With the dry conditions it seemed like a good time to hike Eagle Creek and color in that trail on my map of the Smokies. My hiking partner had some time off work and wanted to do a 5 day trip. I did not want to tackle Eagle Creek alone. The week before I had hiked Meigs Creek (18 crossings) as an out and back day hike and was able to rock hop all of the crossings.

The water was down but Eagle Creek was no rock hop. Nor was it crotch deep as a friend in the Smoky Mountain Hiking Club remembered.

We parked my car at Fontana Dam and took the Lakeshore Trail to the Eagle Creek Trail. There were three crossings of Eagle Creek before campsite 89, Lower Ekaneetlee where we stayed the first night. I mistakenly thought there were only two crossings according to the brown book changed into my dry shoes. My friend scouted around and was able to rock hop that crossing by the time I got my wet shoes back on. Total trail miles for day 1 was 7.1 plus the half mile or so road walk across the dam.

Day 2 there is an immediate crossing of a side creek at the camp site then 12 more crossings of Eagle Creek in the next 3 miles. There is one crossing after leaving campsite 97. I wore my old Merrel Moab's with low cut Darn Tuff socks for the crossings. My hiking partner wore Crocs and no socks but got blisters. The deepest crossings were lower but never more than knee deep at worst. But with rain I image the creek could rise quickly. The lower part of the trail follows an old narrow gage rail track so it gains elevation gradually and had been cleared pretty well. In the last two miles however the trail gets really steep. A couple of times I thought that I had gotten off trail an into a dry creek bed but that was not the case.

The second night we stayed at Spence Field Shelter. Eleven people had reservations but there were on six of us there total for the night. It could have been due to the lack of water on the ridge. Spence Field spring was dry. I had carried up some water but wasn't confident that I had enough and my partner was out of water so we went back down Eagle Creek for about 1/3 a mile to get water as did the other campers and a trail crew camped nearby. Total miles for day 2 was 7, not counting going back for water.

Day 3 we hiked the AT north to Jenkins Ridge Trail. We did not go to Rocky Top because visibility was not good. The trail had been brushed and the had been a lot of side hill work as far the the small stream at 1.2 miles. Beyond the stream the trail had not been maintained recently. The brown book describes Jenkins Ridge as strenuous in either direction and I agree. For the most part the trail stays on the ridge line with no switch backs. If the ridge line goes up or down, so does the trail. Some times it is smooth and level, but sometimes it is extremely steep and eroded. At times I either zig-zaged or had to side step to descend. Acorns on the ground didn't help. The brown book (Hiking Trails of the Smokies) is dated 2003. It listed Jenkins Ridge as 6.5 miles but signs and the dollar map list it as 8.9 miles.

I think there has been a re-route of the Lakeshore Trail since my guide was published. At 6.5 miles there is a sharp turn in the trail and a sharp change in the nature of the trail. It suddenly becomes wide, moistly smooth an level like an old road way for about 2.4 miles where it joins with the Hazel Creek trail. We took Hazel Creek trail to campsite 83, Bone Valley.

Day 4 I slack packed up Bone Valley trail and back. There are 5 creek crossings on that trail, 4 of which are similar to Eagle Creek crossings. At the end of Bone Valley is the Hall cabin and behind that a cemetery. After returning we hiked Hazel Creek trail to campsite 86, Proctor. There are still several old buildings and artifacts in the area. Hazel Creek trail at this point is basically a gravel road and crosses the creek on bridges. Total miles for that day was around 9 counting the out and back to Bone Valley.

Day 5 We took Lakeshore trail west past and through campsite 90 and back to Fontana Dam. Lakeshore is kind of a misnomer because you can only see the lake a couple of times on this part of the trail. Total miles that day was around 10.


There was a ban on campfires in the back country and the park web site indicates the hikers should use only canister stoves. But when I called the back country office I was told that alcohol stoves were o.k. but to "be careful".


Overall a very good trip, I had an opportunity to shake down a few new pieces of gear for a potential LASH of the AT in May 2020. The weather was dry, we got on a couple of very light showers. There was a little bit of fall color.

If I were to do the same trip again, I might spring for a dedicated pair of wading shoes. The Merrels did well but were heavy and did not dry quickly.