Good Shuttle Service from Davenport Gap to Fontana Dam in GSMNP (or vice versa)

[cuiquentin]

Hi, I will be hiking this section of the AT with as many as seven other people (so eight total) next week. Shuttling with our own cars between the trailheads would involve several additional hours of driving total, so I was looking for a shuttling service from Davenport Gap to Fontana Dam, and got a quote of $300+ for my party (!!). I've never used a shuttling service before, so can someone please let me know if this is a fair price? If not, please recommend a service (professional or not, e.g. volunteer) that is a better price. If it's cheaper to shuttle in the opposite direction, that could work too. Thanks!

[HooKooDooKu]

The driver has to drive from home to Davenport Gap, then to Fontana Dam, and then all the way back home. That's pretty much going to be a full days work.
So when you add that you're talking doing this in a 10 person van... then yea, $300 sounds pretty cheap ($40/person).

[soumodeler]

Agreed. For 8 people, $300 sounds reasonable. I am looking at shuttles for end of the month from Hot Springs to Fontana at around $150 for just me.

[TNhiker]

yeah.....

ill agree as well...

i know that when i took a shuttle from the fontana marina to clingmans dome, and it was just me, it was $100............and that was 7 years ago....

[MuddyWaters]

Bargain actually for 8 people IMO. Not many will have a vehicle that big,

$1.5 -2 per mile is about normal. Its 105 miles. Two small cars would be $320-400, maybe more since have to get an extra driver too.

[cuiquentin]

Okay, thank you very much for the responses! I understand the status quo now.

[Creek Dancer]

Can someone recommend a shuttle service from Fontana Dam to Clingman's Dome?

[TNhiker]

I used Hike Inn

their place is just a few miles from the marina....

when i did it years ago---and it was just me----it was 100 bucks....

[Creek Dancer]

I used Hike Inn

their place is just a few miles from the marina....

when i did it years ago---and it was just me----it was 100 bucks....

Thank you!

[MuddyWaters]

Jeff Hoch @the hike inn is the closest to fontana.
Hes been shuttling for about 21 yrs. More than 1,000,000 safe miles shuttling. Hes very proud of this, and rightly so.