The Tunnel To Nowhere Reviews

Truly a tunnel that goes nowhere. All the effort and money expended to cut this tunnel through the mountain and yet it just ends on a trail on the other side. It is still a good walk, although a flashlight is not a bad idea. Mainly to watch where you put your feet since horses go through here as well. If you have young children you might not want to let them read the walls, keep in mind there is a high school right down the road. All in all it is worth the effort to see.

It is something to do, nice drive up the mountain.We went in the late afternoon and was not able to hike since it was going to get dark soon.

Great place to hike with a few different trails to choose from. The road ends just before the tunnel and there is a small parking lot. It was full and we had to park in the grass which was not a problem.

Nice view of Fontana Lake overview, note the historical aspects of this tunnel of the road to no where, take bug spray and flash light, enjoy the hike.

Really no big deal go there once and forget about it, mostly a tourist stop and maybe hike the trails

I heard the story about the road and I had to go see it. So interesting and sad. I didn't walk through it but still very interesting

The road to nowhere is literally a paved road in the Great Smokey Mountains NP that stops at a 200-ft tunnel. On the other side of the tunnel nothing but a dirt hiking trail. The hiking tail connects to another to make a nice easy 2-1/2 mile loop. We took our 4-yr old and he had no problems; very slight elevation change. Well marked pathways with signs and blazes. Other connecting trails can extend the hike if you wish.
The focal point is the tunnel. The walls are covered in graffiti, but you won’t be able to really see it without a flashlight.
Ample parking at the entrance to the tunnel. No toilet or water at the site.
We enjoyed the trail and so did the little one.

Once you know the history of the tunnel and road, seeing it in person is very interesting. Just remember to bring a flashlight for the tunnel. It is longer than it seems. There are also great hiking trails associated with this location.

The tunnel was interesting to see especially if you read the history of the place. After you exit the tunnel there are trails you can hike. We chose to do the goldmine loop. There are some steep hills but our 7 year old completed the 3 miles with us with no problems.

We were in Bryson city on our motorcycle for the peak leaf week. I had heard of the road to nowhere but was not quite sure what to expect. What a cool place, the ride up the mountain is right thru Bryson city and is a fantastic short 6-10 mile road with fantastic views along the way. At the top you will find good parking and a short paved way to a cool tunnel that ends in nowhere land. If you are into hiking some great trains start right at the tunnel.

We wanted to see something unique to Bryson City and this fit the bill. A short drive out of town, the road dead ends at this tunnel. It is longer than I thought..maybe as long as a football field. There were people making music/sound with bowls inside which was kinda creepy. We walked the length of the tunnel and back, It is damp and slippery in some places. Worth the the visit for us. Next time, I would like to hike the trails on the other side.

For some reason I thought there was more to it, but it's just a tunnel ruined by graffiti. Nothing to see once you walk through it

As other people have said, this isn’t a lot to look at. It is truly a tunnel to nowhere. What is amazing is the story behind it and taking the time to walk through it. Easy walk. You do need to bring a flashlight because horses walk thru there on tours. Watch where you step. Easy walk and fun to say you Wales through a tunnel to nowhere....

If you are in Bryson City, this is a nice little side trip. The drive up is beautiful and the tunnel is quirky. Be sure to take a good flashlight to check out the graffiti on the walls of the tunnel (and to look out for horse poop in the tunnel!). There is a nice trail once you get through the tunnel. I wouldn’t go out of my way to go here but if you are in Bryson City - take Everett Street out of town to check it out!

Nice drive up to where road stops, but pot holes are deep and close to end of drive. Parking lot is not very big. Did not get out to walk through tunnel as it started raining. Will try again next trip.

A highly promoted failed road project. The history is interesting, the trip to see it was about the least interesting part of our trip to the area.

My Husband and I came here today. The drive is really nice. The road has some pot holes. The overlook is breathtaking with the river below and all the beautiful mountains. The tunnel itself is dark and a little scary. It kinda reminds me of the movie IT. I was waiting to see a red balloon. LOL. The inside of the tunnel is all covered with nasty graffiti. I would recommend a flashlight if you are scared of the dark.

Surprised they didn't have a sign explaining the history behind it. Beautiful scenery getting up there. Very cold inside tunnel. Unfortunately we didn't walk the trails past the tunnels.

We decided to travel to the tunnel for a quick adventure. We planned to walk through the
tunnel, climb on top take a few pictures & be on our way. It was very dark in the tunnel. Definitely needed a flashlight to walk through. There was lots of horse poop in the tunnel. We reached the other side. Climbed on top of the tunnel..snapped a few pictures. Then our grandson (13) saw a trail, decided to run up the trail & see where it lead. Then our 6 year old granddaughter decided to follow him up to the top of the trail. A few seconds later she comes running back down the trail screaming “SNAKE!!!!” Which caused our grandson to come find out why she is screaming. I screamed for him to stop immediately. There was a rattlesnake in the pathway of the trail. A huge approximately 4’ rattlesnake. It kept going back & forth across the trail causing our grandson to be trapped up the trail. People heard us & 2 men came up to help my husband. They finally were able to distract the snake & get my grandson past the snake. So my words of wisdom..wear proper footwear, take a flashlight & beware of the giant Rattlesnake!!!! 🤪🐍😜🏔😫

We always visit the Tunnel to Nowhere when we come to the NC. It's creepy to walk through the dark tunnel. I'd bring a flashlight or use your phone just to see exactly what you're walking on. There are trails on the other side that you could hike on but keep in mind it's pretty remote and not a popular place to hike.

It doesn't take long to drive to the tunnel. A couple nice overlooks on the way of Fontana Lake. We even saw a bear on our return. We did this in the early evening. Thought the tunnel would be darker, but we didn't find it that bad. Cool little walk to the other side.

This place is kind of funny in a sad way if you know the story. The entire inside of the tunnel has been tagged by the local degenerates. But it is kind of cool for a quick, or extended, hiking trip and I have seen deer there on occasion. This last visit we had to be really careful in a dark tunnel avoiding the horse manure.......yep.....you can take your horse trailer there and go cruising.

If you're in the area this place is worth the visit. It's, just as the name says, a tunnel to nowhere. It is the backstory that makes it interesting. It's one of those quirky North Carolina attractions that it's fun to say you have visited. Ignore the graffiti on the walls. There are several hiking trails in the area.

My husband and I discovered the tunnel to nowhere in 2017. It is a very peaceful drive to exactly nowhere. The tunnel is a great place to take pictures. Take a picnic and enjoy nature!

The tunnel is about 8 miles out of Bryson City. There is a small parking lot before the entrance where the road is blocked from traffic. It's a short walk to the Tunnel entrance. I used the flashlight on my phone to walk thru; a lot of graffiti on the walls. there is a hiking trail at other end. Very interesting.

The drive there is very nice. The trails on the other end appear to be nice, although we didn't have time to take them. The tunnel is a tunnel. But it takes on more meaning and is an interesting side trip if you read the history first.

Beautiful road to this historic tunnel. The scenery is spectacular. There is a parking then you walk up to the tunnel. Bring a flashlight it's dark in there. They say it is haunted! You find out if it is...I dare you!!

Cool to see - sad to know the story behind it - but it's mostly a graffiti filled tunnel with wildly inappropriate messages. Didn't bother me but glad I didn't have small kids with me. Overall, glad I saw it, but I'd never go back again.

A beautiful drive to get there. I was with children and it was just spooky enough to excite them without really scaring them. There were excellent hiking trails on the other side of the tunnel. I look forward to retuning and hiking those!

Love the history! You gotta see more than the tunnel, so much beauty in the area. Short distance from parking so you don’t have to complete a big hike. (Unless you wanna)

Wife and I decided to visit after reading up about the history of this road. It was alright once. Would I do it again, no. It is basically just like all the other walks I've been on, wxcept it has a tunnel full of graffitti at the start.

We took the road to nowhere to go through the tunnel but it was dark and wet and apparently full of frogs so we decided not to venture inside. There were some nice spots to stop and take pictures on the road to Nowhere though. Cool and free spot. If we go back to the area I'd maybe venture through the tunnel in long pants and boots. I am seriously very scared of frogs.

The tunnel is cool. It's long enough that a flashlight, while not absolutely necessary, is helpful. The hike is in a pretty forest and you can go for a short walk or long one. It's not as nice as Deep Creek trails that are close by, but it's still worth a visit.

