Clingmans Dome to Fontana Dam

[cunsav]

Would appreciate any and all advice. I am 41 and in relative good shape, but it's been 20 years since my last bp trip. I'm taking a couple of healthy but inexperienced teenage boys on a 3.5 day hike on the AT May 20-23. I'm thinking about Clingmans Dome to Fontana Dam because the students wanted a real wilderness experience, the distance is about what I was thinking (34 miles), and according to the google terrain maps the section seems to be mostly ridge and more down than up southbound.

Our plan at this time is to depart CD mid-afternoon and hike 3 miles to Double Springs Gap. 7 miles the next day to Derrick Knob. 12 miles the next to Mollies Ridge. And 11 miles the last day to FD.

Any and all thoughts are appreciated, but I have a few questions on my mind tonight:
1. Should we leave our car at FD, or CD?
2. Am I being too cautious on the first two day, or too aggressive on the last two?
3. Will this section be crowded May 20-23?
4. If you were driving from Mississippi and wanted these students to have the best 3.5 days of their lives, is there a different section you'd recommend?

[njordan2]

I too am a section hiker. I have not hiked FD to CD, but have hiked everything from Georgia to Fontana and Clingman's dome to Davenport.

1. I recommend parking at Fontana Dam and then shuttle to the top of Clingmans dome. It would be convenient when you get out and there are shuttle services in the area for a fee. I would expect around $200 or so for the shuttle. Look up shuttles on the WB website. I parked there for a week when I hiked from Fontana to the NOC. Just let the park rangers know you are doing it.

2. Your schedule sounds about right. It will still be tough, but it sounds good.

3. When I hiked from CD to Davenport it in late May and it was crowded. It is required that you make reservations in the shelters you will be staying at and get a permit for the Smokies. You can do this at the Fontana ranger station. Call ahead to get more info.

4. I think you have picked the best section to do for the timeframe.

Even if you plan on staying in the shelters, bring a tent. When I stayed at icewater shelter it was like sardines. Which is fine with me, but others showed up late and tent camped it. There was a fellow at the shelter who was giving some people a hard time for not having shelter reservations, so be sure you get those.
It can still get into the low 40's at that time of the year so bring a warm sleeping bag and rain gear.

Happy trails!

[earlyriser26]

THis a great section and you start at the top.

1) On leaving the car. I have never left a car at either spot. Check with the ATC to see if there have been past problems. It might be easiest, all things being equal, to leave it at fontanta. You can get a shuttle from the Hike Inn back to CD. Be sure to get permits ahead of time for the shelters in the park.

2) On where to stay. First, all these days are very doable for anyone in any reasonable shape. Your first day depends on your start time. Normally, I would say just be flexible, but the GSNP is not flexible. You need permits for particular shelters. The third day will be the toughest, but I say this only in a relative way.

3) Any weekend in the park in May is crowded. And your dates fall on a weekend. Expect the shelters to be full. I might advise bringing tents also. Even If you have a permit shelters can be full. Good luck trying to kick someone out.

4)Again this is a great section. Start high, finish low. Not only do you get to "be on Rocky Top Tennesse", make sure you take the short side trail up to the Shuckstack firetower, just before you head down to FD. Have fun.

[bulldog49]

Fontana Dam is a very secure spot, park right next to the visitor's center, plus as others have said, you hike downhill.

[OldFeet]

Derrick's Knob to Mollie's Ridge will be your big day. There are a few pretty good climbs over the 12 miles but it's still easily doable in a day. Just note there are no privies south of Clingman's Dome. I did the Smokies last year at age 59 and in only average shape and it was a great hike. You can make shelter reservations 30 days in advance and l'd suggest making them as soon as the 30 day period starts. I went the second week in May and there were just a few thru hikers and the shelters were never full.

[Stir Fry]

I did that same trip, even had the same stops. I was with my wife little over weight and out of shape. It was her first BP trip. We had no Problems. Park at the dam and have the Hike Inn shuttle you back up the CD.
I have also done CD to Davinport Gap. Its a lot more senic with better views almost the same distance just a little longer. Just caused us to finish about 3 hr. later in the day, on 4th day .
Eather way have fun.

[cunsav]

Do shuttles really cost $200. Wow. For each of us or for the trip total?

[jbwood5]

Do shuttles really cost $200. Wow. For each of us or for the trip total?

