or an altered or modified shotgun or rifle less than 24 inches overall length.

( Aggravated weapons offense shall be punishable by a fine not to exceed $5,000.00, by a term of imprisonment not to exceed one year, by exclusion for a period of not less than one nor more than five years, or by any combination of them.

(Ord. No. 117, 3-3-2000)

http://www.narf.org/nill/Codes/ebcicode/index.htm

[Guest don_m]

Yup, North Carolina is really close. Might as well keep your options open.

NC's carry laws are much more restrictive than TN, which in turn are more restrictive than PA. NC carry is banned in places that serve alcohol, places that charge admission, and a few others -- and it's "must inform officer."

[daddyo]

Nope, no duty to inform, but I think it might be wise to do so if you are pulled over. They're going to find out anyway.

[Guest friesepferd]

I asked ripley aquarium, they said you can check your gun in at guest services and they will put it in a lock box for you.

obviously not the best solution, but it give you an option to still go there without having to walk back to your car.

[Guest paridgerunner]

Thanks for all the info. We will be going to Cherokee since we will be coming into TN from GA.

As for NC, isn't the no carry in restaurants serving alcohol and places that charge admission for concealed carry only?