I'd heard about this tunnel & was close enough in Bryson City to check it out....it was getting ready to rain so I didn't do any hiking on the surrounding trails but went back later....pretty cool.

This is God's country. A beautiful drive with less traffic than the Cherokee park entrance. Roads are good and recently redone. Only a couple of pull-offs though. Spectacular views. Interesting history.

Very spooky! Allegedly the workers building the tunnel dug into an old indian burial ground and people starting dying/experiencing paranormal happenings, so they ceased construction. All that's left is a creepy old tunnel!
We went at night with flashlights. The tradition is to walk through it first without any lights. Extra creepy. If you want to see the burial grounds, when you exit the tunnel look right and you'll see a hill. A little ways up the hill it will start to look like large rows of steps (2-3 ft high) have been carved into the hillside. These are the graves!!!

We went to visit the tunnel around sunset with the plan of walking through to the other side. However, the inside was fairly dark and I chickened out. Be prepared, the tunnel is a 1/4 mile long, so 1/2 mile round trip. It is definitely an unusual site, however there were a couple of places to stop and view the overlook scenery which was spectacular. I advise going during the day, and hopefully other people will be there as well (unlike our visit, which made it creepy for me). :-)

close to the little mountain towns, would be really cool and spooky if you’re the only one there. I thought it was cool over all but the amount of people there yelling and screaming took away from the enjoyment/creepy factor. The government lied to this little community about building the road, now it just ends after the tunnel. The hiking trail past the pavement is peaceful and smooth, very few go beyond the tunnel.

Amazing views but watch out for rattlesnakes on the trail. We encountered one just on the far side of the tunnel. It looked to be about 6 feet long.

The tunnel was very quiet and you could hear the echoes inside. lots of graffiti, some not in good taste. quiet and peaceful

A server at Anthony's told us about The Tunnel To Nowhere. The drive to the tunnel was very beautiful. Walking in the tunnel was cool. It is not a far walk so anyone should be able to enjoy this. The art work ( graffiti) has some adult content. Keep the kids focused off of the walls and you will be fine.

Ignore the "No More Wilderness" sign you see before you get into the park. Take your family here and learn about the story of 'The Road' and the agreement, there is a lot of history behind this tunnel to nowhere, AKA The Road to Nowhere. This is a great place to go hiking or just to fill time in between activities. It is super easy to get to and a very easy walk if you just go through the tunnel (cannot drive through.) There are some really nice pull-offs on your way to the tunnel. Just be careful, lock your car and hide your valuables, I have heard of some cars being vandalized here.

Had no idea this was even here, Guide on train ride told us about this place and we had to see. It is just as it says, a tunnel that goes from NC to TN and Nowhere else. Pretty interesting to see and walk through.

The clerk at our hotel told us about this place. It's a short ride from town....easy to find. The tunnel was very interesting (and different). There's a short hike, then you go back through the tunnel again. Great hike! Not scary.....just fun!

It's a bit of a hike once you stop but well worth the walk. You take the "road to no where" and it brings you to this amazing tunnel. Costs lots of money but neither TN or NC wanted to complete the project.

Go early in the day or bring a flashlight. We went in the evening and wished we had more lighting to get through the tunnel. The drive up to the tunnel is beautiful. We stopped on the way down and took pictures because the views were so pretty.

Great place to start a day hike. Interesting history about this tunnel and the hiking is moderate but nice. Saw a couple of bear cubs and Momma bear along the way as well.

Easy drive, enjoying the mountains and all the quirky things to do and see. Sad for the families that lost their homes, will try to come back for the draining of dam between January-March.

I stumbled upon this online. May dad then told us about it so we made the trek up there. It was so cool. A very unique experience. Just make sure to research the story as well.

It's a fun trip and cool hike. Many other thigs to do close by as well. Not far outside of Bryson City and the Railroad Station.

With the many times I have visited the area, I had never visited the tunnel. The history behind the tunnel is quite interesting. Fall would be the best time because of the leaf color, but be aware that it is cold in the tunnel and a little spooky. Kids would have a great time with the hollow sound inside. There is some hiking available as you exit the far side, but we didn't take advantage this time. I don't have a need to return, but is was interesting and close to Bryson City.

We visited Bryson City over the weekend for a train ride on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. We came in the day before our train ride and drove around the quaint little town of Bryson City.

While driving around we noticed signs for the Road to Nowhere and decided to drive it and see were Nowhere is. We drove into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and through winding roads with beautiful trees and sights of the Fontana River.

We eventually come to a dead end and the tunnel. We walked through the tunnel, but didn’t continue the hike. The tunnel itself is ¼ mile and we are not in the best of shape. Apparently if you continue walking, the paved road comes to an end, but along the way you can see the old homesteads and other beautiful sights the park has to offer.

According to history, in the 1930s and ‘40s, the Park Service began building the road, Lakeshore Drive, as part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Fontana Dam. During construction, there were environmental concerns so the construction was stopped and the road was never finished. The people living along this area were forced out of their homes so the road and dam could be built, but those who wouldn’t take the buyout had to eventually move because the area was filled with water for the lake and it flooded the area. Those people ended up with no money for their land. The unfinished road was renamed the “The Road to Nowhere” by the locals. The Park Service still shuttles local community residents over to the cemeteries on weekends and for family reunions. In 2010, the US Department of Interior paid a settlement of $52 million to Swain County due to the road never being completed.

If you love the outdoors and like to hike, this would be a good hike. Do your research first because there are several different loops or trails you can take once on the other side of the tunnel and they are different lengths. I would suggest taking a flashlight for walking through the tunnel. Once you are in the middle, it's quite dark and hard to see where you are walking.

It takes a little to get to this attraction but it is well worth it. The tunnel is much longer than i thought at first and can get pretty dark so you want to bring a flashlight

This was a looooong walk. This was not “easy”. It was beautiful and not like other trails- the trail is narrow and winds up, down and around. Of course Barry’s is beautiful. Bring plenty of water and a snack. It’s a hike- not an easy one.

We visited her on our last day in Bryson City. The walk to the tunnel isn't very long. The tunnel is a bit creepy. Makes me sad that the entire tunnel is covered in graffiti. There are signs that explain the reason for the tunnel. Didn't have time for any of the trails, but if we ever make it back we will try one of the shorter ones.

A lovely drive out of Bryson City ends at a parking lot and a walk through a tunnel to...Nowhere! Bring a flashlight as a lot of people on horseback go through the tunnel and horses don't care where they poop. Apparently there are lots of trails to hike on the other side, we didn't go very far since it was dusk. Very eery in the tunnel, glad we came back there!

The drive was well worth it. Nice views along the way. Thought we would walk all the way thru the tunnel, but it got dark and spooky. Glad we came.

The history behind how the road to nowhere is interesting and makes the location that much more attractive. Walking down the tunnel gives you an erie chill. Quiet and nestled deep in the Smokies, it's a hidden gem.

I found the road to nowhere on this site and decided to visit. I followed the city signs but still wasn't sure if I was heading in the right direction. I was hoping that the road to nowhere was leading me somewhere. Finally after several miles of winding road there it was as promised. It was spooky and dark, perfect for a family with teens. We walked through huddled together making spooky sounds. On the way back a tree fell blocking the road. So... we were stuck in the middle of nowhere. This all made for a natural adventure!

There is an interesting history to the road to nowhere. When Fontana Dam and the National Park were built the "road" was intended as a means for families to reach family gravesites. The government never completed the road hence the name. The road ends at a tunnel that you can now walk through. As is true in most cases there is a lot of graffiti in the tunnel, but due to the length most of it is in the dark. The road itself is long narrow and winding, not for the faint of heart. Personally I don't mind if a line forms behind me.

If you have never been here, you should go. Interesting history, beautiful views!! It is very quite and peaceful!

Very cool experience, very interesting. My kids liked it, thought it was cool and creepy lol. The graffiti is actually a great part of it.

The Road to Nowhere...
Tunnel to Nowhere.
It was a fun stop. This is a nice walk and it would be fun with children of all ages.
The tunnel has the possibility of some nice photo opportunities.
Enjoyable.

I saw this on brochures and decided to seek it out while in Bryson City. We were a little disappointed that there was not a plaque or sign on the site to explain the background of this tunnel to nowhere. Sad that there is so much graffiti.

Very pleasant drive from bryson city got to see some very nice scenery on the drive there.short walk to the tunnel,plus some nice trails.we did this before the shops opened as being non hikers it didn't take to long

Read the story and background. Enjoy the views. A lot of the graffiti is not for children's eyes. It's a nice walk, not strenuous.