That is probably for the trip total for 1 person. Some shuttlers won't make an even division... i.e it might be a little more per person. For example, if you had 4 people they might make it $60 or $65 each. The reason being that if you are single, there is a good chance they can pick up others along the way (perhaps 1/2 or 1/3 the distance or an intermediate distance) and make some more money with the empty seats. If you are a group that has filled the vehicle, they can't pick up anybody else and might have missed an opportunity for an additional fare.

[jbwood5]

Also, I don't think it will cost $200 to go from Fontana to Clingman's Dome. That seems high, but I know gas has gone up like crazy so shuttles are probably getting expensive too. I would guess $100 to $125 for 1 person, but hopefully a little less.

[OldFeet]

Try checking with the Hike Inn for a shuttle quote. I stayed with them last year and shuttled to Davenport Gap from the Inn. I can't remember the charge but l know it was under $200. None of us have mentioned it yet but be sure to pack your rain gear in the Smokies.

[Kerosene]

Fontana Dam to Clingman's Dome is 70 miles one-way, 1.75 hours hours of drive time. So, at 15 mpg the shuttler is spending $37 just on gas for the round-trip ($4/gal).

The federal mileage reimbursement rate, which is supposed to cover gas and vehicle depreciation, is now $0.51/mi. So, that comes to just over $71 to cover the cost of the round-trip.

If the shuttler is looking to net a measly $10/hr, then the 4-hour roundtrip would cost $40 plus $71 for the car and gas. Of course, the recent spike in gas prices eats away at the $0.51/mi number, and then there's the price elasticity given supply-and-demand.

Makes me long for the $1.00/AT mile rate that good samaritan shuttlers used to charge, and some still do but they're doing it more to meet people than to make a real profit.

[scope]

Fontana Dam is a very secure spot, park right next to the visitor's center, plus as others have said, you hike downhill.

Right next to the center, or the large lot across the dam? Is there a difference in safety?

[fredmugs]

I didn't see anyone mention that at this point the odds of getting shelters reservations are probably zero.

I would recommend you look at the NOC to Fontana Dam since it outside of GSMNP and the NOC has whitewater rafting trips if you decide to do something other than hike.

[brian039]

4) I like the southern section of the Smokies, but the northern half is unreal! Much easier hiking too (not that the southern end SOBO is terribly difficult). You could finish this section in the same time-frame as the CD to FD even though it is longer. If this interests you, talk to Curtis at Standing Bear Farm about a shuttle.

[cunsav]

Thanks everyone. Shelters are all full, so now I'm looking to do a loop that includes the AT, but camp in the park. Still thinking of about 30 miles and would love any suggestions. Also going to check on NOC to FD.

[Buffalo Skipper]

I do like the East end of the park. Look at going rom Davenport Gap or Big Creek up to Mt Sterling, down to Swallow Fork Trail and across to Camel Gap then south on the AT to Maddron Bald. from there you could take a couple of loops to Cosby and up the Low Gap trail and then the AT to Mt Cammerer. You could use campsites 38, 36, 37, 29, 34 or 35 depending on the route/distance per day.

There are lots of other loops around here to add or subtract a few miles. Doing Sterling and Cammerer are two cool mountains, each with a very different tower on top.

Good Luck!

[cunsav]

How about this, while on the phone with reservations, cancelations came in that made it possible for us to do Icewater Spring / Tricorner Knob / 37 / Davenport Gap. And, A Walk in The Woods will shuttle all 4 of us for only $94. It's going to be an awesome first trip for these guys.

Question, anyone know how far off the AT campsite 29 is? Thinking about third day at 29 so we can check out Albright Grove, but I'm a little concerned with the next day hiking from 29 to Davenport Gap. Any thoughts?

[bk18]

Question, anyone know how far off the AT campsite 29 is?

Looking at my trail map it appears to be about a 1.5 to 2 mile hike from the AT to site 29.

[chelko]

Site # 29 is a dump. Small, rocky and not very level.

[sliderule]

It is required that you make reservations in the shelters you will be staying at and get a permit for the Smokies. You can do this at the Fontana ranger station. Call ahead to get more info.

1. Reservations are made via phone with the Backcountry Reservations office, not at ranger stations.
2. There is no NPS ranger station at Fontana.