Hazel Creek Outfitters at Fontana Dam

[Iceaxe]

The Hazel Creek Outfitters at Fontana Dam is opening for the season today!
Lucky and i peeked through the window yesterday and they have a pretty decent looking supply.. if limited selection of hiker type foods. Certainly enough to get through the Smokies.
Also the Pit Stop store serves pizza and hotdogs and has a supply of tortillas, gatorade packs, grits, oatmeal packs, vacuum packed peperoni etc.
The wildwood grill is not yet open.
The restaurant in the lodge has pretty good food. Lucky and i thought it was not too expensive for the portion size. It was 8 bucks for the "Hillbilly Benedict".
Anyhow i was sittin here at the computer in the lobby of the lodge and thought i would post an update.
Fontana Dam is just waking up for the season.
Oh yea, the showers are on and working at the "Fontana hilton" shelter i am told by other hikers.
The AT is so freakin' AWESOME! :sun
Gettin back on trail this AM!
Cheers Y'all!

[10-K]

Do you have any idea where this is in relation to the BMT?

Or, should I say, where exactly do you mean when you say Fontana Dam?

[jbwood5]

I think he is referring to the Fontana Village which is west up the highway from the dam (.7 mi?). I'm not sure how far this is from the BMT, but I'm thinking several miles. Possibly a road hitch from near 20 Mile Ranger Station?
It would be a long hike from the AT-BMT crossing N of Shuckstack.
Others here might know better.

[Razor]

The AT shelter on the trail is refedred as the Fontana Hilton because of it's size, large tent area ,and showers just up the path from the road across the dam heading north. There is no doubt of the nickname once you have visited the shelter.

[takethisbread]

I wonder constantly why Fontana opens so late.

So many thru hikers have passed by now, and spring break is over and so many hikers are in the park during that time.

[jima59]

They don't rely on hiker business and its still too cold for mom and pop in the sedan.

[DBT fan]

I was at Fontana Dam on March 24th (the date of this post) and the showers were not open yet. Sign on locked door said opens in April.