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Viewing Scenery: Tennessee > Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Quick Facts

Fontana Lake

Elevation:

2,000 Feet (623.4 Meters)

		Satellite and Topo Map

General Description

Fontana Lake is one of the more difficult to reach and remote areas in the Smokeys. The lake has over 420 miles of shoreline offering wonderful fishing opportunities in its crystal clear waters. The 500 foot depth of the water attract year-round fishing and boating enthusiasts. There are countless hiking trails in the area, many leading to beautiful waterfalls and trout streams. The scenery is breath taking, making this one of the East Coast's favorite romantic get-a ways. In addition to the trails, both footpaths and equestrian, fishing and boating opportunities abound. Swimming and water-skiing are also very popular. The area is within minutes of golfing, whitewater rafting and private lodging facilities.

Area attractions include: Fontana Dam and Village, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Cherokee Indian Reservation, Historic Dillsboro, Dollywood, Biltmore Mansion, Great Smoky Mountain Railroad and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Directions from Bryson City, NC: Travel US 19 southeast to SR 28. Turn right on SR 28 heading northwest. The visitor center for Fontana Lake is on the western side of the lake, approximately 20 miles. Access to many of the trails north of Fontana Lake begin in this area. There is also access to the Appalachian Trail from this point.

		Current Conditions & Trip Reports
		Add your own trip Report! Newly re-released feature. One of the most popular features on Wildernet, trip reports allow you to share your experiences with others. This is an invaluable resource for determining what to expect on your outdoor adventure, so please participate! To prevent spamming, you must be a registered user of Wildernet in order to submit a trip report Filed By: jerry wiles (west palm beach, fl) Number of People Encountered: 0-10 ppl Recommend to a Friend: Highly Report: The lake was great and the person (kent orr) went out of his way to make sure that everyone was happy with his rentals. That was the best day of the trip. He was so nice to all of us.

Recreation Opportunities

Activity		Remarks	On Site
	Backpacking		Yes
	Boating
	Camping	Primitive sites located along the trails.	Yes
	Fishing		Yes
	Lakes & Reservoirs	Fontana Lake	Yes
	Swimming & Waterplay		Yes
	Viewing Scenery	Breathtaking scenery.	Yes
	Waterskiing & Other Water Sports		Yes

Related Activities

Lakeshore Trail - Lakeshore Trail may be accessed from either the western or eastern side of Fontana Lake.

Lost Cove Trail - Lost Cove is a connector trail between the Appalachian Trail, north of Fontana Lake Dam area and the Western Shoreline Trail.

Pinnacle Creek Trail - Pinnacle Creek Trail is a connector leading from Western Shoreline Trail to Sugar Fork Trail and other trails on the northern side of Fontana Lake.

Western Shoreline Trail - The Western Shoreline Trail is exactly that, it runs along the western shoreline of Fontana Lake.