Was expecting a bit more but was disappointed. Eerie to walk through a dark tunnel (bring a light). Watch out for horse droppings along the way. Walking trails are long and just so-so. If you've done everything else then give it a shot.

This trail didnt have to much to look at but the tunnel was really cool to see. We also didnt hike the whole 5 miles we only went a little ways but it was still a very cool trail

So, this road was supposed to be a way around or along Fontana Lake, but work was stopped in 1943 and the road was left unfinished. But it's really a great road, even among all the great roads in the area. This one is probably better for cars than most, since there are places a car could pass, but come on: all these roads in the Smokies are meant for motorcycles! This one is interesting in that you ride a few miles into the mountains, and then ... it just ends. Very odd, which is part of the attraction. Definitely worth a visit.

I first learned of this tunnel by looking for Bryson City attractions on Trip Advisor. When my husband and I rode the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad train, our tour guide gave us the details of the history. Too much to go into here, but we did decide to find it. I walked through the tunnel to the other side, it's only a quarter mile long. There wasn't a lot of parking available, but we did find a spot on the side of the road.

The tunnel was a neat thing to see. Very dark and you need a flashlight to avoid the horse poop but also good to see the graffiti on the walls. Some good artwork in places. The drive to the tunnel makes it Awesome. Also , I highly recommend taking the extra time to enjoy the 2 mile hike (Tunnel bypass trail) at the end of the tunnel. It is a very easy trail and beautiful. Narrow trail but not hard as I said and only takes about an hour. If you can walk a couple of miles you can do this. Not at all hard and takes you right back to the car. Also note: there is not much parking here we parked along the road but not much spots there either. Also, people come in very hot at the end of the road I guess they don't know it's the end but it is a little dangerous for people walking across the street or accessing the trail.

Easy drive from Bryson City. Pretty views with pull offs. The road literally leads to no where but a tunnel. There are trails but with it being so cold we didn’t walk to them. It’s neat to visit something we had not done before!

After hiking Deep Creek and lunch in Bryson City, we drove out a short distance to "The Road to Nowhere". My family with teenagers had a lot of questions about it, so be sure to read up on why the road was build and then stopped construction. The road and tunnel meant a lot more after hearing the facts. It was a pretty drive out and a nice short walk to and through the tunnel. I was sad to see all of the graffiti inside the tunnel and on pretty rock faces. Finally, there were hiking trails to take from the same parking lot, but we trucked on to the next destination.

If you visit Bryson City, then view the Tunnel to Nowhere, which has historical significance to the Fontana Dam Project.

We've visited Bryson City numberous times and had never heard of this place. We love to hike and would recommend others to visit. There are several trails and we enjoyed two of them. We'll be back.

Drawn by the name, and then through our preparation for a hike, the Road to Nowhere is an interesting artifact of the New Deal, that has become the starting point for a series of trails in this part of the Smoky Mountain National Park.

The road begins by following Everett Avenue out of Bryson City. About 8 miles later, the road ends about 200 meters from the tunnel. A large parking area is nearby. There are a number of excellent hikes, although we would rate these as moderate due to the elevation changes, narrowness of some of the trails, etc.

Highly recommended is to take the Goldmine Loop trail. With an elevation change of 700 feet (200+ meters) through the course of the 4 mile trail, you are rewarded with dense forest, nearby streams, and at the bottom of the trail, access to an inlet of Fontana Lake.

Two words of caution - the tunnel is nearly 400 feet (150 m) long - and very dark in the center, so be prepared. The other is that this trail has a number of places where water flows over the trail, and can be muddy in spots.

I found this place on trip adviser and thought it would be a cute place to take pics. It was! The drive was nice and we stopped to take pictures several times. The history behind it was also interesting. Good hiking and places for photo ops! Very beautiful

Very Pretty Drive and great views of the lake. We have been going to Bryson City for years and always include a drive to the "Tunnel To Nowhere" every year!

This is worth the visit, just be warned that it is little creepy, and really very sad to think that this road really goes no-where. Also very vandalized with graffiti but unless you have a good flashlight you can't see most of it.

Bring kids to this easy but cool hike right outside Bryson City. They’ll love the kind of spooky echoing tunnel you walk through at the beginning of the hike. Then continue as long as you wish on a trail thru some beautiful woods, even getting a peek at Fontana Lake. Easy to drive to from Bryson-take Everett Rd about 6 miles to the entrance of Great Smoky Mountains National Park to find a dead end, parking lot and the tunnel as beginning of the trailhead. Yes be prepared to see graffiti on the tunnel (sigh), but it’s fun anyway. We found two good walking sticks we used to venture further on the trail.

This was very unique, as was the history behind it. We spent about an hour here. It was very hot (July) and had a good bit of people here but was still worth it to us. We ignored the graffiti and walked to the other end. My husband scaled to the top as well.

The history behind this attraction is interesting to read about. The walk is not strenuous and the views are great.

You can learn the history of this place from the locals and the museum; a real story of how you can trust the government to do what they say (not!). Was prominently featured in an independent film (as was the rest of Bryson City and the area), I believe named "Alien Abduction." You can walk all the way through, but be sure to bring a very good flashlight! Very eerie and spooky, and the perfect setting for that film Just a few miles out of town, a pretty drive.

This is a two-tier experience. Read up on the Road to Nowhere before you go. We did. And it made the real drive and experience much more enjoyable. There are several roads and trails to take within The Smokys--but this was right up there in terms of enjoyable things to do. Go by a Ranger Station first and get a walking trail map.
The drive to get to the Nowhere Road and the Tunnel is relatively short, paved, and easy. There is a paved parking lot. The road is impassable at that point due to upright poles embedded in the asphalt. Short walk to the tunnel (which is in sight from the parking lot.) Then trails on the other side. The scenery is breathtaking. Civilization drops away. Be aware: you are hiking. In the woods. There might be wildlife. Dress for the outdoors.

We went on a beautiful autumn day. The drive up to the tunnel is serene and the road is well maintained. I would suggest wearing closed toe shoes (not mandatory) as it is wet and muddy inside. A flashlight would definitely be a plus. After we walked through the tunnel on the other side there is a nice trail if you are into hiking. There was bear scat beside the trail about a hundred yards from the structure, so there is definitely wildlife in the area despite the heavy foot traffic. The history and heartbreak to Swain County families are worth researching.

Not much to it but pleasant hiking trails. You can park within sight of the tunnel. Best part is being able to tell everyone you went "nowhere" on your vacation.

The drive to/from the tunnel is much more amazing than anything else. Trails are lackluster and covered in horse manure. Tunnel is covered in graffiti. Recommend driving up and back, but not much more. Cool, but unfortunate, story to the road/tunnel.

The tunnel is really cool. We enjoyed making noises for the echos. Make sure you bring a flashlight with you, It is really dark in there.
There is a great hike on the other side of the tunnel. It is a wide path that looked like horses have also used it. It was a peaceful quiet hike! I would totally recommend it!

We enjoyed the beautiful drive and then hike to Nowhere. There is a sad history to this road and tunnel. Worth checking out.

was pretty unimpressed until we heard someone at the other end of the tunnel speaking. It was like they were standing next to me even though we could see them at the other end, and they were speaking in a normal tone. It's the coolest science trick!!! This made the trip so much more interesting.

Stopped for 2 bears to cross the road on way to the tunnel. This added to our excitement as we hiked the Goldmine Loop trail on the other side of the Tunnel. Also, hiked the Nolan Trail (short one) to the Lake. Nice trails close to town.

We really enjoyed our hike on the trails around the tunnel. The northbound creek trail was absolutely gorgeous.

While in Bryson City we drove the Road to No Where and ended up at the tunnel. It was a wet drizzly day, but the hike through the tunnel kept us dry. Bring a flashlight in case there isn't much sun. We will further explore the trails the next time we are there.

I don't normally like going nowhere, but when there is a really cool story behind it I don't mind a bit. We were already in Bryson City so it made sense to go nowhere. Just follow the road and you can't get lost. In the Fall it would be pretty spectacular and unlike other places in the National Park this place is deserted and a great spot to get away from the crowds. There is a little parking lot at the barricaded road and a short walk will bring you to the tunnel, which is about 1/4 mile long, a lot longer than it looks. We walked in with no lights telling the odd scary story for good effect but used our phone lights on the return. The tunnel is full of graffiti, not for the faint hearted and may have you explaining a lot to the little ones. It is s shame it has not become a professional graffiti spot, but I guess the remoteness brings out the crazy people after dark. There are a few hiking trails in and around the tunnel if you have more time. Before you go make sure you look up the history of this road to give it some meaning. Many feel it is a road to broken promises. I'm just glad the promise became a tourist attraction.

