Roughly 8 miles of walking on the Lakeshore and Goldmine Loop Trails. My planned walk had to modified due to a late start.
Elevation profile for this walk in the Road-to-Nowhere area. You never gain any real elevation but the trails sure do go up and down, as evidenced by the 3000 feet of climbing.
Lake View Drive, A.K.A. the Road to Nowhere
Road-to-Nowhere - Views of Fontana Lake
Lakeshore trailhead - New style sign at the Lakeshore trailhead at the end of the Road-to-Nowhere
Lakeshore Trail - Approaching the tunnel
Lakeshore Trail - The tunnel, which is much longer than it appears in this picture. I thought I would freeze to death with the icy wind whipping through.
Lakeshore Trail - Inside the tunnel
Lakeshore Trail - I made it out of the tunnel and was very glad to see the sun. WOW that was a cold walk.
Lakeshore Trail - Low elevation walking
Tunnel Bypass Trail/Lakeshore Trail intersection - Here you can go around the tunnel as the name implies
Lakeshore Trail - This is roughly the highest elevation of today's walk at only 2380' elevation.
Goldmine Loop Trail/Lakeshore Trail intersection - I'll return to the car via this loop later this afternoon.
Lakeshore Trail - Low elevation pine forest
Lakeshore Trail - Low elevation pine/oak forest
Lakeshore Trail - Cresting another hill
Lakeshore Trail - Swinging around the ridge into a laurel tunnel
Lakeshore Trail - A small brook tumbles down
Lakeshore Trail
Lakeshore Trail - Walking streamside through the rhododendron
Lakeshore Trail - Approaching the Whiteoak Branch Trail intersection (note the marker on the tree)
Whiteoak Branch Trail/Lakeshore Trail intersection - Original plan was to head up Whiteoak Branch, but I decided to skip it today and continue on Lakeshore Trail due to the late start.
Lakeshore Trail - Dog hobble
Lakeshore Trail - White pines
Lakeshore Trail - Mountain view through the trees
Lakeshore Trail - My picture didn't turn out, but this was the first view of Fontana Lake.
Lakeshore Trail - Campsite #74
Forney Creek Trail/Lakeshore Trail intersection - This intersection is right beside raging Forney Creek and Campsite #74
Lakeshore Trail - Forney Creek was really rocking as it empties into Fontana Lake
Lakeshore Trail - Forney Creek
Lakeshore Trail - The campsite #74 sign is almost gone
Lakeshore Trail - A nice bridge over Forney Creek
Lakeshore Trail - Gorgeous Forney Creek
Cemetery spur - I took a long detour up a steep hill to a cemetery
Cemetery
Infant William H. Cook - Many youngsters are buried here as is typical for Smokies cemeteries
This cemetery sits at the top of a very steep climb
Little Virgil only saw 3 months on Earth
Ruthie Mae died at birth. :o(
Another one that died at birth
Gertrude made it only a couple of days
Anna Wooddy was close to her second birthday when she passed
A quiet hilltop resting place
At the bottom of the spur was this long table, probably for survivors to have lunch when they visit the cemetery
Goldmine Loop Trail - This trail starts with a steep decent and ends with a steeper ascent.
Goldmine Loop Trail - An old chimney
Goldmine Loop Trail - This chimney sits in a large clearing beside a small creek
Goldmine Loop Trail - Through the rhododendron tunnel
Goldmine Loop Trail - Fontana Lake inlet. The lake is drawn down this time of year.
Goldmine Loop Trail - Fontana Lake inlet
Goldmine Loop Trail - Some nice views appears after a tough climb away from the lake.
Tunnel Bypass Trail/Goldmine Loop Trail intersection - Whew! That climb was tougher than I expected
Road-to-Nowhere - The completion of my walk. The Tunnel Bypass Trail emerges from the woods at the parking area by the tunnel.
