Hello everyone! I am new to the Appalachian Trail and long hikes, however I am planning a hike from Fontana Dam and want to go north but I dont know how far I can go in 6 days and dont know where a good stopping point would be.

Also any information on where to park around Fontana and if there is a shuttle from another trailhead that is 6ish days away back to fontana would be greatly appreciated! Since I do not know the trail very well I am also curious if this would be a good portion of the trail to hike for a week. I have the National Geographic map #229 called Great Smoky Mountains TN/NC and will be using it on my hike.

Thanks again for any help!

You should be able to get all the way thru the park in 6 days. If you need a reliable shuttle or a good place to stay, check out Curtis Owen at Standing Bear Farm (423) 487-0014 or cvowen@wildblue.net SBF is a hiker facility just off the Trail a short walk North from Davenport Gap, the northern end of the Smokies.

You can hike the entire GSMNP section of the AT in 6 days. Park at the dam.

You can use any of these shuttles:

Ron Haven
Budget Inn (828) 524-4403 and
Sapphire Inn (828) 524-4406
Franklin, NC
RonHav11@aol.com

Jeff and Nancy Hoch
Fontana, NC
(828) 479-3677
www.thehikeinn.com (http://www.thehikeinn.com)

Curtis Owen
Hartford, TN (I-40 @ Davenport Gap)
(423) 487-0014cvowen@planetc.com

Welcome to White Blaze!

Make sure though you have made reservations for the shelters in GSMNP (required for sectioners) . And read up on their backcountry regulations, etc.

Or you can skip the shuttle and do a loop from the dam...go out the AT and come back the BMT - you won't get all the way thru the park, but you see a wide variety of trail - High peaks on the AT and lower elevation, lake walking and historical on the BMT

so for each lean-to or shelter i come to i have to have reservations? and also there is other places i can choose to camp along the trail right? I have reviewed and understand the backcountry rules though... also you are saying i can hike from fontana dam to davenport gap in 6 days... then take a shuttle from davenport gap back to fontana? thanks again for all the help...

also any suggestions on good sights to see along this portion of the trail? i.e. close waterfalls etc? i see a couple a little off the trail but wonder if they are worth seeing. such as hazel creek cascade etc...

you guys are great! thanks for trying to get me on my way to becoming a thru-hiker!

Would a good route be from Fontana Dam up the AT to Fork Ridge Trail and go south to Deep Creek Trail then take Benton MacKaye Trail back to Fontana? Wold this still be about a 6 day hike?

Where would I get my permit?

humunuku- what do you mean by historical?

also you are saying i can hike from fontana dam to davenport gap in 6 days... then take a shuttle from davenport gap back to fontana? thanks again for all the help...

Best to use your shuttle before you start and hike back to your car

If you want to hike the AT through the Park, you have to stay in shelters, and you have to have reservations at each specific shelter. You get the reservations by calling ahead of time. It's important to talk to the rangers because some of the shelters and campsites are closed right now due to problems with bears.

Just about any other route through the Park will allow/require that you tent camp. You have to camp in designated campsites. Some of the sites require reservations and some don't. If you don't have it already, I'd recommend getting National Geographic Map #229. That map clearly shows which campsites require reservations and which do not. Allow yourself a couple of days to get through to the Backcountry Reservation office. Their phone is often busy. Before you call, have your itinerary worked out day by day. (The National Geographic map has mileages of each segment of trail listed so you can figure out what sort of mileage you're tackling.)

Bring your reservation # and plan with you on the trip. When you actually get to Fontana, there's a little box attached to the building that houses the bathrooms closest to the parking lot that has the permit forms. You have to fill out the form, which includes a listing of where you plan to stay each night, your name, license plate #, etc., and your permit number. You keep the yellow copy and put the white copy in the box.

The Smokies have so many trails that there's a huge number of possibilities for loops, as well as straight-line hikes. Be aware that there will be lots of elevation change. If you're in good shape and can handle your packweight easily, this is not a problem. If you are slowed down by uphills or downhills or both, factor that into your mileage plan for the day. It's hard to plan a day of hiking that doesn't include at least 2000 feet of elevation gain or loss. It's not at all hard to plan a day with 4000. Some of the trails are broad and heavily used and you can just stride right along. Others are less used and you'll be thrashing through blackberry vines, stinging nettles, and downed trees. (As of Labor Day weekend, the Jenkins Ridge Trail was a challenge.)