It’s a must see on your trip to Bryson City! If you have time, take the trail just off the tunnel to the left, it drops you back by the parking lot, family friendly 1.5 miles

This is a very unusual park site as an unfinished tunnel. There is graffiti and horse manure, so watch out! surprisingly good cell phone coverage once through the time and backcounty trails after that.

Everybody shoul go there at least once in a lifetime.A story of our "geat government breaking a promise to the people of Western NC over an endangered animal.

The drive out there (6 or 7 miles) is beautiful, with a couple of over looks, one of which is positively stunning. Parking just outside the tunnel you proceed on foot through the tunnel, which is dark, dank and wet. You come out on the other side and then can hike back following one of two trails, we took the shorter one (about 2.2 miles) but you can opt for the longer loop which puts it over 4 miles. The trails are not strenuous, but can be wet from mountain run off crossing the stream. Allow about 20-30 minutes for each mile of trail under the slowest of conditions, you can do it quicker usually. The best part is actually the history and the story, a project to control flooding, a promise of a new road, environmentalists stopping the promise, and the tax payers shelling out $52 Million for a broken promise, and a Government obligation to operate a ferry service in lieu of a road. You can get all the details on line, a short and interesting story.

We learned about the Road to Nowhere on our train ride earlier in the day. Decided it was a short drive so we would check it out. The drive was pretty. We were able to find parking. The walk was easy and flat. A flashlight would be helpful even during the day. Once through the tunnel, the scenery was beautiful! We did not take any of the trail hikes on the other side, but was worth getting out of the car and stretching your legs.

You take the Road to Nowhere, which concludes at this tunnel. The road is blocked off.
Inside the tunnel, the walls are awash with graffitti.
What lies beyond the other end of the tunnel, however, are lovely trails.

We live in Bryson and go hiking there from time to time. Bring a flashlight or headlamp to avoid the horse patties. Just so much here to do it's an endless paradise. If your super adventurous and an experienced hiker you can hike to the Fontana Dam. It's a multiday trip. Along the way you can see the lost cemeteries that were cut off at the time Fontana Lake was created.

Few brave individuals from my family joined me on a night hike of this short stretch of tunnel and paved road. We were looking for the spooky/creepy hike to do as a group and this was more than perfect! The tunnel is decorated on the inside with graffiti and is literally pitch black with no lights. The store of this little town is an unfortunate one and the road ends shortly after the tunnel. Be sure to have plenty of flashlights, extra batteries for the flashlights, water, and bear spray/mace for safety’s sake. Additional safety items are also recommended…take that statement as you will. We were there around 9pm and there was NO ONE around, who knew what was to come up or who/what might be following us 👻 Sasquatch? Slender? Bears? Either way, the spookiness and darkness kept us scared in all the right ways 👀🌲🌚⛰🌌

Stayed in Bryson City for weekend and drove up to the park. The drive is nice with a couple of nice views of Fontana Lake. The tunnel is neat because it is not lit up. You walk to the other side and there are trails to enjoy. If you like outdoors and hiking this is easy access and close. Some reviews say it can get busy on weekends but we there early on a Saturday and only seen 6 people. The history of the tunnel is a neat story. It is part of National Park so it was well maintained.

Came here on a sunny afternoon with my 3 kids (5,3,baby) and it was a very unsuitable experience for their age range. All 3 kids were crying not even halfway through the tunnel- even the baby!! Let me tell you, it’s pitch black, MUCH longer than it appears, fully covered in creepy-vibe graffiti, and the echo will have you hearing sounds everywhere. The trails on the other side seem nice enough but mostly I was having to relax my kids about the fact that we would have to cross the tunnel on the way back. Argh.

Pro tip - bring gummy bears to help console your kids to cross the tunnel on the way back!

This was very interesting to see! Be sure you take a flashlight horses do go through the tunnel also . So watch your step! We also hiked one of the trails down to see Fontana Lake . Just remember hiking down to the lake, that to get back, you have to hike up! It was a moderate hike for us , but good exercise!

This is a beautiful drive and end at this tunnel on this tour of "Forgotten Promises" The tunnel itself is dark and a little scary without a flashlight. Beware we did see a bear trap there once...so one must have been frequenting the area.

We took the scenic drive to The Road to Nowhere on the last morning of our vacation. We heard about it from our host on the train ride the day before. It was a beautiful drive to the tunnel. About 10 or so parking spots near the tunnel. I believe the tunnel is 1,200 feet long. Very flat, easy to walk through the tunnel. A flashlight would be handy as it is very dark inside. All we had was the light from a cell phone. The graffiti painted on the inside of the tunnel didn't bother me. The paint colors were very vibrant. Google this history of the tunnel will make the trip more interesting before you go. There are several hiking trails there as well. We didn't explore those. It is a short trip from downtown Bryson City. Made a nice side trip from the main part of our vacation.

The drive there is exciting with lots of switchbacks and then once there, the hiking is great! You can even hike down to one of the fingers of Fontana Lake!

The Tunnel to Nowhere is minutes away from Bryson City. It has an interesting story but it isn't impressive in person. The tunnel itself is filled with graffiti. It is very long and you should use the light on your phone so you can watch where you are walking. There isn't much to see. We didn't do the trails around the area, we just went to see the tunnel.

Our horseback riding guide suggested we stop here after getting our whip from Darnell farms. She said we wouldnt be disappointed...

Well we took her up on the suggestion. We thought perhaps there'd be some signage about its history but there was zip, nada. We didn't have much time to spend here so perhaps our fault that we didn't do any hiking to really enjoy the area after the long drive to this nothingness. I'm sure I won't hear the end of this one. I did get some great shots on the way out. I'm assuming that may have been Lake Fontana below?

After leaving I did research on its history. Pretty sad. I find it odd so little info is available. All of it is sad, eerie and disappointing on so many levels.

Our five kids, ages 9-16, loved exploring around the Road to Nowhere. We had a nice drive up, and spent quite a bit of time walking around the tunnel and exploring a few paths nearby. I got a couple of recordings of our oldest two daughters singing in the tunnel, and that was really neat. It was very quiet and peaceful. The graffiti inside the tunnel was interesting, especially to those of us who are art-minded. You'll probably want a light-source, as it is kind of dark inside the tunnel, especially near the middle. (Our phone lights provided enough for the ones of us who wanted light, and some of us even walked through without them.)

Visited on a rainy day. Didn’t get to hike around the area as much as we would have liked to. Bring a flashlight 🔦 while walking in the tunnel.

I love history, and stuff like this interests me. The drive up to the tunnel is gorgeous and if you are trying to surprise someone by taking them to the tunnel, they would have no clue just by driving there. The tunnel itself is a pretty long tunnel and is clean for the most part. There is graffiti and stuff on the walls and no lights so I would take a flashlight or two. My wife and I really enjoyed it because it wasn't crowded, it was free, and it was just something that we could do without having someone have to guide us through. I would recommend it for anyone of any age!

This is a very interesting place to visit, not the best place if your physically challenged. This was Old Highway 288 that was used to connect folks in the 30's and 40's but with building of the Fontana lake and the TVA, the government bought the land and the communities were closed down. Very cool walk in the summer months.

A short ride from Bryson City and worth the time. You enter the Smoky Mountain National Park and then shortly the road ends at the tunnel. As you walk through the tunnel your voice echos. Fun even for old adults like us! Graffiti artists have been hard at work in the tunnel and some have some real talent. There are also several pull offs on the Road to Nowhere with some great photo ops.

Interesting history of government promises not fulfilled. (The internet can do better justice on the history than I can.) Locally known as "The Road to Nowhere" that ends with the tunnel. Beyond the tunnel are great hiking trails within the Great Smoky National Park.

Read about this on the web and decided to check it out. Nice drive there and back from Bryson city. The tunnel is exactly as described, the area around it is pretty. Saw a bear and turkeys on drive back.

This is a cool, albeit slightly creepy, place to visit while in the Bryson City area. It is literally a tunnel to nowhere, at the very end of the road through the National Forest. Don't rely on GPS to get you there. My son and I followed Waze, and it stopped at the middle point of the road in the forest. After turning around multiple times, we discovered that we had to go all the way through the forest to arrive. There is a good-sized parking area some yards away, with room to picnic, get snacks, and use the restroom.

