And be sure to book Polar Express early in the year for prime dates and times. Local tips: For the best overall experience on either excursion, we recommend booking an open car with the dining option. The layover at the quaint town of Dillsboro is sweet with dining and shopping options. On the Tuckasegee River excursion, you’ll travel along this historic river, go through a tunnel (which is really cool on the open-air car), and go past the abandoned train wreck from “The Fugitive” move scene. Local Tip: Sit on the left side of the train facing forward (the side you board on) for the best river views. Your one-hour layover is at the Nantahala Outdoor Center where you can catch a bite to eat, or drink a beer, or watch the kayakers and rafts on the river. The view from the Fontana Lake train trestle is breathtaking. On the Nantahala Gorge excursion, you’ll see parts of Fontana Lake and the Nantahala River that you can’t get to by car. When visitors ask us about the two destinations and which is better, it really helps to know what you’ll see on each one. You will see the Smokies like you’ve never seen it before, passing through remote areas, countryside vistas, a tunnel, and a few trestles Visitors often ask us about the train rides that originate from the Depot in downtown Bryson City. Photographers take note: Clingmans Dome is a top pick for sunset photography, from the far, right end of the parking lot. Bring along a couple of chairs and sit along the south side of the parking lot for unobstructed, long-range views. Local Tip: You don’t need to climb to the tower to see fabulous Smoky Mountain views. The bald’s grassy meadows provide spectacular panoramic vistas that include Fontana lake. It’s a moderate 3.5 mile hike on a well-maintained trail. Hike idea: Andrews Bald is accessed via the Forney Ridge Trail, which is located at the far end of the parking lot. Please note: At that elevation of 6,644 feet, it is about 15 degrees cooler than Bryson City. It is steep but it does have benches along the way. There is a short, paved hike to the observation tower. Clingmans Dome is definitely worth the drive. The tallest point in the Smokies is also one of the best places to see the long range views that the Smoky Mountains has become so famous for. The Dam is open year ‘round, however the visitor center is open from April – November. Local Tip: There is a visitor center at Fontana Dam, and we strongly encourage you to stop in and learn more about the history. However, that scene was filmed at the nearby Cheoah Dam, which is also worth a visit. Many Swain County families gave up their homes and land for the building of the Dam, which helped diminish flooding in the area and also generated power for the World War II efforts at Oak Ridge TN. The North Shore Cemetery Association has been instrumental in preserving the graveyards and general history of the Fontana Lake North Shore and works with the National Park to gain general access to the cemeteries for spring-thru-fall scheduled decoration days, which are open to the public.įontana Dam is often mistakenly thought of as the “Fugitive Dam,” – the site of the movie jump by Harrison Ford. The history of Fontana Dam and the North Shore is very intriguing. The Dam is also part of the Appalachian Trail so if you walk across it, you can say you “hiked the AT.” Map PDF. On one side you have the impounded F ontana Lake with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park behind it, and on the other side you’re looking 480 feet down the side of the dam to the basin below. This engineering marvel is one of our top picks just due to the sheer size of the dam and the fact that you can drive or walk over it for spectacular scenery.
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