If you’ve never been to Fontana Lake – it’s a must see! For this hike we will drive take 23/74 W towards Bryson city for about 40 miles to the turn or street of Fontana Dam. I stopped in the dam parking area and read the signs, learned about the area and plan to return for a very interesting lookout tower – try to figure out which one that is!
The lakeshore trail is a 25 mile or so round trip – today we are only doing an out 
and back hike of 8 miles or so. There is not a lot of elevation gain on this section of the trail. It is in the mountains, so it is not flat.
Drive over the dam stopping to take some pictures, the lake is an amazing blue green color you just have to see for yourself! Don’t worry about stopping on the dam, traffic is very slow. Take a right just past the dam and drive up to a parking area at the end of the road and park.
Take the trail at the very end of the lot, this is a very well traveled trail with old hog traps and very old abandoned card from the days before the dam when this was the town of proctor. About 4 miles in there is a great circle camp site you can stop and cook some lunch and take a break before heading back!
When you return to the car with extra energy you can see the sign with 3 more hikes on the Appalachian trail. Do one today or return for more fun!