The hike from Brown Fork to Fontana Dam really wasn’t worth mentioning, other than the fact that it was 13 miles and the vegetation is really starting to improve.
The closer we got to Fontana, the more the canopy filled in and the world turned green. It was fun to look under the sheets of moss to see what little bugs were there. The lighting also started to have this beautiful green glow that created a wonderful atmosphere to walk around.
Jessie’s feet were starting to swell a lot and the last mile was a real pain for her. However, he somehow managed to get to the Fontana Dam Hilton. I was so glad my parents planned to meet us to resupply the next day. We needed to get out of the way.
We were initially going to just take a zero day, but it became very clear that Jessie’s feet needed a full rehab routine. So we opted to take two days and stay with my parents in a house they had rented outside of Bryson City.
We spent the first night in the shelter and it seemed like we had finally reached the bubble. It all started with just me, Jessie and Cowboy preparing dinner. Over the course of an hour, more and more people began to arrive and light their stoves.
It was interesting to see all the small groups and groups of friends that had formed over the miles to Fontana. The whole meeting was a chance to finally meet people we’d heard stories about or catch up with some people we hadn’t seen in days.
Once again (as seems to be the case most of the time on this trail) it was an incredibly social afternoon. There were so many people chatting that we even stayed outside after midnight hikers (when the sun sets). By the end we were absolutely exhausted. So much so that we were able to sleep well at night on the hard concrete platforms of the store.
The next day was focused on doing as little as possible. We woke up and spent a quiet morning saying goodbye to all the people who were going to smoke, and hopped on the first ferry to Fontana Village.
The town really wasn’t much. Just a general store and a few restaurants. In particular, the general store was a building with a porch and rocking chairs in the southern United States; My ideal place to hang out. We sat around all day drinking coffee, eating ice cream, and playing checkers. It was probably the first really relaxing day we had on the road.
My parents showed up later that afternoon and took us to the place they had rented. It was a quaint little chalet tucked away in the hills. The porch was absolutely immaculate and they also had a hot tub that Jessie and I couldn’t pass up.
Showering and sleeping in a real bed was a nice way to cap off the first day of real rest all over again. Normally rest days are full of logistics of resupply and transfers to the city, but today we could just relax.
However, the next morning it was all work. We were headed to Bryson City to buy Jessie a pair of shoes that finally WORKED. If you’re wondering if the Appalachian Trail is a good place to try zero-drop shoes to strengthen your feet. Which is not.
Jessie had researched a pair of Hokas that seemed to have almost every type of arch support and foot cushioning that can be included in a shoe. Bryson City Outdoors was able to get him a pair that seemed to feel great on his feet and we were also able to get some new dinnerware that would allow us to get rid of most of the kit clutter. Thanks to my parents for all the help (again).
Since we were already so close to the park, we drove to The Smokies to see what we would be in for. As expected in America’s most visited National Park, it was a bit crowded. However, the wildlife was nice and the view from Kuwohi was really clear for once.
The forecast for the weekend is for rain and fog, so I thought we should enjoy the expansive views while we can. We finished the day by taking Jessie to Gatlinburg to see the conservative Disneyland for the first time. However, we couldn’t bear to stay too long, so we got out of there pretty quickly.
The rest of the night was spent eating dinner with my family and trying to prepare for our next resupply. We realized that the logistics of The Smokies were going to be more difficult than anticipated. Knowing I was going to have to get up early the next day, I stayed up probably too late chatting with Jessie and my parents.
In the end it was a much-needed break, but we’re excited to get moving again. Let’s hope these new shoes finally help Jessie’s feet.
This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any products or services you purchase using links in articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price they would otherwise pay, and their purchase helps support The Trek’s ongoing goal of bringing you quality backpacking information and advice. Thank you for your support!
For more information, visit the About page of this site.
