The origin of the Little Tennessee River can be traced to the north side of the Blue Ridge Divide near Rabun Gap in northeast Georgia. From this point it winds northward through Franklin, NC some 25 miles away. This section of the river is poorly suited for hovercraft operation as it is quite narrow and often blocked by fallen trees. Just downstream (north) of Franklin, Porters Ferry Dam impounds the river to form Lake Emory, which is only a few miles in length.

Below Lake Emory the Little Tennessee flows toward the northwest and opens to a width 50' or so. The 28 mile stretch from here to Fontana Lake could facilitate essentially any type of hovercraft, while offering several intermittent fast moving sections to make the trip interesting. Grazing cattle, old farmhouses and one lane truss bridges combined with a backdrop of 5000' and 6000' mountains and relatively easy navigation, make this a great camera run.

The head water of the Tuckaseegee River flows from Thorpe Reservoir just north of Cashiers, North Carolina. The water released from Thorpe Dam is contained in a tunnel where it is routed northward for several miles to the Tuckaseegee powerhouse. A few miles further downstream (north) the waters from Lake Cedar Cliff merge into the river at the town of Tuckaseegee, NC. Here, you are at an elevation of 2140' above sea level and 50 river miles upstream of TVA's Fontana Lake. The river's depth and width between Tuckaseegee and Dillsboro, NC could support hovercraft operation, however, ingress and egress options are few to none.

At river mile 31.5 (distance upstream from Fontana Lake) is the small town of Dillsboro, NC. A low head dam just upstream of the US Hwy 441 bridge effectively blocks hovercraft passage here. The town of Dillsboro is a quaint village with numerous shops and restaurants and a small public launching ramp. It would serve as an excellent point to start, stop or reverse a hovercraft cruise. The river elevation below the Dillsboro Dam has is 1975' which is still over 250' above Fontana Lake.

Moving downstream from Dillsboro, the Tuckaseegee offers an excellent mix of mild to moderate white water. While the river does see a moderate amount of summer use by rafters, it is wide enough to provide a safe mix with hovercraft. While all sections appear suitable for essentially any hovercraft, some will require a pause for route planning. Most rafters pull out at Barkers Creek in Wilmot, NC, after the 5 mile run down from Dillsboro.

Travelling on downstream from Wilmot the river runs just south of Hwy 74 and then turns north, passes under the highway and through the town of Whittier. Just downstream of Whittier a set of rapids pose an interesting challenge at river mile 19. The approximate coordinates of these rapids are shown below and they are confirmed to represent a substantial threat at river flow rates of less than 1300 CFS (link to relevant gauging station shown below).

Just below this section of white water one could take a right turn onto the Oconaluftee River. A short run (less than 1 mile) up this route will take you to the back side of a +30' hydroelectric dam. Moving on down the Tuckaseegee River the next sizable town is Bryson City, NC, which runs from river miles 13 to 12. Here the elevation is 1720, which is only a little over 10' above the normal pool elevation for Fontana Lake.

A few miles further downstream and the river will flatten and widen into Fontana. Finally the Little Tennessee River will appear on your left, signifying river mile #0.

The Nantahala River originates in North Carolina near the Appalachian Trail at Standing Indian Mountain, only a few miles north of the Georgia state line. From here it flows northwest to Nantahala Lake which is small high elevation lake located deep in the Nantahala Mountains.

Between Nantahala Dam and Beechertown, NC (you will need a good map to find Beechertown) the river turns north and then drops into the Nantahala Gorge. One can follow the river bed on US Hwy 19, however, there is minimal flow as the discharge from the dam is contained in a tunnel high above. Near Beechertown, large penstocks deliver the flow of the river down the steep wall of Nantahala Gorge to a hydroelectric generating facility over 300' below.

This is a beautiful section of a rugged river which drops over 300' over a run some 15 miles. A +20' waterfall at Wesser, NC effectively blocks hovercraft operation from Fontana Lake, but does facilitate passage to the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Wesser. This offers an interesting sightseeing opportunity as kayaks and rafters negotiate several white water sections before the pull-out point just upstream of the falls. Wesser also offers a restaurant at the river's edge.

TVA's Fontana Dam impounds the Nantahala, Little Tennessee and Tuckaseegee Rivers. The resultant Fontana Lake extends about 25 miles in an east/west direction at an elevation of 1710'. Most of the north shore is within the bounds of The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. All of the remaining lake area is within the Nantahala National Forrest.

Commercial development on Fontana is minimal, however, there are a few marinas (with fuel) and camping facilities. A tour of the Fontana Dam and powerhouse is quite worthwhile, however, the trip by hovercraft from the lake's head water is over 20 miles each way. Unless you just want to log the hours, a side trip via car might be the best option.

Tent camping is available on Fontana at Tsali Park. It should be noted, however, that shoreline camping is not permitted and the gravel boat ramp is poorly suited for hovercraft.

A far more attractive option for accommodations is rental cabins at the Almond Boat & RV Park. Single bedroom cabins currently go for $85 per night or 2 bedroom are available for $105. It should be noted that either option includes a minimum stay of 2 nights (longer for holidays). Additional information on this facility is available at www.almondboatpark.com or by calling the proprietor Jim Mathis at 828-488-6423.

This facility has a total of 9 cabins (6 one-bedroom and 3 two-bedroom) and are 100% booked between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Weekends prior to Memorial Day or after Labor Day are said to be readily available and would therefore, be the logical time to schedule an event. While we may occupy much of this facility, it is likely that we will not be the only guests here. Reasonable respect will need to be exercised in the form of sound control and operation near others. Lets make this our first of many successful outings at this location.

Numerous additional options for overnight accommodations exist in Bryson City, approximately 10 miles to the east. Many of these are listed on the Swain County NC website.

Its hard to imagine any activity more fun than hovering, but the Smoky Mountains are loaded with options. Here is a short list of ideas in the event individuals wish to join the group but not participate in the cruise(s).

Walk part of the Appalachian Trail (it crosses Fontana Dam)

Tour TVA's Fontana Dam (this is the tallest dam east of the Mississippi).

Go white water rafting on the Nantahala River only minutes from Almond, NC.

Visit Cherokee, NC

Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway to the highest point in TN (Clingsman Dome at 6643')

Tour the Biltmore House in Ashville, NC
Note that this is about a 90 minute drive.

Detail Area Map

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