Fontana Lake Reviews

We stayed in Bryson City and rode our trike to the lake for an afternoon. Beautiful fall colors and the lake was stunning. Peaceful and relaxing.

We passed Fontana Lake and noticed people using a rope swing and paddle-boards. We pulled off the road and found a large parking lot where Bryson City Outdoors were set up and renting stand-up paddle-boards. We rented paddle-boards and tandem paddle-boards, oars and lifejackets for a small fee ($20 per hour).

The lake was wonderfully warm, clear and such a vibrant green. We paddled around and swam and really enjoyed the lake! I'd recommend it as an activity when in the area. We rafted the Nantahala earlier in the day and this topped off the day nicely.

We rented a pontoon from the Almond Boat Park and took off to the dam and back on a Monday in June. This is a huge, magnificent lake which had very little boat traffic on our adventure. The water level was very high, so for us “newbies” it was a little hard to find a decent place to tie up, picnic and swim. We got lucky with a gorgeous place to have a “5 star waterfront” b/y/o lunch and wine. We were there enjoying the water and scenery for an hour before seeing another boater in the distance. It was like having your own, massive, private lake for a great day of fun on, and in, the water.

My friends owe a log cabin close to Bryson City NC and from every window we can see Fontana Lake. It has a different view every hours. We like to go down and sit by the lake, swim in the lake, rent a boat. We enjoy the lake in each of the 4 seasons. Our favorite.

We rented kayaks from the marina near the dam. Rental prices are reasonable. Staff there was very nice. The lake is so clean, so peaceful and the views of the mountains are breath taking. We love the house boats and floating houses you pass just as you leave the marina. A must see.

You can't control the weather or TVA but we were very surprised to see the water level so low.....hot summer, drought-like conditions & TVA slowly draining the lake to a record low; fishing was extremely disappointing. The Almond Boat marina would only accept cash payment for the boat, we were not given a receipt and then the owner accused us of not paying.

I have both kayaked and Backpacked on/around Fontana lake and it keeps me coming back. The waters are cool and refreshing even in August. The trails are great and the primitive campsites are nice to camp in.

I just paddle boarded Lake Fontana yesterday and found it to be the nastiest lake Ive ever visited. The licals told me it is a party lake where no one cleans up the mess. I tried to board through the entrance of the river but it was blocked by human garbage. The water is so green you dont want to swim and there are no views that dont include a dozen or more boat docks.

We rented a boat and was out on the lake for about 3 hours. We didn’t catch anything but the staff warned my husband that people weren’t really catching anything. It was peaceful. My kids enjoyed their first ride on a boat.

We started out from Murphy N.C. And took some of the most scenic Mtn. Roads to get there, we were amazed at the fall beauty of this area, Beautiful views driving down and around the mountain to stop and take wonderful camera shots of the lake when we got to the bottom you can go to the small marina and check things out or drive over to the dam a short distance away great scenery with the fall leaves a perfect picture spot. The day we were there Dam was not running so it was nice and quiet.

We go to this area every summer, and any day spent on the lake is a great one! There are lots of areas to explore: we stopped once and hiked up to the old cemetery, another time we found a rope swing, and we even camped on a little island once. You can rent various equipment at the marina and they are very helpful and nice. We have canoed, jetskied, tubed, and had great picnics out on a pontoon. And a sunset on the lake is not to be missed! It is not very busy, you often feel like you have the entire lake to yourself. This is a truely beautiful place.

Not crowded -- even on July 4th. Wonderful swimming. Pristine mountain views of the Smokies. Pontoon boat rental for four hours just under $200.00. Make sure you get a boat with a ladder for swimming. Take a map -- there are so many turns and alcoves!

If you like camping, boating, hiking, and natural beauty, this a great place to go. We didn't camp. We stayed in a lodge but did everything else. It was great exercise while we enjoyed the best of the outdoors. This a big clear lake surrounded by the mountains of a few different national park. It is created by the Fontana dam, which is the first and tallest of the TVA dam system. When we were out on the lake we saw very few other people and it was very relaxing.

