View Full Version : Lakeshore Trail
getting ready to do the Lakeshore trail from Bryson city to Fontana. Who has done this trail? thoughts? suggestions? time frame?
i am planning on 3 days.
Ox97GaMe
04-20-2009, 15:12
It can be done in 3 days pretty easily. You might want to consider being out there for 4 though. There are a couple of side trips that would be worth your while, since you will be in a remote area of the park. I would suggest hiking up the Bone Valley Trail. Also take some time to check out the old town of Proctor.
Happy Hiking.
getting ready to do the Lakeshore trail from Bryson city to Fontana. Who has done this trail? thoughts? suggestions? time frame?
i am planning on 3 days.
3 days will make for nice hike. I highly recommend spending one night at campsite #86. As memory serves there used to be a community there before the park took over and there are a few very old graveyards and some neat old foundations, etc...My son and I did the Lakeshore in 3 days about 6 years ago and it was a great time. Keep an eye out for the old car bodies left from the war years where they were abandoned due to a rubber shortage and no tires being available. Lots of cool history there and some nice views of Fontana lake as well. :)
A chunk of the BMT goes through there.
Here are some photos if you are curious.
http://www.pmags.com/joomla/index.php/component/option,com_gallery2/Itemid,36/?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=19364&g2_page=6
horace kephart lived up Hazel Creek, off Bone Valley... might be worth a side trip to go visit. campsite 83 is close to it. i'm not sure how it's marked, other than there being an old copper mine nearby.
thanks for the suggestions guys. i have stayed at campsite 90 before and have been to shucksatck. the town of proctor and the calhoun house sounds interesting.
question? are most of the stream crossings bridged or rock hoppable?
thanks
Very moderate stream crossings. You will get your feet a little wet. :)
thanks for the suggestions guys. i have stayed at campsite 90 before and have been to shucksatck. the town of proctor and the calhoun house sounds interesting.
question? are most of the stream crossings bridged or rock hoppable?
thanks
If you avoid the Eagle Creek drainage during any side trips it's not bad at all. But eagle Creek has around 15 crossings in 7 miles...
generoll
04-20-2009, 20:40
I did this section in three days a few years ago from Fontana to Bryson City. My first night was at Proctor right by the Calhoun House. What a neat place. There are a couple of campsites along that section that can fool you. One looks like it is on the trail, but when you read the legend it turns out the campsite is accessible by boat only. Read the fine print.
Chaco Taco
04-20-2009, 20:54
Campsite 90 rocks, literally. Great spot!
If you avoid the Eagle Creek drainage during any side trips it's not bad at all. But eagle Creek has around 15 crossings in 7 miles...
i did eagle creek on my very first hike ever. i was 15 (now 39) i remember carrying my heavy wet hiking boots on my borrowed pack. wow what fun.:D
Campsite 90 rocks, literally. Great spot!
nothing like hiking a few hours, (depending on how you get there) setting up camp, break out the ramen noodles only to be interrupted by the sounds of radios and boats coming in for the eve. they had beer and steaks too.
elmotoots
04-20-2009, 22:44
Ahhhh
Campsite 90, I have some memories of that site. we hiked Fontana to Cades Cove and went up the eagle creek in November.
Anyway that is where i went into the woods to take a leak, and took it on a nest of underground dive bombers. Oh yea they did not like it, and i got stung many many times by them to prove thier disgust with me.
Also have hiked the lakeshore and loved all the old terraced homesites along the trail. Sometimes you have to step up off the trail a little to see them.
The 4 day suggestion is on the money, if you stop and look around some.
EAnderson
04-20-2009, 23:01
3 days is no problem. I'd recommend staying at #86 & #76. I don't remember any bad water crossings at all, but earlier this month there was one bad blowdown maybe about 2 miles from #90 heading to #86. With the storms on Good Friday, there may be more.
Last year we hiked #86 to Bryson City, and stayed at #76. I found it to be a small but nice site, and it is fairly level. It is one of the few places where there may actually be a view of Fontana Lake depending on the foliage. Water in Kirkland Creek is right at the site.
aaronthebugbuffet
04-20-2009, 23:46
I saw a lot of boar on the Lakeshore Trail last spring.
Take bug spray. It's a little buggier than most of the park. Check for ticks too.
Worldwide
04-21-2009, 09:19
Fun trail easy walking and 3 nights would allow you to take advantage of the numerous cool campsites along the way
smokymountainexplorer
04-24-2009, 14:04
nothing like hiking a few hours, (depending on how you get there) setting up camp, break out the ramen noodles only to be interrupted by the sounds of radios and boats coming in for the eve. they had beer and steaks too.
I had the same happen to me a long time ago. The next summer I took my boat and spent a day on the lake. It is a beautiful lake from land and water and so peaceful. I felt bad having my boat motor running, when I'd kill it is was just dead silence, no other boats on the lake that day at all.
Wife and I are hiking in the smokies May 19 - 23 hope to see some you folks there I gave her the nickname T-Pot 1 mile in the woods and she needs a bathroom
ps thanks for the information will check out those sites also
Well I finally got to complete the Lakeshore Trail. Wow I am out of shape.....lol......
I started on Tuesday of this week on the Bryson City side. I parked at Fontana and used the guys at the HikeInn http://www.thehikeinn.netfirms.com/ to shuttle me to the trailhead. They were friendly and prompt.
I hiked about 12 miles on Tuesday and spent the night at camsite 76. There were believe it or not 6 other people staying at that site with me. I did not count on seeing very many people and was shocked when there were that many people there. It rained all night on Tuesday (7:30 pm until 7:30 am on wed.
On wed the weather cleared up and I hiked another 12 miles while taking in some spectacular views of Fontana Lake. I arrived at campsite 86 around 3:30 and found it vacant. This campsite has to be one of the largest in the park. Anyway.....checked out some of the sites of the town of proctor and then moved onto Fontana the next day.
All in all a good experience.
Greg
I'm wishing to do the same in November, or a Forney Creek to Siler's Bald to Clingmans to Noland Creek -type of loop if I can take the time off...
If you don't mind a lot of fording the Eagle Crk. Tr would have few people this time of yr, decent solitude, great leaf peeping scenery, and abundant fishing opps for 3 different species of trout. I liked it as aside trip off the Lakeshore Tr.
I'm hiking the Lake Shore trail from Fontana to Hazel Creek. Should I expect any deep fords with this week's rains or are the creeks bridged?