A couple of other pointers:

It rains A LOT in the Smokies. Factor that into your plans, especially if you plan a tent-camping hike.

All shelters and campsites have bear cables for hanging food and smellables. All you need is a bag. But, considering the previous point (lots of rain), it's good to have a bag that will not let water in to ruin your food. Some of the bear cables have branches hanging too close, so squirrels can jump onto the food bags and chew into them. Look carefully and choose a hook that's beyond a squirrel's jump from any branches.

Have a great hike!

humunuku- what do you mean by historical?

On Lakeshore trail and Hazel Creek trail the is what left over from the old town before TVA created Fontana Dam (think it was called Proctor) the one well kept up old house and some other building left over from the logging industry...random other artifacts all around the area, also a portion of Lakeshore trail is old NC hwy 288? so every so often you see an abandoned car from the '20s, kinda neat to look at, esp. the one with a large tree growing thru it.

btw, the is a "new" campsite on the lakeshore trail that isn't on the current park map, between eagle creek and Proctor

I recommend parking at Fontana Dam and shuttling to your other end. Fontana Dam has an excellent parking lot and HOT SHOWERS at the visitor's center when you hike out.

I recommend parking at Fontana Dam and shuttling to your other end. Fontana Dam has an excellent parking lot and HOT SHOWERS at the visitor's center when you hike out.

Very good point! You can make things easy on yourself by stowing a towel, soap, and clean clothes in your car. That shower will feel great.

I think I have decided on my loop hike! It has came down to 5 or 6 nights Starting and ending at Fontana Dam.

Day 1: Start at Fontana Dam (2000 ft) up the AT passing Shuckstack Mt. and Campsite #113

Night 1: Option A. Mollies Ridge = ~10 mi. w/1800 elevation change. (4600 ft)
Option B. Russell Field = ~12.2 mi.
Option C. Spence Field = ~13 mi.

Day 2: Continue Hike on AT through Thunderhead Mt and Derrick Knob

Night 2: Silers Bald (5607 ft.) = ~10 mi hike for day 2.

Day 3: Head south on WELCH RIDGE TRAIL passing Glory Mountain, Mt. Glory, Hawk Knob, and Bearwallow Bald.
Turn left on BEAR CREEK TRAIL.

Night 3: Option A. Campsite 75 = ~9 mile total
Option B. Campsite 74 at FORNEY CREEK and LAKESHORE TRAIL= ~12 mi.

Day 4: Hike West along LAKESHORE TRAIL

Night 4: Option A. Campsite 76 = ~8.7 miles from C74 or ~11.7 from C75
Option B. Capsite 78 (off trail) = ~11-12 mi from C74 or ~15 mi from C75

Day 5: Continue Hiking West on BMT/Lakeshore Trail to Campsite 86

Night 5: Campsite 86 = ~9-11 mi from C78

Day 6: I was thinking about exploring Matt Mountain this day and possibly camping beside Augerhole Gap or find a nice spot along the lake. However I may decide to just stick to the trail and stay at Campsite 90

Night 6: Option A. Campsite 90 =~6 mi hike from C86
Option B. Somewhere on Matt Mountain

Day 7: Branch off of BMT and stay on Lakeshore Trail back to Fontana Dam!

I would end with an estimated total of 72.8 miles with this route!

However I have an alternate route that replaces night 3 and 4 and could probably take a whole day out of the hike that goes as follows.

ALTERNATE Day 3: Head South on WELCH RIDGE TRAIL and go right (SW) on HAZEL CREEK TRAIL (instead of continuing on WRT to Bear Creek Trail)

ALTERNATE Night 3: Campsite 82 = ~6.7 mi from Silers Bald

ALT Day 4: Continue SW on Hazel Creek Trail

ALT Night 4: Campsite 84 = ~6 mi from C82

Continue to Night 5 of original Route staying at Campsite 86


Well there is it guys! Any comments or feedback on whether or not this looks like a god route would be greatly appreciated! Once again this is the first lon overnite hike I have ever planned so I hope it is a good feasible hike for someone who is in pretty good shape.

I plan on starting the hike within the next 4 days!

I think I have decided on my loop hike! It has came down to 5 or 6 nights Starting and ending at Fontana Dam.