We traveled to the area from Bryson City, where we were staying for the weekend. I wasn't sure how exciting a dam could be, but it was pretty cool! The visitor's center offered a good overview and the staff went out of their way to tell us interesting things about the function and history of the dam. It's a very impressive site and the views are beautiful. I would love to return to the lake to do some paddling and fishing.

My husband and I rented a pontoon boat the last day of our vacation and were so GLAD we did! It's a good thing we did this last or we wouldn't have visited anywhere else. Beautiful, clear, clean water with no snakes or alligators (I live in Mississippi) made this just the best swimming ever! Lake so huge you rarely came even close to another boat. Great camping spots (right in the middle parts of the lake) if your a hiker, kayaker, or canoe Many places to hike with the most beautiful scenery. Very private! Someone told us at the marina that you could drop a fishing lure in and see it for 30ft down. I believe it! The people at the marina are very helpful and friendly. There are many different kinds of water craft to rent right down to the tube for a fun boat ride. Take sunscreen! You even get sun under the water. Don't miss a day on this lake whether you have kids or not. Well worth the trip and money!

We rented kayaks from the marina at Lake Fontana Dam. The folks at the marina were very helpful and recommended where to go on the kayaks. Lake Fontana is beautiful, clean and peaceful. We were out on the lake for just under 4 hours and only saw 1 other person on a kayak and 1 person on a pontoon boat. The views are spectacular. They have some house boats on the lake when you first leave the marina and we spoke to one of the owners on our way back and she said it's always peaceful on the lake even on the weekends. There are a few more boats out, but it's still quiet. It was a great way to spend an afternoon. We'll go back next year. The marina does sell beverages, pre-made sandwiches, styrofoam coolers & ice.

I love fontana. I've been going there since I was a little girl. In fact I will be going this week. It's strikingly beautiful this time of year. The water is warm. Great cat fishing.

We rented a boat and spent the day on the Fontana Lake. We had a great time. Beautiful lake. Go in the morning to avoid late afternoon storms.

Perfect for wakeboarders and skiers!! I do not understand why pro wakeboarders are not all over this lake! Even on holiday weekends the lake is like glass. The views are to die for! It is surrounded by national park lands

Fontana Lake is so beautiful and the water is crystal clear. Weekdays are not crowded and you’ll have the place to yourself. The lake is bordered by the GSMNP and it is fabulous to sit out on the water looking up at those pristine mountains. The views are fabulous. You cannot go wrong by spending a day on Fontana Lake. I like to rent a pontoon from the Almond Boat dock. This year they have a brand new fleet of gorgeouspontoons for rent

We spent the day on Lake Fontana on our family's pontoon boat. We fished, we cooked out, and we went tubing. It is a beautiful lake. it is clean and the views are spectacular. It was not over crowded. We enjoyed watching "The Great Smokey Railroad" train pass over the lake in the afternoon. It was a perfect day out on the water.

Viewed this beautiful lake while riding the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Train from Bryson City, TN. Lake was artificially created due to building a Dam on the Little Tennessee River that flooded the lumber town of Fontana, Proctor and Judson. It is a beautiful remote and peaceful area (except for the train whistle!).

July is best month to visit because in spring, as the water level is allowed to rise, hundreds of fallen trees and limbs float in the lake. In May and June, they can lurk just beneath the surface creating a hazard. By August, the TVA is already starting to lower the water level, exposing a thick bowl of rock and sand. Positives are...there are many coves to park and get in the water. And the lack of traffic makes it a great place to water ski later in the season when all the debris has waterlogged and sunk. Much prettier lakes to visit though.

