Paddle and Hike Adventure
Paddle & Hike
3 Days, 2 Nights 13+MI / 21KM
Trip Highlights
Our Great Smoky Mountains Fontana Lake kayaking, hiking, and camping adventure combines multiple sports to create one unforgettable trip. Fontana Lake is a massive, crystal clear body of water surrounded by lush forests, tall peaks and rushing mountain creeks in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. By combining days of kayaking on this beautiful lake and hiking to one of the Park’s best views, we maximize our time in this amazing place.
We start this trip by paddling the lake towards an island were we can have lunch and a nice swim and and then we will head to Fontana Dam, the tallest dam east of the Mississippi River. After walking along the dam, we will paddle up to Eagle Creek where we camp for two nights. Day two’s hike will take us up to the Appalachian Trail and to Shuckstack Fire tower, overlooking the lake and some of best views in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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3 Days of Kayaking
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Incredible Day Hike
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Island Camp
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Hazel Creek, a Pristine Trout Stream
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Sweeping Views
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Beautiful Fontana Lake
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Ghost Town of Proctor, NC
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Trip Details
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Trip Type
Paddle & Hike -
Trip Length
3 Days, 2 Nights -
Daily Hiking Distance
6-7 mi -
Group Size
2-5 Guests
- day by day itinerary
- logistical and travel information
- gear and clothing lists and more
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Is This Trip Right For me?
This trip travels along the lake making for tough paddling if faced with a head wind. Day 2 will hike up the steepest trail in the Smokies crossing several smaller creeks. Day 3 will be along a very maintained trail finding easy waterfalls.
Difficulty Level
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Solitude Level
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Trip Itinerary
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
Day 1
Shuttle to the lake: 2-hour drive from Asheville
Paddling Duration: 3+ hours
Hiking Mileage: 2 miles
This multi-day Great Smoky Mountains Kayak and Hiking trip departs from the Cable Cove boat ramp. We’ll paddle across the lake to an island where we can enjoy some swimming and a nice lunch on the water. We will continue paddling to our camp along Eagle Creek that will set us up for our day hike the next day. At camp we can explore more by boat, relax in a hammock, enjoy some swimming in the lake’s clear cool waters or creek hop. We’ll celebrate our first night under the stars with a dinner prepared by your guide before settling in for the night.
Day 2
Paddling duration: 2 hours
Hiking Mileage: 6.6 miles
Elevation Loss/Gain: 2,260 feet
Today starts with a delicious breakfast and relaxed departure from our camp. Our hike starts by hitting our trailhead located in our campsite and we will begin our steep climb up the Lost Cove Trail, crossing the creek many times while enjoying the amazingly diverse forests of the Smokies. Our goal today is reaching some of the Park’s best mountain top views from the historic Shuckstack fire tower that is located along the Appalachian Trail. After lunch, we’ll retrace our steps back to our camp and enjoy a nice dinner along Fontana Lake
Day 3
Paddling duration: 3 miles
Shuttle to Asheville: 2-hour drive to Asheville
Our final day of this unique Appalachian adventure, will be enjoying the morning on the lake and paddle our way back to Cable Cove where we started our trip. After packing up our boats and gear we will be heading to the Deep Creek picnic area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park outside of Bryson City, NC. We will walk through this area enjoying 3 nice waterfalls along Deep Creek. We will drive back to Asheville after our short hike and that will bring your Appalachian Paddle & Hike adventure to a close.
Trip Dates
Click on a date to register. You can also click here to request new dates or book through customer service.
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What's Included
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Top-of-the-line tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, and technical backpack
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Kayak, life jacket, and paddle
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Dry bags
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All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
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Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
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Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Asheville, North Carolina to the trailhead and back
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Entrance fees and national park permits
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Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device
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Mandatory 5% national park fee that passes through directly to Great Smoky Mountains NP
What's Not Included
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Clothes, raingear, and footwear -
Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
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Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
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Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Accommodations
Backcountry Sleeping
TENT CAMPING
Sleeping on this trip is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
Backcountry Cuisine
FRESH & DELICIOUS
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.
Amazing Campsites
IN THE ACTION
Campsites vary by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your trekking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Logistics & FAQs
Where Do We Meet?
You will meet your guide and group at the Holiday Inn in downtown Asheville (standard rooms are $99-$140 for our guests, 828-225-5550) for an orientation meeting at 5:00 PM the evening before the trip begins. We’re happy to give you a ride to this meeting if you’re not staying at the Holiday Inn. Your guide will then pick you up the next morning for transport to the trailhead. For Private Great Smoky Mountains Tours your guide can meet you at any hotel in Asheville at an agreed upon time.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Travel to Asheville, NC
All North Carolina trips begin and end from Asheville, North Carolina. Asheville has an airport served by Allegiant Air, Delta, United, and US Airways. One can also fly into Greenville, South Carolina or Charlotte, North Carolina and drive to Asheville. It is a 1.5-hour drive from Greenville to Asheville and a 2-hour drive from Charlotte on good roads.
FROM ASHEVILLE AIRPORT
Asheville Airport Express (http://www.ashevilleairportexpress.com, 828-231-1053) and Harry’s Car Service run (828-774-8178) shuttles to and from downtown. Also a number of taxis are usually available on the curb in the Arrivals area.
FROM GREENVILLE/CHARLOTTE
Asheville Airport Express also runs daily vans from Charlotte and Greenville to Asheville.
CAR RENTALS
Avis: 800-331-1212; Hertz 800-654- 3131; National: 800-227-7368; Thrifty: 800-367-2277; Alamo: 800-327-9633
Start/End Times
Your guide will inform you of the first day’s pick-up time at the orientation meeting. Generally, you can expect it to be between 5 and 8 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day normally before 5 PM (this time is not guaranteed, as a variety of circumstances can influence our exact return time).
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
Reviews
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Emily B
6 months agoTruly an incredible experience!
Camping with Wildland is truly an incredible experience! John Pate is an exceptional guide. His knowledge of & love for the outdoors, is contagious! I can’t wait to book my next trip!
Eric Z
1 year agoI haven't stopped talking about this trip since I returned
This was a wonderful experience. I can't speak highly enough about the equipment provided, the itinerary, and the fantastic group atmosphere that quickly formed. John Pate is quite simply the best guide I've encountered to date. He is patient, funny, encouraging, kind, incredibly knowledgable, curious, and quite a wilderness chef (I ate better on this trip than I normally do at home). I haven't stopped talking about this trip since I returned and am eagerly looking forward to booking another Wildland Adventure in the future! Highly highly highly recommend.
Erin J
1 year agoWe had an amazing time.
What a great trip! Highly recommend this paddle and hike trip. The pre-trip information was spot on and our guide, Grace, was outstanding. Looking forward to booking another Wildland Trekking Adventure!
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