But environmental issues stopped construction and started years of debate about completion. Construction of six miles of the road was completed in the early 1970s. The lake project displaced more than a thousand families and cut off access to family cemeteries. Here's a very brief version: After the original Highway 288 was buried under the waters of Fontana Lake in the 1940s, the National Park Service promised to reroute the highway along the north shore of the lake through the park.
Or for a longer way back, turn left on the Bypass Trail to return to the Lakeshore Trail and walk back through the tunnel. Bear right at sign that says "parking 4/10 of a mile" to return to parking area. In about a mile, you'll reach the intersection of the Tunnel Bypass Trail (and the end of Goldmine Loop Trail). From there, take the trail uphill for a long and strenuous climb. Continue straight ahead along the branch for another quarter mile for to a view of a cove of Fontana Lake. In about a half mile, you see the other end of the trail to campsite 67 on the left.
From there, continue on to follow a cascading Goldmine Branch through a forest. Turn here and head down a ridge to an old homestead with the remains of the chimney. A short distance beyond is the Goldmine Loop Trail on the left. Pass the first trail on the left, the Tunnel Bypass trail that takes you to campsite 67. The Goldmine Loop Trail starts about a half mile past the tunnel on the left (look for the sign). On the other side of the tunnel, the pavement ends and the Lakeshore Trail begins (it continues for 35 miles to Fontana Dam!). It's a great winter hike option since it usually only snows a few days. So take a light along, especially if you don't like dark spaces! There are no lights in the tunnel and there is some debris like small piles of leaves inside. On sunny days, you can make it through ok without a flashlight. 67 at the location of an old homestead.įind a nice network of trails and some remote campsites.įrom the parking lot at the end of Lakeview Drive, walk the paved road through the tunnel (you'll immediately see the tunnel). A side trail takes you to backcountry campsite No. To complete the loop, you'll hike three trails: Goldmine Loop, Lakeshore and Tunnel Bypass. On the hike, you'll pass some abandoned homesteads, walk along a cascading creek, and get a peek at Fontana Lake and even some wild boar traps. Located near Bryson City, the "Road to Nowhere" and has a long, complicated history (read below). A 3.2-mile loop option starts with a walk through a 1,200-foot tunnel built for a scenic drive that was never completed. At the end of the six-mile winding road through the forest, find a network of hiking trails. For a scenic drive and a unique hike through a long tunnel, head to the Lake View Drive, known more commonly as the "Road to Nowhere", in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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