Sandwiched between two beautiful weekends we were able so schedule a trip to Hazel Creek on the North Carolina side of the Smokies. Our weekend was anything but dry with rain both nights, fortunately after tent ready.
Access to Hazel Creek is via shuttle boat from Fontana Marina, a ten mile hike from the Road to Nowhere, or paddle by canoe/kayak from the Cable Creek put-in.
We chose shuttle from the marina and enjoyed a beautiful although chilly ride down Fontana Lake to our destination. Hazel Creek is the location of a large mining and logging operation prior to the park designation and several ruins scattered through the forest make for interesting side trips off the trail. Despite the remote location we were joined on Saturday night by as many as 30 other backpackers who arrived by several means of transportation and with varying degrees of preparedness, ranging from garden carts slugging enough gear to outfit a small army, to minimalists who carried their weekend supply in day packs.
Although the fishing was not very productive on this trip, Hazel Creek is one of the crown jewels of Smokey Mountain trout fishing as well as having a population of smallmouth in the lower reaches.
The first camp site is only .5 miles from the boat put in and is by reservation only. Often booked months in advance. However there are plenty of sites at 1 mile, 3 miles, 5 miles and none miles on up the trail as well as having access to the lake trail which can drop you of into the Eagle Creek drainage.
The trail itself for the first several miles follows the bed of a logging era train route and is wide as well as almost level with a low grade for 5 miles. We saw plenty of game; turkey, deer, hawk, all within the strolling distance of camp. Bear cables are prevalent and make the food storage easy.