The walk up to the tunnel could use some improvement, as it's obvious the tunnel and surrounding area are in the same state as when the state left off with construction. The tunnel is fairly easy to walk through, flat, with only a few rocks scattered here and there. The walls are completely covered in graffiti, though, which is disappointing. It's ridiculously dark in the center, so flashlights or guides are encouraged if that's not for you. The exit results in a walking trail that continues through the forest, although we did not explore that far.

As some have stated before, my only complaint was that there wasn't anything to provide further insight into the area's history. I had to piece together the story from multiple Google searches and links.

We hAd heard about the road to nowhere for some time. We planned a weekend in the mountains without realizing we would be right there. Once we discovered how close we were it was a no brained to check it out. Honestly wasn’t much to it, we parked in a lot at the end of the road then walked in. The tunnel entrance is steps away from the lot. Once you walk through the tunnel it’s only a matter of a few more feet before the asphalt ends and the trail begins. There is a story to the road which we read online but there is no mention of it from the parking area to the end of the road. So it’s entirely possible to accidentally see the site and not be aware you had.

This time it didn't seem as dark, but it was really cold with the wind blowing straight through the tunnel. Our kids enjoyed walking through for the second time a getting to show it to their cousins on their first visit.
The graffiti is a problem but I don't know how they could really prevent it. If your kids can read don't let them, hold the flashlight!

The Road to Nowhere leads you to the tunnel to nowhere. it's a pretty drive with great views. If you go to the end of the road, there's a parking lot. Then you walk to the tunnel. Bring a flashlight.

We had a great hike on this trail. The tunnel is very cool and reading the story about it before really helps put it in context. The hiking trails are not hard and so beautiful during the Fall. Highly recommend.

It's at the end of about a 7 mile stretch of road. Great views on the drive up, a very meandering and leisurely drive. It's quite desolate up there. It does get quite dark in the tunnel and it was very windy through there on the day we went. My husband and I were a little nervous about the fact that there were 3 other cars in the parking lot but no sign of life anywhere. We put on our brave faces and schlepped along through the mountains tunnel anyway. Really neat place, esp if you read up about it.

This was a cool place to visit and not too far off the beaten path. As we were driving on the road they have dubbed "road to nowhere" you don't get much warning that the road ends until you come up to the pillar blocks that are in the middle of the road and you see the tunnel. We parked and got out and walked through the tunnel. It is such a shame how much graffiti has been done in and out of the tunnel and how much horse poop you have to walk around. They should have signs up not allowing horses through the tunnel because of how much poop is in there

Tunnel is on "the road to nowhere" in mountains. A local event. Incredible waste of tax payer dollars. Not worth going out of your way to see unless in area already.

This was a beautiful drive to a cool spot. We saw a pileated woodpecker as we headed to the tunnel. There are also glimpses of the lake as you drive. The road through the tunnel is mostly smooth and the graffiti is interesting. Be sure to bring a flashlight so you can see it all.

There isn't much to the actual tunnel, basically the road ends shortly after the tunnel. Seems pretty strange. Not sure what the original intend was.

What makes going out there worth while is the hiking trail that starts just beyond the tunnel.

We heard about this road from the owner of the B and B. But, we didn't know about the great hikes at the top. They are DOWN to the lake and UP again but not difficult and they were lovely with spring wildflowers. We'd like to know more about the settlements that were there before the lake.

It's a beautiful and somewhat mysterious place. It's nestled amongst a beautiful wooded area. Good walk to tunnel. Walking trails are available for hikers or horse riders.

The history is sad but the end result is better. Bryson City finally got its 52 Million for a debt that was never paid. The drive is nice and the hike is great!

After spending the afternoon in Bryson City we drove the road to no where. Scenic ride to tunnel and make sure you have a flashlight because the tunnel is long and horses use it.

Yes it is just a tunnel at the end of a road. But it is something very intriguing to see. We have made many trips on trails to waterfalls and other point of interest and this one was something a little different. Great place if you do not wish to walk far or have to walk up inclines. Good idea to bring flashlight to avoid horse manure inside the tunnel and also keep young eyes from looking at the sometime vulgar graffiti. We just walked the other end of the tunnel (didn't walk trails at the end of tunnel) because we had other hikes planned after leaving here. Again something Cool to SEE.

PS try planning you visit in the morning we were there alone made the visit more enjoyable.

The road to go there is beautiful. The trails are nice. The tunnel by itself is covered in graffiti (not even artistic).
There is a parking lot near the tunnel with some trails so it is not a total loss of time. Feel sorry for the people who was living there before.

My daughter and I hiked through the tunnel and did a short trail hike. There are several longer trails as well. Be aware of your surroundings, though. Snakes and other critters are definitely along the trails. Additionally, there are a couple of pull-off spots on the drive up to the tunnel that provide beautiful overlooks of the mountains and valley.

My friends and I had a quiet afternoon in Bryson City and decided we wanted to go out to the wilderness for a bit. It wasn’t hard to get to and a short trip from the city (15 minutes). Very pretty drive to and from the Tunnel. We walked thru the tunnel, be careful for mud on the edges near both openings. Trails on the other side that we skipped. Very few people around while we were there.

We did this as our last hurray before leaving the city of Bryson and was totally happy that we did. Crossing the tunnel gave me an early feeling halfway through the tunnel because it was pitch black :-). The echo sound when you talk vibrates all though out the tunnel was awesome. Wonderful experience.

This was a road the park started back in when the park roads were just being build. For some reason it was abandoned. While it's a short drive, it has some great views of Lake Fontana. At the end is Tunnel that was completed but that is where the road just ends. The other side breaks into several trails. The tunnel itself is tunnel with a lot of inappropriate graffiti. Not sure why the park services has not repainted or closed the tunnel for that reason, So skip the tunnel but take the drive and stop at some of the pull offs and get some pics.

It was a drizzly morning. You have to park about 1/4 mile from the tunnel. It was a flat walk. Walking through the tunnel was a little breezy. On the other side there were hiking trails. We did not do those because we had my 82 yo mom with us. We definitely would like to come back on a nice fall day.

Just a short drive out of town. The road to nowhere has several hiking paths, but we just went up to walk through the tunnel and take pictures, although it would be a wonderful place to hike, we had too much on our schedule for the day. It took about four minutes to walk through the tunnel, and you can easily so some on a sunny day without additional light.

We visited the tunnel and it was so pretty! It's so nice just to go see the views and the tunnel. Make sure to bring a flash light for the tunnel and watch for horse poopies!

Just a senic trip to a dead end. It ends at the tunnel then you turn around and go back to Bryson City.

The ride to get here is pretty. The walk through the dark tunnel cut through a mountain is neat. Pretty, wooded setting.

Just had to do this to see what it's all about. It's a very nice drive that ends in a dead end at a tunnel. So you just drive there and drive back and enjoy the scenery!

Located inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Tunnel to Nowhere is a few hundred feet walk from the end of the Road to Nowhere. There is a small parking area with about a dozen parking spots. The tunnel itself is massive - very tall and very long. We took a flashlight, which was helpful for avoiding the horse droppings as we walked through the tunnel. There is a lot of graffiti on the tunnel - most of it is colorful art, though some is crude and rude. We walked about a half mile past the tunnel on well maintained trails through lush forest. Well worth an explore.

There was a tree that fell and is blocking the entrance but you can still access walking through it just didn't make it look as pretty. Wear bug spray, lots of little annoying bugs.

Just a tunnel that leads to several hiking trails. The history on it is interesting. Theyd have to re route some trails if the tunnel continues. Less concerned about the writing on the walls than the horse crap on ground.

The is a local favorite for hiking and horse riding (bring your own) as it is steeped in local history and culture (refer to Lake Fontana and the Fontana Dam TVA project).

This is an amazing example of government failure. But it's very majestic and worth seeing. We attended with a MINI Cooper group - we had a great time - it's a marvel of construction with no purpose.

This place was so quiet and peaceful, even the graffiti in the tunnel was entertaining. We had a great time walking the tunnel, then finding the gold mine loop trail, though we never saw a gold mine.

It really is a fun and a bit of a chilling experience to wander through the tunnel. The graffiti is a shame but in some ways it adds to the chilling part of it all.

A scenic six miles drive takes you through the forests to a tunnel. When you get to the other end, nothing but forest (and a sad story)..

Took my young son up here during our visit to Bryson City. It's a flat walk and for the most part the inside of the tunnel is dry. I definitely recommend bringing some good flashlights.