Minis on the Dragon! Over 700 Mini Coopers drive the Dragon, Hwy. US 129 every May. The event is held at Fontana Village Resort. Whether you stay there or not, its is something worth seeing! Vendors, 300+ minis in a group photo, food, fun and twisties! Hwy 129 had 318 twisties in 11 miles! What fun for any car. Would go back time and time again.

What a pretty area. Saw it all from the train. Would love to stay in one of the floating houses! The water is so clear.

We rented a pontoon from Alarka Boat Docks, and spent the afternoon cruising to the dam, the views along the way are breath taking. You are surrounded by mountains and forest all the way. We stopped on our way back from the dam for a quick swim and a late lunch. It was a day well spent.

Fontana Lake is very peaceful during weekdays. There was no one in the water early Nov. The fall colors surrounded the area.

Fontana lake is beautiful. The town is small and very welcoming. I would highly recommend going to the Nantahala outdoor center, there are alot of different activities and it is also very nice and fun to sit by the river and watch the rafters and kayakers. If you want to have a long weekend Fontana is the place to go. They also have very nice camping grounds.

Absolutely loved this little town. We stayed three days and absolutely could’ve stayed longer. We rented a boat and went fishing and tubing and maybe passed one single boat out there so it was very private and relaxing and we had our own little world out there to do as we wished. We even explored the Fontana Dam and it was beautiful. The views, the town, the lake, everything was great. We will be returning. Perfect place to get away and unwind with a nice mountain feel, views and everything you could want.

Fontana Lake is bordered on one side by the Great Smoky Mountains. There are trails to hike off the shoreline. The only thing I do not like about this lake is there are no beaches to park on. The shore is steep and drops off quickly in most areas. The water is clean and clear. I have not had much luck fishing in this lake, but I always enjoy taking my boat out and hiking a few trails on the north shoreline.

The lake was ok, but it was very hard to find a place where you could swim. The swimming place we found was not very accessible, as you had to do some climbing down slippery surfaces. The lake was nice, but it wasn't something I would go back to if you are in a swimming mood.

We recently had the opportunity to spend some time on this lake. It is absolutely pristine. Highly recommend some time on the water if you are in the area.

Enjoyed the 4th here with friends. Beautiful warm water for a swim and went out to the main part of the lake for a cool fireworks show. Recommended!

The lake is so pretty and turquoise green. It's quiet and not a lot of people on the lake. Perfect for boating and jet skiing if you don't like big crowds

The greenish color of the water comes from the abandoned copper mines at the bottom of the lake that were mined before the dam was built. If you want to spend some time at the lake you can even rent a houseboat. The town of Fontana was flooded when the dam was built and when the dam operators lower the lake level the remains of the town can be seen through the clear water.

I love love love Fontana Lake. We try to get out there once a year for a long weekend camping trip in the Summer or Fall. The scenery is beautiful, and the lake is large, cool and refreshing! Our ideal Fontana Lake mini-vacation is a canoe and camping trip. We park at the Fontana Marina and rent a canoe for the weekend. It costs something around $50/24 hours. We throw our gear in the canoe, and paddle to the primitive campsites in the Smokies. What is great about this plan, is that you can decide how much you want to paddle and how far out from the marina you want to camp. You'll pass usually plenty of motorboats, other paddlers, people fishing and swimming. Also, there's wildlife around, like beavers and hawks.
Once we dock and set up the tent, we usually then go for a swim. The water's always pleasant. I do recommend some kind of aquashoes if you have them, for easily getting in and out.
If you are camping, be responsible and aware. There are huge spiders and ticks around. The primitive campsites around are just that: primitive. So if you are looking for an outdoor experience full of natural beauty, this is for you!

We were camping in Cherokee at Yogi Bear Campground and drove over to where I booked a 24 ft pontoon boat from Alarka Boat Dock for half a day, we ended up staying the full day 10am - 8pm. The ride over was about an hour. This lake is very beautiful with clear blue-green water, the views are awesome. We boated all around the lake up to the dam and back. We stopped along the way at different islands, to swing off the rope swing and just out in the big middle to swim and tube taking in all the beauty. Out of the entire trip- this day was my favorite part of the trip! My kids all had a great time as well as my two dogs- a great Dane and dachshund.

