HIKING THE BENTON MACKAYE TRAIL | GSMNP “Fontana Dam to Lakeshore Trail CS#77" | EPISODE 1

I met up with friend, @leonidas (    / leonidasonthetrail   ), at Fontana Dam a multiday 90+ mile GSMNPBenton MacKaye Trail hike starting at the Fontana Dam Visitor Center, crossing over the Dam and entering the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Leonidas had started at Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia 11 days prior, hiking to just outside the Smokies. Prior to leaving on October 31, he gave me his resupply for the 6day hike throughout the Smokies and I gladly brought it up from B’ham, AL with me. Leaving from B’ham at 2:30am, I arrive at the Dam parking lot meeting him at about 8:30ish am.

After some catching up and adjusting packs, we drive down to the Visitor Center parking lot and set out on our task to complete the hike.

Crossing the dam, we reach the Park’s boundary, and follow the entire Lakeshore trail.

After passing through the “Tunnel to Nowhere” we steadily climb to an eventual pass over Noland Divide and Newton Bald, before making the descent back down to cross over Highway 441 at Smokemont.

From Smokemont, the trail begins climbing once more past Chasteen Creek Cascade then descends back down to Enloe Creek. After a very rugged and isolated Enloe area, the trail climbs back up to Hyatt Ridge before briefly dropping down to Beech Gap. Once again, we make another long climb up to beautiful Balsam High Top where the piney smell of coniferous growths greets you. After the fragrant and cool Balsam forest experience, we ascend to the highest point along the entire BMT, 5,842 foot Mount Sterling. From there the trail makes a sharp descent down to the northern BMT terminus of Big Creek Trailhead.

Continue the trek with us on the next episodes to see how this trek goes.

Jeff