Overall an interesting little side trip, but be prepared to see some vulgarities in the graffiti.

Visited with our Grandsons 10&8, they had a great time hollering in the tunnel, nice, easy walk, with a good back story.

This is a easy walk. Beautiful scenery on the other side. The hike on the other side is 35 miles. Of course we didn’t go that far. Very interesting but a sad story.

We took the path down to the lake and saw bear paw prints in the mud! The path's total distance one way was three miles.

We walked through the tunnel and did the Goldmine Loop trail. The tunnel by itself is honestly not worth the drive out here to it. I mean it's kinda funny that the road just kinda ends but it's a good 30-45 minute drive from Bryson City to walk through less than a football field length of tunnel. If you are going to go out there get there either early or late for 2 reasons #1 there is very limited parking (maybe a dozen parking spots) #2 the tunnel has a total different vibe when you are in it alone vs with other groups. We arrived at the tunnel around 8 AM on a Thursday morning and there was one other car in the parking lot. Was very glad I brought two flashlights (just cheep dollar ones) because with the overcast day it was fairly dark in the tunnel and the floor is dirt so it can get a little muddy in places. The tunnel when you are alone is really very creepy. I'm not an easily spooked person but we got about half way through the tunnel and I thought to myself "this was a pretty stupid idea you wouldn't be able to see if someone was hiding in here, this is literally how horror movies start" spoiler alert no serial killers in the tunnel.

The Goldmine trail is a very nice little over 3 mile hike after you exit the tunnel. Doesn't matter which direction you take it's downhill at first. The trail goes through some nice woods and a long the banks of several small streams before you reach the lowest point at a cove of the lake (small side trail to the water's edge). The trail is in a back corner of the park so there was some scrambling over/under fallen trees but nothing too difficult. Trail also got muddy in parts so I would suggest a change of shoes for when you return to your car. Trail back up to the tunnel is steep in area so be prepared with enough water for your group.

We only past one other hiker while out on the trails until we got back up to the paved end of the road near the tunnel. By this time 10:30ish there were 15 or so groups of people hanging out and walking through the tunnel plus the sun had come out so there was nothing creepy about walking back through to the car. Parking area was completely full by this point. Overall it was a fun hike and the tunnel made the hike something a little unique

I love sharing this magical place with newcomers to the area and they love it too! The drive up to the tunnel is beautiful with some great views of Fontana Lake. The walk through the tunnel is eerie but there's a side trail for anyone who doesn't want to walk through the tunnel.

Interesting place to visit if you have some time. The tunnel is not much to see, but there are beautiful forests right round it, so plan to do some hiking.

This is a great spot to go for a unique experience while visiting Bryson City, NC. We only wanted a short hike and therefore we walked through the tunnel. We did see a black bear in the forest once through the tunnel. It was a great treat.

Multiple trails to choose from for all levels of hikers. Gold mine loop is excellent but you need to be prepared for some hills. You also get a view of lake Fontana. Lake view trail is great as well and you can go for miles on this trail if you want. Good condition of trails and well marked but you should still get a map.

Nice trail that goes past the tunnel. It was canopied by the trees and gave great fall colors. Our friend was able to take her scooter into the woods and see the colors. Very quiet and nice people on the trail.

Should have a sign the says “road to knowwhere” or a plaque that explains why it ended at the tunnel, gravel would have been nice or a walkway?? Anyway can scratch that one off

Beautiful drive to the tunnel. We wish they would finish this scenic drive! It is so sad that vandals write graffiti all on the interior if the tunnel, other than that scar, the scenery is worth your time.

It is a tunnel! Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway between Cherokee and Asheville and you will experience many tunnels with awesome views in between. The "Road to Nowhere" has some interesting history and it has some nice views, but for those of those who know the history we see glimpses of a man-made lake that is symbolic of our disregard for nature, the freedom of the rivers, and the heritage (towns and graveyards) which lurk below that lake.

The tunnel is also a gateway to a "figure 8" trail (a loop atop of a loop) which can all be done easily in a day. The trails are okay, but if you are a real nature enthusiast as I am, you may feel that much of the hiking experience has been compromised by "the hand of man." It is an "okay" hike, but there are much better and more "natural" (IMO) hikes to be found at Joyce Kilmer, Slickrock Wilderness, Nantahala Forest, and GSMNP.

There is a lot of interesting history associated with this tunnel, so you'll want to read up on it prior to your visit. The drive to the tunnel is winding and beautiful. Horses are allowed through the tunnel, so be sure and bring some light or you might step into something. The other side of the tunnel leads to an abundance of trails, varying levels of difficulty. This is in the national park, so it's free, and a great time for all.

My son wanted to show us something curious. Not only is this the Tunnel To Nowhere, it is also The Road To Nowhere. Part of the road is blocked off to vehicle traffic, so you have to park in a small area and leave your car to traverse the area on foot. The tunnel is dark, so bring a flashlight if you are nervous of dark places and/or want to read all the graffiti on the walls of the tunnel. Once, my cell phone picked up an image not seen with the naked eye. After walking through the tunnel, you could keep walking down the road until it ends into nowhere, or should I just say it ends at the Tennessee border of woods. And then you would traipse back to your car. On the drive back, there are a few scenic overpasses worth a quick stop to view the scenery. I have taken a few beautiful pictures there. It is also worth reading the history of this tunnel.

The Road to Nowhere is worth the drive (15 minutes) from Bryson City. Park at the tunnel and there are three nice hiking paths ranging from 1 ½ miles to 33 ½ miles. Just before you get to the tunnel parking area two other hiking trails are available ranging from 1 mile to 4 ½ miles. One of the trails is part of the Benton McKay Trail system. Worth the stop.

The “Road to Nowhere” is about 8 miles from Deep Creek (the three-for-one waterfall hike) or about 8 miles from the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad train depot in Bryson City, NC. The walk to the tunnel from the parking lot is short, but the parking lot fills up fast. Be sure to bring your flashlight and a scary story to tell as you walk through the dark tunnel. This is a great way to get your kids in line before getting on the train or for the ride back to your hotel/cabin. Be sure to look up the history as to why the tunnel goes nowhere, but also beware of Spearfinger. Spearfinger is an old witch that lives in the Smokys that lures children (think of the old witch in Hansel and Gretel). She’s usually seen off the Norton Creek Trail, which is considered the most haunted trail in North Carolina. The drive to the tunnel is similar to Newfound Gap Road or the drive to Cades Cove with some very beautiful overlooks. Remember that the woods get dark fast so unless you want to be in a spooky cemetery at night, plan accordingly.

What an amazing ride up to see the tunnel, the views of the area are not to be missed.

Read the history of this and see how the government never fulfilled their promise to the citizens of the county.

Sadly once you get to the tunnel it is covered in graffiti, it seems people feel they are more important than others and find it amusing to spray paint foul words on the road and tunnels itself. It's sad when my 9-year-old asks me what is a word is because it's spray painted on the ground.

Twisty Drive up the mountain --Can stop for some picture views-- fun ending--can be a bit muddy -- and bring a flashlight.

The Road and tunnel to nowhere is interesting if you like strange stuff. From the parking lot at the end of the road you walk to the tunnel. It's dark and you are adviced to bring a flashlight. I didn't but walk through anyway, and I survided 😁. At the other end you can take s walk in the woods before returning. But look out for horses and riders.

DO NOT GO INSIDE THIS TUNNEL! The view outside is beautiful BUT there are RATTLESNAKES inside. My family lives in Bryson City and they know!!!!

Interesting story about how this came to be. Just be careful of the horse doo! Now used as a pass thru, esp with horseback riders.

This tunnel is at the end of this road and you can walk through but not drive. NC built its share of the road going through the Great Smoky Mountains but Tennessee backed out leaving a road to nowhere.

There is quite a story about this tunnel to nowhere. And it is a sad story of promises broken. If you choose to walk the tunnel, take a flashlight with you to light your way. Horses use the tunnel, and they leave droppings. And you never know what may be laying around on the floor. After you get past the ends of the tunnel, it gets very dark.

Great drive just out of Bryson City , only about 8 miles to tunnel. Beautiful scenery , views of Fontana lake and numerous trails to hike . Park and a short walk to and then through the tunnel , then there are more trails there too .

This tunnel would make a great movie set! It's pretty dark in the middle, so you might want a flashlight or the light on your phone. There are hiking trails on the other side, but we didn't have time to explore them. There wasn't much traffic on the road, and we saw a bear cub on the drive back out! Nice lake views at the overlook.

