Places to Stay Near Fontana Dam & Visitors Center
- Historic Tapoco Lodge (1930s 120+ acre mountain resort w/suites, rooms & cabins)
- Snowbird Mountain Lodge (4 star all-inclusive mountain hotel w/stunning scenery)
- Folkestone Inn (lovely mountain farmhouse B&B w/chef breakfast in Bryson City)
- Lakeview at Fontana Soaking Cabana Resort (USA Today‘s top Southern Mountain Lodges)
- Creekside Paradise B&B (pet-friendly w/hot tub, excellent breakfast, trails & waterfalls)
- Mountain Chalet Getaway (pet-friendly 5bd/5ba home w/view & hot tub)
- Mountain Haven Dragon’s Nest Cabin (new 2bd/1ba cabin close to Tail of the Dragon)
Fontana Dam Info
ADDRESS: 71 Fontana Dam Rd, Fontana Dam NC, 28733
PHONE NUMBER: 828-498-2234
HOURS: Visitors Center is open daily from the first weekend in April to the last weekend in October, except for Federal holidays. April to August hours are from 9 AM-7PM, while Sept-Oct hours are from 9AM-6PM.
Directions from Bryson City NC
From downtown Bryson City, travel west on US Highway 74 towards Murphy, NC. Continue for 8.3 miles before turning right onto NC Highway 28. Travel north for 21.3 miles then turn right onto Country Rd. 1245/Fontana Dam Rd. You will reach Fontana Dam in 1.3 miles.
Directions from Robbinsville NC
From E Main St in Robbinsville NC, get on the Rodney Orr Bypass and follow it for 0.2 miles, then turn right onto NC-143 E/Sweetwater Rd. Take that for 8.8 miles, then turn left onto NC-28 N. In 9.9 miles, turn right onto Fontana Dam Rd, and you’ll see the Fontana Dam & Visitor Center parking lot in 1.2 miles on the left.
READ MORE: The 8 Best Train Rides in the Smoky Mountains of NC & TN
Fontana Dam History
At 480 feet, the Fontana Dam is the tallest dam east of the Rockies. It stretches 2,365 feet across the Little Tennessee River– as long as eight football fields!
Construction of the dam began in 1942 and took 3 years to complete, at a total cost of $70,420,688.
The Tennessee Valley Authority built the dam (and created Lake Fontana in the process) to respond to the growing need for electrical power during World War II.
They purchased 68,292 acres of land for the project, 5,125 acres of which were covered in forest and had to be cleared.
More than 1,300 families had to be relocated, along with 1,000+ grave sites and 60 miles of roads.
A temporary village was established south of the dam to house some 5,000+ workers. It’s now known as the Fontana Village Resort, a well-loved North Carolina mountain resort located about 3.1 miles from the dam.
More than 40,000 acres of Fontana Lake’s north shores were eventually transferred to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with several thousand acres in the south shore now belonging to the U.S. Forest Service.
READ MORE: The 10 Best Smoky Mountains Hotels to Visit in NC & TN
Fontana Dam Visitors Center Overview
Fontana Dam Visitors Center is open from the first weekend in April to the last weekend in October, closing only on Federal holidays. Note that their restrooms are also closed from November through March.
Inside the newly refurbished Visitors Center (which is run by Tennessee Valley Authority retirees), guests can view videos, maps, and exhibits with info about the history of Fontana Dam and the TVA itself.
Even when the Visitors Center is closed, there are several informative signs outside of the building.
You can also climb a set of stairs to the roof, where there’s a great view of the fertile valley below, or walk across the dam and look at some of the engineering elements up close.
There’s a small gift shop (The Overlook) where you can grab some souvenirs, plus a small snack bar that sells tasty food and drinks.
Since the Appalachian Trail runs right across the top of the dam, hikers can enjoy a hot shower in the restroom block adjacent to the Visitor Center. The Fontana Dam shelter for AT hikers (a.k.a. the Fontana Hilton) is also nearby.
READ MORE: Visiting the Historic Tapoco Lodge Resort in Robbinsville NC
Fontana Dam Activities
Day Hiking the Appalachian Trail
I got really excited when I watched the film adaptation of Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods and saw Robert Redford and Nick Nolte trekking across the Fontana Dam during their Appalachian Trail hike.