What We thought would be a nice relaxing boat ride on the lake turned into one of the most interesing and beautiful adventures of our trip. The guide told the most amazing stories of how the lake was built and the towns beneath the lake. That along with the setting sun provided both relaxation and information. Dont miss this.

A beautiful stretch of water surrounded by wooded hills and mountains easily accessible on route 28. There are some good stopping places where you can see the view and driving over the dam links in with some trails (including the Appalachian Trail) though we did not find that we got a better view of the lake from these as they stay in the trees for a long time. Good food outlet at Fontana Village too.

Went for the motorcycle road called the Dragons Tail......Wow, hang on! Look it up, any biker needs to put this to the top of his to do list.

The lake was very quiet and peaceful. Fishing was good and weather was OK. It's a great place to unwind and see the stars away from the big city lights.

I enjoyed seeing the lake and dam. The information boards were quite helpful and interesting.

We also visited Fontana Village. I was not very impressed with it. The food was average with a rather limited menu for vegetarians. The gift shops at both the dam and the village were rather junky with stuff made in Vietnam and did not represent or promote the local economy. I experienced this type of stuff in WV growing up only it was made in Taiwan then. Now, WV actually promotes local businesses such as salsa and wine makers, artists, etc. I would recommend the buyers at Fontana consider this for their location and promote NC businesses.

We rented a pontoon boat at Almond Boat and RV Park and spent the day on the lake. We took the boat all the way to the dam and back, stopping along the way for a picnic and swim. The lake is so pretty. We were there on a weekday and felt that we had the lake to ourselves.

Lake Fontana could not be more peaceful. We paddled across the lake leaving from Cable Cove to the old town of Hazel Creek in the Smokies. We camped out at Tumbling Waters Campground where you can catch your own trout and they will clean it for you. The next day we went down the Nantahala River just outside of Bryson City, NC,

Fontana Lake is different from most of the other lakes we kayak. It is long and narrow. There are very few private docks on the lake which emphasizes the natural beauty. Lots of small coves to explore. Pontoon boats (and maybe other types) are available for rental at the marinas.

My husband and I spent about a half of a day at Fontana Lake. We drove all around the lake. The leaves were so pretty and the colors made for some great pictures.We noticed several places that rents boat so we will have to come back and do that in the summer months. The Dam was really nice and big. There is also a few picnic areas and a lot of pull offs to view the lake and mountains. The water looked pretty clear the day we were there. We only saw a couple of people on the lake fishing. I bet the lake is very popluar in warmer months. Can't wait to go back and rent a boat.

This is a huge lake created by the Fontana Dam. The water is very clear, and the lake is beautiful. We started the day off just wanting to check out the "Dragon's Tail" road and learn about the Fontana Dam and the TVA before visiting the Cherokee Village. We stumbled onto the Fontana Lake Marina quite accidentally. We ended up boating and swimming for over 2 hours in the lake. We went there on a weekday, and we only saw a handful of other boats passing by. We pretty much had the entire lake for ourselves. We did not want to leave. I'm sure we will be going back in a near future.

While on our vacation we took a trip down to the Almond Boat and RV Park to rent a pontoon boat for four hours on Fontana Lake. My dad brought his fixing gear with him, but unfortunately we didn't even get a nibble. Rumor had it that the fish were biting deep, and my dad has more shallow water gear. However, I had my camera and the lake provided some AMAZING views! The day on the lake was probably my favorite part of the entire vacation!

An outstanding and beautiful lake that essentially has no major developments since it is adjacent to national forests.
We took a 2 hour tour on a pontoon boat and in that time only saw one other boat under power on the entire trip. Just natural beauty.
Worth a trip if you are in the area.