Resupply

[bishopj]

Ok do i have to send a mail drop to Fontana Dam or is their a place near by that i can resupply. :sun

[Spokes]

You'll be happier if you do. The store there is off and on. It's gotten better over the years according to Baltimore Jack. When I went through in 2009 the shelves were nearly bare and they had long since run out of peanut butter. Go figure.

Save yourself the hassle and send one there. You'll be the envy of all the other thru's who don't.

BTW, I hope you don't get the same post lady I did. Let's just say she was a real piece of work......

Cheers!

[Jack Tarlin]

Re-supply at Fontana Dam is way better than it used to be.....there's the general store, there's a small outfitter that has some freeze-dried meals, snacks, etc.

That being said, re-supply here still isn't great......they've never really gotten their act together as far as carrying more things (even for 4-6 weeks in the spring) that hikers are really looking for, and in many cases, you may get there to find they're out of what you need, i.e. if you arrive there and you happen to be the 14th thru-hiker that got there that day, they may be completely out of pop tarts, peanut butter, KoolAid, Liptons etc. cuz even if they bother to carry these items, they don't carry a whole lot of them.

Plus it's kind of expensive shopping. And most of the stuff is in cans, geared towards the folks staying in their cabins.

Personally, I'd try and figure out my plans ahead of time if possible and send myself a small food parcel of select items......if you're planning to get out of the Park and re-supply in Gatlinburg, the box should hold three and a half days worth of stuff; if you're gonna go all the way thru thePark without stopping, carry 6 and a half to 7. Plan on stopping and re-supplying in either case at Standing Bear Farm, just outside the far end of the Park.

If you don't want to put this parcel together at home, then you can easily do it at Hiawassee or Franklin where there are big supermarkets; just make sure to send your box Priority Mail so it arrives in time. For just a few dollars postage you'll be guaranteed to have what you want when you get there, which isn't always the case if you count on the present shopping options.

That beings said, it's perfectly possible to re-supply in Fontana Dam. Just be aware that it will cost more than you might like, and you almost certainly won't be able to find everything you're looking for.

[garlic08]

I did something different that worked out great. At Stecoah Gap, about 15 miles south of Fontana, I got a ride into Robbinsville, a few miles west, and went shopping at a real grocery store there for the whole trip through the Smokies. I thought it was worth carrying stuff for 15 miles to avoid Fontana altogether.

[bishopj]

Hi i hear their is a hostel near Fontana Dam that will get a ride in to Robbinsville is true and do
any of you know what it call. and what their phone number is.

[Tipi Walter]

Hi i hear their is a hostel near Fontana Dam that will get a ride in to Robbinsville is true and do
any of you know what it call. and what their phone number is.

It's called The Hike Inn and I've called them various times and they seem friendly:

http://www.thehikeinn.netfirms.com/

[flemdawg1]

Hi i hear their is a hostel near Fontana Dam that will get a ride in to Robbinsville is true and do
any of you know what it call. and what their phone number is.
From the AT Companion:
"N.C. 28/Fontana Dam—East 6 miles to Lodging: The Hike Inn, (828) 479-3677,

<www.thehikeinn.com>, <[email protected]>. A hikers-only inn,
owned and operated by Jeff and Nancy Hoch. Open Feb 15–July 10, Sep 1–Dec 1,
other dates by reservation only. For pick-up, continue north on the A.T. to the Fontana
Dam Visitors Center (see below), and call from the pay phone. Thru-hikers, call
from NOC or Hot Springs for reservations. Five rooms with max 2 per room. No
credit cards. Thru-hiker/long-distance-hiker package reservations required (check
in by 4 p.m., check-out 9 a.m. firm), $60s, $75d. Rate includes shuttle to and from
dam, one load of laundry, evening shuttle to Robbinsville (5–7 p.m.) for dinner and
supplies. Section-hikers, $40s/d (room only). Packages accepted for guests only c/o
Hike Inn, 3204 Fontana Rd., Fontana Dam, NC 28733. Shuttles, slack-pack, Coleman
and alcohol fuel"

$60 seems pretty high to me though.

[bishopj]

Ok one more question will the outfitter or the general store hold a mail drop for you.

[cowpoke]

There is a post office next to the general store in the village...don't know the exact hours. I was through Fontana this past October....general store had pretty good selection....enough to get you through the Smokies. The folks at the Hike Inn are great...will take good care of you....as stated earlier....you can go into Robbinsville and to a "real" grocery store....when you get to the dam...go into the little store and they will call a ride for you into the village....the dam is about 1/3 mile past the "Hilton"...I think you can also call from the marina...about a mile before the dam....for a ride into the village. cheers.

[TheChop]

It's called The Hike Inn and I've called them various times and they seem friendly:

http://www.thehikeinn.netfirms.com/

Jeff gave me and a buddy a shuttle when we did a AT/BMT loop in the park and he was very friendly and helpful. A++++ Would shop again.

[George]

The hike inn is expensive but you get full service, pick up at the dam, time to shower, I think I remember loaner clothing? ,then driven to town to eat, then for resupply, when you get back THEY have done your laundry, and you have a room not a bunk. Then a ride back to the dam in the morning. So take off the 10$ it would have cost to ship a box and the 10-15$ extra for shippable food for 6 days through the smokies and the shuttles you did not have to pay extra or beg. So the whole deal is proportional and they treat you like a customer (which at some places is lacking)

[bigcranky]

The folks at the Hike Inn are great, we've stayed there several times on section hikes and had numerous shuttles over the years. Highly recommended. The $60 rate is reasonable for what you get.

[Jack Tarlin]

Bishop: As far as I know (unless this has changed recently) the only place to have mail held there is at the Post Office, so be sure and plan your arrival on a day they're open. If anyone knows about anywhere else in F. Dam that holds mail, please let us know, but I sure wouldn't send a parcel anywhere other than the Post Office without a definite "OK" ahead of time that this service is available.

[BSF-Hiker]

The Post Office is next door to the store and it's Fontana Dam, NC 28733
Business hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-3:00pm. Closed Sat-Sun. (current info from usps.com)