Nantahala National Forest
Managed by United States Forest Service
18 acres0.4 mi of trail
Benton MacKaye TrailWhiting Rail Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Harrison Keely · CC BY 4.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Fontana Dam
Few parks or trails are on the map in Fontana Dam
5% of Fontana Dam’s land is conserved, about 18 acres. 7.2 miles of mapped trail cross Fontana Dam, 11.5 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
5%
18 acres · of 0.6 sq mi of land
Trails
7.2 mi
11.5 per sq mi of land
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Nantahala National Forest, with 0.4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
18 conserved acres
5% of Fontana Dam’s land. Who manages Fontana Dam’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Forest Service18 ac
National Forest · 18 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nantahala National Forest National Forest | U.S. Forest Service | 18 | Open |
Things to do
2 places to go in Fontana Dam
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Fontana Dam
2 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Trails & water
10 named trails
Named trails
Open to bikes · 6.1 miHorses · 4.2 miUnpaved · 3.6 mi
Benton MacKaye Trail1.4 mi
Squatter Trail1.0 mi
Turkey Chute1.0 mi
Hoor Hollow Trail0.8 mi
Whiting Rail Trail0.8 mi
Fontana Loop Trail0.4 mi
Lookout Rock Trail0.4 mi
Goldbranch Court0.3 mi
Fairhaven Court0.1 mi
Shuckstack Court0.1 mi
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
2Tennis
2Pickleball
1Beach volleyball
1Baseball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
Fontana Hydroelectric ProjectDistrict · listed 2017
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Fontana Dam: April, May, July and August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.0 | 10.9 | 11.9 | 13.0 | 14.0 | 14.5 | 14.3 | 13.5 | 12.3 | 11.2 | 10.2 | 9.8 |
| High (°F) | 48 | 52 | 60 | 69 | 76 | 82 | 85 | 85 | 80 | 70 | 59 | 51 |
| Rain (in) | 5.3 | 5.1 | 5.5 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 5.4 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 4.6 | 5.3 |
October is the driest month (3.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 5.5 inches fall in March, the wettest month. The climate in Fontana Dam →
Questions about parks and trails in Fontana Dam
Where can I hike in Fontana Dam?
The longest trail networks: Nantahala National Forest, 0.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Fontana Dam’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Nantahala National Forest (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Fontana Dam?
138,871 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Fontana Dam or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 130 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Fontana Dam neighbors.
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Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →