Women’s Paddle and Hike Adventure
Asheville, NC
5.0 (2 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Lake Kayaking
- Mountain Hiking
- Island Camping
- Hazel Creek, a Pristine Trout Stream
- Sweeping Views from a Lookout
- Smokies' Beautiful Fontana Lake
- Historical Ghost Town of Proctor, NC
- Guides Choice Trip
Description
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 to Hazel Creek, where we explore stunning Hazel Creek and the fascinating ghost town of Proctor, North Carolina. We camp for two nights on an island with stunning sunset and mountain views, where we’ll enjoy lakeside dinners and sunset paddles in the open water. On a layover day we paddle to the far shore and go on a fulfilling hike to one of the best views in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
$895 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 3
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
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.
Hiking Distances:

6-7 mi
Backpack Weight:

8-12 lbs
Terrain:

Moderately Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:

2260 ft
Heights Exposure:

None
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Paddling on a lake with possible head wind for 2-4 miles
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 8-12 lb backpack for 5-7 hours
- Maintaining balance and footing on moderately rugged terrain
SOLITUDE LEVEL 3
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Great Smoky Mountains backpacking trip a solitude 2. You can expect several hours of solitude at a time.
TRAVEL TO ASHEVILLE
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
TAXES AND FEES
North Carolina does not charge sales tax on services, so there is no sales tax for this trip.
All trips in Great Smoky Mountains National Park have a 5% fee required by the National Park Service. This fee is applied when your reservation is made and is passed through directly to the national park.
There are no other taxes or fees associated with this trip. Feel free to give us a call at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) with any questions!
Private Trips
Travel in perfect company by booking a private trip exclusively for your group!
Our sliding scale for private trips is based on the final number of guests in your group. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax, national park fees or guide gratuity. The final rate is based on the actual number of guests on the trip and may adjust based on cancellations or additions.
Please Note: you can also enjoy a private trip at our normal scheduled rates by filling any empty tour to capacity. However, if group members drop from the tour those spots will automatically become available on our website for instant booking. By purchasing a private trip at the rates listed below, your trip will remain exclusive to your group regardless of cancellations.
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2.5
- 3 People: Rate x 1.75
- 4 People: Rate x 1.25
- 5+ People: Rate x 1.15
*all rates are per person
Backcountry Campsites
Our Great Smoky Mountains National Park backpacking trips primarily utilize backcountry campsites vs. shelters. The shelters – particularly along the popular Appalachian Trail – are very crowded and often plagued by rodent infestations and other undesireable qualities. The backcountry campsites on the other hand have wonderful solitude, are often nestled near creeks, and in general offer a cleaner, much more authentic and rewarding wilderness experience. Our backpacking itineraries therefore may follow the Appalachian Trail (which requires staying in shelters) for a day or part of a day, but in general we have decided on quieter, more scenic loop hikes that provide quality camping and a genuine wilderness experience.
Feel free to give us a call at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) with any questions you have about campsites or our use of the Appalachian Trail!
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