Day 1: Start at Fontana Dam (2000 ft) up the AT passing Shuckstack Mt. and Campsite #113

Night 1: Option A. Mollies Ridge = ~10 mi. w/1800 elevation change. (4600 ft)
Option B. Russell Field = ~12.2 mi.
Option C. Spence Field = ~13 mi.

Russell Field Shelter is closed.... and water is low to nonexistent at Mollies Ridge Shelter.

Day 2: Continue Hike on AT through Thunderhead Mt and Derrick Knob

Night 2: Silers Bald (5607 ft.) = ~10 mi hike for day 2.

Day 3: Head south on WELCH RIDGE TRAIL passing Glory Mountain, Mt. Glory, Hawk Knob, and Bearwallow Bald.
Turn left on BEAR CREEK TRAIL.

Night 3: Option A. Campsite 75 = ~9 mile total
Option B. Campsite 74 at FORNEY CREEK and LAKESHORE TRAIL= ~12 mi.

Day 4: Hike West along LAKESHORE TRAIL

Night 4: Option A. Campsite 76 = ~8.7 miles from C74 or ~11.7 from C75
Option B. Capsite 78 (off trail) = ~11-12 mi from C74 or ~15 mi from C75

Day 5: Continue Hiking West on BMT/Lakeshore Trail to Campsite 86

Night 5: Campsite 86 = ~9-11 mi from C78

Day 6: I was thinking about exploring Matt Mountain this day and possibly camping beside Augerhole Gap or find a nice spot along the lake. However I may decide to just stick to the trail and stay at Campsite 90

Night 6: Option A. Campsite 90 =~6 mi hike from C86
Option B. Somewhere on Matt Mountain

Day 7: Branch off of BMT and stay on Lakeshore Trail back to Fontana Dam!

I would end with an estimated total of 72.8 miles with this route!

However I have an alternate route that replaces night 3 and 4 and could probably take a whole day out of the hike that goes as follows.

ALTERNATE Day 3: Head South on WELCH RIDGE TRAIL and go right (SW) on HAZEL CREEK TRAIL (instead of continuing on WRT to Bear Creek Trail)

ALTERNATE Night 3: Campsite 82 = ~6.7 mi from Silers Bald

ALT Day 4: Continue SW on Hazel Creek Trail

ALT Night 4: Campsite 84 = ~6 mi from C82

Continue to Night 5 of original Route staying at Campsite 86


Well there is it guys! Any comments or feedback on whether or not this looks like a god route would be greatly appreciated! Once again this is the first lon overnite hike I have ever planned so I hope it is a good feasible hike for someone who is in pretty good shape.

I plan on starting the hike within the next 4 days!

Sounds good, except for the notes above!

Have a great time!

Randy

I recommend parking at Fontana Dam and shuttling to your other end. Fontana Dam has an excellent parking lot and HOT SHOWERS at the visitor's center when you hike out.


also parking at fontana dam is safe....parking at davenport gap is not safe

GREAT! I cant wait... so it looks like for my first day I will be covering 13 miles and staying at Spence Field Shelter... I've noticed this is probably the most elevation change I will have in one day... will I make it? can I expect to be tired?

Oh also do the shelters provide water? And can anyone give me the number or a link to the number to call for reservations? or are they necessary if i just fill out the permit?

865-436-1297, 8-4:30 Eastern time.

Alternate number 865-436-1231, 8-6 Eastern time.

You need reservations for some of your proposed sites; all shelters require reservations.

The person you talk to can advise you on currently closed shelters and sites, and if any of them have dried-up water sources. In normal conditions, all the shelters have a spring or creek nearby. So there's water, but you are advised to treat it.

When you arrive at Fontana, you need to fill out the actual permit, which is a form that lists all your proposed camping places. You need to know your reservation number, too. You leave one copy of the form in a box and carry the other copy with you. During your hike, you can be asked to produce the form by rangers.

During your hike, you can be asked to produce the form by rangers.You mean these guys? :D

http://www.1stbn75thrgrregtmemorial.com/Ranger%20Tab,%20Scroll,%20Shield%20black%20backgro und_edited-1.jpg

We had the same hike last year, we started at Fontana and ended up at Clingsman . This was our first section hike. We were suppose to spend our first night at Campsite #113 but it was closed because of aggressive bear activity. We ended up hiking thru to Mollies Ridge.It took us all day tog get there and we found it very difficult. I guess it depends on a lot of factors but we could'nt make it any further. I would take my time and enjoy, its a beautiful hike. Good Luck