Bee Cove Trail & Old Fontana Forest Road
8.6 mi · ▲ 2,004 ft · 3 hr 52 min
Bee Cove Trail & Old Fontana Forest Road is an 8.6-mile out-and-back near Fontana Village, NC. It climbs 2,004 ft, with sections as steep as 26% grade, and is mostly gravel. It scores 40/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Bee Cove Trail & Old Fontana Forest Road
8.6 mi · ▲ 2,004 ft · 3 hr 52 min
Elevation 1,314–2,775 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 35.45225, -83.80175
Weather Sep 5: Fog, high 92°F / low 71° · precip 16% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 7:11 AM · sunset 7:59 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Fontana Campground Road, heading W.
- 0.7 miBear right, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Lewellyn Cove Nature Trail, heading W.
- 0.6 miSharp left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto Old Fontana Forest Road, heading NW.
- 0.6 miBear right onto Bee Cove Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Old Fontana Forest Road, heading SW.
- 1.9 miReach Bee Cove Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.9 miTurn right onto Bee Cove Trail, heading E.
- 50 ftBear left onto Old Fontana Forest Road, heading E.
- 0.6 miSharp left, heading N.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading W.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Lewellyn Cove Nature Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Fontana Campground Road, heading N.
- 0.8 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading NE.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.1 mi in (~80 min). Leave by 6:19 PM for the 7:59 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:05 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Fontana Campground Road 1.9 mi · ▲ 698 ft
- Fontana Campground Road 2.1 mi · ▲ 725 ft
- Lewellyn Cove Nature Trail 2.2 mi · ▲ 815 ft
- Lewellyn Cove Nature Trail 2.2 mi · ▲ 815 ft
- Lewellyn Cove Nature Trail 2.3 mi · ▲ 845 ft
- Lewellyn Cove Nature Trail 2.3 mi · ▲ 845 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Fontana Village, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Fontana Village, North Carolina