Went to see this "road to nowhere" Tunnel is about a 1/4 mile long and you can hike on the trail beyond. Road offers some nice views of the mountains.

If you have the time, this is an interesting side trip with quite a bit of local history. It is a bit of a trip but, on a nice day, worth the ride. We went out as a family of 8 adults on a rather cold day in the late afternoon and acquired several "odd" pictures. Not suer if this is supposed to be a site for paramormal activity or not but our photos do suggest that possibility.

Enjoy the ride to and from the tunnel. There is a nice hiking once you walk through the tunnel. It can be a little corny but it is a must see if in Bryson City.

This was a pretty big waste of a 20 minute drive. The road in was not scenic, save for one lookout with a pretty cool view, and was littered with potholes and lined with trees. The most off putting of this excursion was actually getting to the tunnel. Upon arrival it was clear we had made a mistake. The parking lot was full of trash, the grounds and concrete were littered with graffiti (some of the suggestive nature), there were what appeared to be abandoned cars in the parking lot, complete with two sketchy dudes on motorcycles, one of who got on his bike and tore down the road, through the bars meant to keep vehicles out and down to the tunnel entrance and proceeded to harass a woman and cat calling her. After that we decided this was not the place to be and promptly returned to the car and hit the road. We did stop and get pictures at the overlook on the road, next to a dude in a truck who lit a lefty and blared some abrasive rap music and tore off down the road to the tunnel. Needless to say, we won’t be going back and advise no one else to for safety and time wasting reasons.

Was a very pretty drive up the Tunnel/road To Nowhere. Tunnel was fun. We took a flashlight on other review recommendations, but if you have young children or are easily offended, don't use the flashlight. Very interesting art work on the wall of the tunnel.

This was really fun to walk through. The acoustics make it fun although watch for horse manure on the floor, it is hard to see the ground as you are walking through even on a bright sunny day. Definitely worth it and the trails beyond it are amazing. Very unique for sure.

The trip was an easy drive into the Great Smokey Mounty National Park. The walk from parking area was easy and the walk through the tunnel was smooth and even.

Been wanting to see since I first read about it. Finally got the chance. It was a nice drive fro Bryson City. The walk is mostly easy except part of is slightly uphill and not the easiest for someone that has mobility issues. Path is rough for someone in a wheelchair. Was cool to walk through the tunnel but wish we’d had a flashlight to help light the path. Didn’t like that it was littered with spray paint cans that the graffiti “artists” just drop when they are empty.

Beautiful Ride To Get There. There are plenty of Signs in town to find this location. Very Interesting (Seen a Cub On Our Way), Take a Flashlight, Short Walk From Parking Lot

Nice ride and views, however, the road had a few pot holes. Flashlights are a must or u may step in mud puddles or horse poop. Very heartbreaking to see and know that this was a broken promise to people who had to give up their homes for the construction of the dam.

This was great! Just outside of Bryson City there is a road to nowhere that was developed then abandoned. Near the end of the paved road, there is a deceptively long tunnel and on the other side, the road goes no further. Now, we only walked through the tunnel and could see the paved road continued around a corner but did not follow it to find out where exactly it stopped but other people continued on that journey. There is also a path over the tunnel if you don't like tunnels.

The tunnel has great acoustics and you won't be able to help yourself from singing or yelling inside the tunnel! It is a fun place to explore!

This tunnel is quite spooky, as you walk along you hear your footsteps echoing off the walls and it seems that you will never reach the light at the end. Then, you have to turn around and do it again! But we didn't experience any ghostly adventures

The road ends here at the tunnel. If you don’t want to walk thru the tunnel there is an alternative path that will bypass the tunnel. We went in thru the tunnel and exited via the bypass. This is a moderate hike. The tunnel itself is full of graffiti which is a shame. The trail actual goes in a loop around by the lake and campsite 67. It was probably around 4 miles or so. We did walk back to the campsite just to check it out. Saw lots of turkeys on the way.

We did the drive up lake view drive on an overcast day. The drive through the park is beautiful with some great turnouts for taking panoramic pictures of Lake Fontana and the Mountains. The parking lot was mostly empty at mid-morning for us. There was a horse back tour starting but otherwise we had the tunnel to ourselves. We used our phone flashlights to highlight the ground (avoid the horse droppings). We walked for a while along the trail before returning back through the tunnel. Note: dogs are not allowed here. This is a short walk and worth the drive. It would be nice if the history was posted on an interpretive sign for visitors, I had the brochure with us to read.

This was an awesome find. There was not a lot of people here, the wildlife is abundant on the drive up. It is really neat that this road actually goes nowhere, they built it for 5 miles or so and it just stops. The tunnel is very dark, so bring a light, I used my phone. When you reach the other side of the tunnel, you hear absolutely nothing, it is the most peaceful and beautiful thing. Unfortunately, there is a lot of graffiti in the tunnel, but I did not pay it any mind, I just find it sad people trash such beautiful things. I would love to go back and if in the area I will. It is a must see especially for photographers, you can get some amazing shots here.

This is an easy drive and worth it. The tunnel makes for some great photo ops. There are some hiking trails on the other side of the tunnel, but they are not great.

It is really sad that people feel the need to vandalize things. Graffiti all the way down the tunnel. Make sure you take a flashlight with you, as the daylight doesn’t reach & there are a few muddy spots. Your phone is “ok”. We didn’t encounter any horse “droppings”. Other than that? This is pretty cool place..

We had been here before but not all of my children remembered it, so it was time for a visit. The parking lot was full when we got there so we parked in front of the barrier knowing we would only be there for a short time. Nice easy walk. The kids enjoyed looking at all of the graffiti in the tunnel. Some were nicely done while other were what you would expect from teenagers with spray paint. Overall we had a nice time on our visit.

hey, everyone has their own views. The drive up here was very scenic, portions of the drive back to Bryson City had some pot-holes, beware. The tunnel was very dark, I had seen a lot of people using their phones as a "flashlight", which really was to make sure you were not stepping in horse droppings, yet I seen people reading the graffitee on the walls, some are not suitable to young children.

The hike at the other end of the tunnel was great to do, I only went about 1/2 a mile and turned back. Captured some great photos here.

Most of all, don't go here when its dark...then yes, this place will be very-very scary and creepy!

The tunnel is an oddity and might be worth a quick visit. We visited after dinner and the area is very, very quiet. We did not walk through the tunnel. We especially enjoyed the beautiful view of the mountains from one of the pull offs on the way to the tunnel.

Easy to find, a great piece of history and a variety of trails to hike in the area. It is a sad tale, but a great piece of history and worth a visit!

Had a nice drive and enjoyed ourselves....nothing to see but history...interesting and of course a nice part of the Appalachian Trail....wish we where younger to hike the area

We decided to travel this road during our stay in Bryson City. Very interesting story behind this Road To Nowhere. Beautiful drive into the National Park, hiking trails along the route. At the end of the road is an eerie tunnel. I went inside the tunnel and there was complete silence except for the echo of water dripping. It was getting to be dusk so my husband and I turned around and headed out of the park. So worth the drive!

If you use any of the trail apps you know easy is a relative term. This is easy for an over weight 65 year old. It is a great way to walk off a large meal.

You should research the history of the attraction before you go. It is worth seeing and a beautiful location. Cool pictures can be made here.

The boondogle is interesting as a great road leads to this tunnel and then stops. A walk thru the tunnel is a walk through graffiti covered walls. Interesting, but in my opinion, not worth the drive.

Lots of fun you can walk through the tunnel too and it literally goes no where lmao as it says in the name but still very fun to walk through the tunnel

This was a short drive from Bryson City. At first I thought about not going but glad We did. It was weird and sad all at the same time. The drive up to it had a pretty overlook of Lake Fontana. The tunnel itself was graffiti but again it’s a tunnel to nowhere so what more do you want. On the other side of the tunnel seemed like a movie set where it’s a forgotten place where trees are down & the road eventually goes away.

We enjoyed this little bit of history and walking throw the tunnel had an eerie feel to it even on the beautiful day we walked through it

There isn't much to see, but it is unique and worth the drive. It's a shame that so much graffiti covers the tunnel walls. If you're up for it, you can hike to the lake after going through the tunnel, about 2 miles.