Hikers on the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina use this section of the trail to enter Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
NC Rd 1245 crosses right over the dam leading into the national park!
If you aren’t an AT thru-hiker, but still want to explore a portion of the AT, try the Fontana Dam To Fire Tower Trail. This is a moderately difficult, 9-mile, in-and-out hike, with a 2,400 foot elevation gain.
Note that it takes a rather sure-footed hiker with sturdy hiking shoes to complete this hiking trail, due to all the roots, loose rocks, and rugged terrain.
READ MORE: The 20 Best North Carolina Hiking Trails
Picnics
On the right hand side of the road just before you reach the Visitors Center, you’ll find the Fontana Dam Picnic area and Trailhead Parking, as well as the Fontana Reservoir Group Pavilion.
This is a lovely spot for a lunch or dinner, with spectacular views of one of our favorite mountain lakes!
As you cross over the dam, you’ll see a road leading off to the left just before you reach the entrance to GSMNP.
This road leads to another lovely picnic area, with an amazing Fontana Dam overlook of the wall and Visitors Center from a different perspective.
If you’re looking for more options, The Fingerlake Day Use Area is just 30 minutes from the Fontana Dam, and a few minutes from Bryson City.
From April 1 through the end of October, visitors can gain access to the lake for swimming, canoeing, fishing, and kayaking. There’s a designated parking area, a restroom, and sheltered picnic areas.
READ MORE: The 15 Best Cabin Rentals in Bryson City NC
Visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park
You can hike into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Fontana Dam, but there are no roads to drive here. So if you want to explore the park’s many attractions, you’ll need to take one of the other entrances.
If you head into the park from Cherokee NC, you’ll immediately come across the Oconaluftee Visitors Center and the Mountain Farm Museum.
Further along you’ll see Mingus Mill, a working grist mill from the 1800s. Visitors can also drive up to Clingmans Dome, the highest peak in the Smokies at 6,642 feet.
On the Tennessee side, Cades Cove is a great place to see historic buildings, including log cabins, churches, and a schoolhouse. It’s also a great spot to see wildflowers and wildlife, such as deer and black bears!
As you head out of the park near Gatlinburg TN, the Sugarlands Visitor Center has a great museum and maps for hiking nearby Smoky Mountain waterfalls.
READ MORE: The 15 Best Things to Do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Fontana Dam Lodging Options
Fontana Dam Campgrounds
There are several great options for Lake Fontana camping within a few miles of the Fontana Dam.
If backcountry camping is your speed, check out the GSMNP website for rules and regulations, as well as for making a reservation and obtaining a permit.
Want to camp right on the shore of the lake? There’s a beautiful opportunity to camp on the north shore at backcountry camping site #87- Jerry Hollow, as well as several other campsites.
Note that this site is only accessible by hiking in on the Lakeshore Trail, or kayaking in from one of the boat ramps at the Fontana Village Marina and Cable Cove.
The Fontana Village Resort also has some fine Fontana Dam campgrounds. Located just 10 minutes from the Visitors Center, campers can enjoy the seclusion of the forest and stellar sights of the river.
READ MORE: The 40 Best Camping Gifts and Hiking Gifts
Fontana Village Resort & Marina
300 Woods Rd, Fontana Dam NC · 800-849-2258
Located in the heart of the Nantahala National Forest along the banks of the Little Tennessee River, the Fontana Village Resort offers camping, 100 cabin rentals, and mountain lodge rooms.
Their cabins are spacious and offer stunning views of the surrounding natural beauty, with small kitchens and one to four bedrooms. The mountain lodge rooms are also comfortable and have great views.
When it comes to dining at the Fontana Village Resort, there are several options. Guests can eat at the Mountview Bistro or the Wildwood Grill, or get a sweet treat at the Fontana Ice Cream Parlor.
The General Store is a great place to stock up on the basic groceries you may need during your visit.
There are endless activities at the Village to keep you and the family entertained, from marshmallow roasts and outdoor movies to arts and crafts and live music. –by Emma Gallagher; all photos by Bret Love & Mary Gabbett unless otherwise noted
