Forney Creek - Member Hike

Hike Name:	Forney Creek
Country:	United States
State:	North Carolina
Nearby Town:	Bryson city
Rating:
Directions:	From Bryson City NC, follow New Fontana Road to the end.
Total Hike Distance:	6.00 miles
Hike Difficulty:	Moderate
Permit Required:	Yes
Hike Type:	In & Out, Backtrack Hike
Hike Starts/Ends:	Tunnel to nowhere
Trails Used:	Tunnel to no where and Forney Creek
Backcountry Campsites:	Yes
Backcountry Water Sources:	Streams, Lakes
Management:	National Park Service
Contact Information:	Smokey Mountains National Park, Deep creek Ranger station. National Park Service (Deep Creek Ranger Station) 1912 E Deep Creek Rd, Bryson City, NC 28713-7845 Contact Phone: (828) 488-3184 http://www.nps.gov/grsm/
Best Season:	Winter, Spring, Fall
Users:	Hikers, Dogs
Road Conditions:	Primary Paved Roads
Hike Summary:	Hike begins through literally the "Tunnel to nowhere". Upon exiting the 1/4 mile tunnel the trail remains flat for about a half mile then begins to climb upward for about 1 mile. The next 2 miles are mostly down hill, with a few uphill grades. There is a great campsite called Lower Forney creek, located about 1/2 mile from a cove of Fontana lake. We camped there for two nights. From here there are great day hikes in all directions, as well as a trail along the shore of the lake-- called, imagine this, Lake shore trail! Also trails follow forney creek in all directions. If one is not interested in staying in the same place for two nights, there are great loop trails that can make a wonderful weekend trip. Or, one could park their car along the Blue Ridge parkway and hike down from the top (eventually!).