This amounts to an unfinished road in The Smoky Mountains. The story behind it is quite interesting but it is a bit of a drive out of town and the tunnel is very dark in the middle so you can't see much unless you bring along a flashlight, which I recommend so you can avoid stepping in the horse manure on the ground. There are some pretty scenic overlooks on the way to the tunnel but the tunnel itself is just a tunnel with lots of graffitti on the walls.

While this is a nice quiet drive through the woods there are a zillion nice drives in these mountains with a purpose. We wasted our time so I am reviewing this so you won't waste yours. Your welcome!

Just a tunnel to nowhere, like it says, not much to see, but a shame what the US Government did to these people

The walk an the view,not crowded ,you can see old cemetery from the road.Thier is history thier.Is very peaceful place an amazing.

We had a great hike last fall through this long dark tunnel at the end of a road above Bryson City. Beyond the tunnel are some wonderful trails around and above Lake Fontana. I had a great time and the tunnel was creepy/cool.

Short drive, short walk to tunnel. Been to Bryson many times and finally got around to checking this out. This can be just a very brief visit to the tunnel or a long hiking adventure. We went on the 4th to just see the tunnel. About an hour trip or less. Parking lot was full. We were the only ones just seeing the tunnel. Everyone else was hiking further to points beyond. Other places to hike off the main road going up. Thin film of mud covers the floor of the tunnel. Not an issue if wearing hiking foot gear. We worn the same street shoes that we drove in though and also was not an issue since we had a light to easily avoid the thicker mud spots.

the tunnel is part of history which is why it is so great. me and my husband went up there and walked through the tunnel and it is sad to see how people treat history these days but it was amazing. give a good holler when you get to the middle just to hear the echo. take a sweater or jacket just in case because its like 10 degrees colder in the tunnel also if you have problems breathing I would recommend an inhaler the air is so thin up there youll be gasping for air.

My son James Hand, his wife and I went up at night. I walked up to the tunnel in total blackness, no car headlights, etc. The photo you see was taken as James had his camera on a tripod and I used a hand light to illuminate the exterior, then walking forward I entered the tunnel while shining the light overhead in an arc. Then James told me to stop for a minute, and I did while still arcing the light overhead. The pause as I stood in place 'locked' me into the shot, and it also makes it look like I am still walking and my light is shining ahead. I then went the rest of the way, still arcing.

If you're in the area and have the time, this is an interesting place to visit. After hearing about it and researching it, we decided to make the short drive over, (from Sapphire Valley), if for nothing else, just to say we've been there. We walked through the long tunnel and viewed the 'graffiti' on the walls. I'm not usually 'a fan' of graffiti, but this was more like an art exhibit. Some were quite interesting. While my wife sat for a rest I continued on to the end of the road which is probably about a half mile past the tunnel. It was interesting to see how the work just suddenly stopped with the notches cut for the rails, but no rails. .... (Leave it to the government!)

Beautiful drive and very interesting history. Story of government waste, though. It's a shame but not shocking.

Nice drive to the tunnel. About 1 mile round trip of walking from parking atea. Good for young kids n dogs..no dogs allowed on trials per smoky mountain parks...but horses yes..cool reading about history of tunnel on internet .. disappointed that there was no official sign referenceing the history of the tunnel

This road travels for several miles to the tunnel through the mountain. Just prior to the tunnel the road is blocked to vehicular traffic and a parking area allows a place to leave the vehicles. The roadway is still paved to make for easier walking and many enjoy the adjoining trails for hiking. Looking into the history of the road gives insight into the Road to Nowhere. Flashlights could very well be useful in walking through the tunnel.
The parking lot is approximately 9 miles from the Smoky Mountain Railroad via the Fontana Road/Lakeview Drive with Lakeview drive being in the National Park. Along the way are a few places to pull off and enjoy the view from overlooks.
We completed our view of the tunnel in just under an hour but hiking can certainly stretch that time out. Also, there are facilities at the tunnel.

The drive here is beautiful, even on an overcast day. I am so glad we opted to check it out. Some very nice photo ops. We didn’t get there until 4:30 or we probably would have gone on one of the smaller hikes.

It’s sad to think that all of those people were displaced from their family land and the federal government fell to uphold a promise. Sad 😞

If you've never seen it, it a creepy walk through a tunnel that should never have been built. Huge waste of money. But they didn't know it would turn out this way. Read the back story before you go (and don't ask a local - you never know what kind of story you'll get).

Well worth the time to take a 20 minute ride from Bryson to see this. The walk is easy enough for people of all kinds of abilities. (And it’s all free). There’s also a nice view of Fontana Lake from one of the overlooks en route. It’s an easy way to visit a very unique place.

The vandalism (graffiti on the walls) will not distract you too much from the experience. But, sheesh, people!

Our family enjoyed the quiet walk. The tunnel is a lot longer than you’d expect, but still nice. We had a hard time finding it, as our GPS sent us to the wrong location, but once we found it, it was nice.

Dubbed "The Road To Nowhere" due to the decision to not build a road through the park giving access to family cemeteries. Since 1946 this controversial topic is still a hot button with many. The road stops here at the opposite end of the tunnel. Walk through the eery tunnel and pretend you're walking through time and coming out the other end in the year 1946. There's nothing on the other side to tell you otherwise!

This is literally a tunnel that is on a dead-end road. It is fun to walk through and look at all of the graffiti- some of it is quite good art talent. Like others have mentioned, be sure to take flashlights to look in as you walk through. This isn't really exciting, but something fun to do as just a small time filler in your day. I'm glad we went, but probably won't go back- but fun to do once!

We enjoyed seeing it! It is kind of creepy walking through the tunnel but amazing at the same time. Walk through to other side and surprise, dirt trail.

Walked through with my fiance, and actually ended up hiking for about two hours! The graffiti was... interesting. Nice place to stretch your legs.

This was a great little adventure to take with our children. Bring a flashlight if you can! We had fun walking through the tunnel and exploring the trails!

The road provided great views of the park and leaf colors. Very limited parking. Tunnel was depressing. Obviously a hang out for locals at night. Graffiti, etc. Trails were narrow and slippery due to fallen leaves. Confusing trail signage.

This was an interesting spot to visit. You drive down a 6 mile road to nowhere with nothing on it. Be careful though. There are huge potholes. The tunnel was dark, muddy, and a little spooky. Would not want to be caught there at nighttime. Perfect location for a horror film. Many of the reviewers mention the graffiti and how is ruins the experience. I thought it added character to the tunnel. It was entertaining reading and observing all the creative and not so creative artwork.

We drove the Road to Nowhere yesterday afternoon. A word about find the route. Google maps took us to another Lakeview drive and someone’s driveway as we did not drive into downtown Bryson City. We used the romantic Asheville site and got correct directions. The route is very scenic with a couple of stops. This is probably spectacular in the fall. Being late in the day there were only a couple other people on the route. We walked through the tunnel which as others stated is full of graffiti and unfortunately lots of spray paint cans they leave behind. We didn’t hike any of the trails but did walk up the hill to the top of the tunnel. Which looks like that area is everyone’s bathroom. Very sad to see poo and toilet paper all over up there. There are no restrooms at this place so it’s a good idea to use facilities in Bryson City before making the drive. It was still an interesting experience and we did see a few wild turkeys along the way. We completed the day with dinner at Pasqualinos in Bryson City. Great authentic Italian food.

Apparently, those who have given this place a negative or mediocre review and supposedly "read up on it," did not read everything or not adventurous.

The Road To Nowhere, a name given by locals, have been promised a completion of the road by the States of Tennessee, North Carolina and the National Parks Commission. When Tennessee begins construction, North Carolina and the National Parks will complete the rest.

However, this road is an extension of Lakeside Drive in Bryson City, NC and travels through the Smoky Mountains and abruptly ends at the other side of the tunnel. The tunnel offers a brisk walk for several hundred yards.

Before the tunnel entrance and at the other side are multiple hiking, backpacking and horseback trails that are there to explore. These trails are the main attraction, not a tunnel. Each trail is marked and are easy to difficult. A trail map from the park's offices and other places around the region will show the options and level of difficulty.

If you're visiting during the day, flashlights are not necessarily needed for the walk through the tunnel. Yes, like many other places in the US, graffiti is visible on the walls. Okay, walk with horse blinders if that's an issue. But, each will miss the scenic trails loaded with many plant and tree species, wildlife, springs and amazing views on each end of the tunnel.

The story behind this is sad for sure, but the tunnel was cool to see. Though the graffiti on the inside was unsightly. We didn't go all the way through - too cold - next trip! I understand there are many nice hiking trails on the other side.