Smokies backcountry swimming holes

“Where are some of the better slides, holes, and knee deep clean bottom sections to sit in after a hot dusty trip through the smokies?

Post your faves..or e-mail me if you want them to stay sorta hid...lol”

“gonna dew some skinny dippin r u eh? LOL”

“anywhere there is a creek”

“Midnight Hole in the Smokies is a nice place. You can jump off the rocks practically into the falls. Water is very cold even in June.

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“Panthertown is pretty awesome (but its not in the smokies):




last edited: 5/03/07 8:10:26 PM”

“Swim at: The "Y," any stream, creek or river in the Park, and Fontana Lake.
Slides at CS#68, and ½ to 1 mile up Camel Gap Trail above CS#36.
Then there is Sliding Rock on 278/64 south of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Midnight Falls may be too crowded with pretty and shapely girls, with or without their swimming suits, something an old married man does not need.
last edited: 5/03/07 8:30:44 PM”

“A great one for swimming is Lake Powhatan. It is at a campground south of Asheville. Follow the signs to the to the west off of 191 2-3 miles south of I-40 and I-26.

Midnight Falls in the second post above should have been Midnight Hole.
last edited: 5/03/07 8:52:02 PM”

“I think midnight hole is the best spot. The Y gets crowded in the summer, but it might help now that jumping off the rocks is illegal.

If you stay away from the falls, the pool of water below Abrams is a pretty nice place to cool off.

It's not hardly deep enough to swim in the Cataloochee, but at the crossing coming in from Mt Sterling, there is a nice slow pool where a float works well.

There area couple pools of water to sit and relax in at CS 17? or 18? Bote Mtn and Middle Prong Trail.”

“Campsite 47. Downstream is a continuous set of boulder hops, slide, jumps, and pools for maybe 3 miles. Just do it.”

“I never tell people on the internet where my favorite spots are. Am I protecting the environment or just being selfish?”

“Both”

“Where is the Y, and Midnight Hole?

Hyway, which panthertown are you talking about?”

“The Y is where the road from Elkmont, Cades Cove, and Townsend all come together.”

“"The Y" is at the junction of 73 and Little River Road. From that junction you could head for Cades Cove on Laurel Creek road.

"Midhight Hole" is 1-1½ miles up Big Creek Trail. There is no sign, usless one has been posted recently. It is before "Little Mouse Falls" by about ¼-½ mile.
last edited: 5/04/07 9:04:40 AM”

“There's a big ole DEEP hole on Big Creek about two miles out from the car campground.”

“Good morning, Roam Around.”

“If you're headed north towards McGee Springs on Hyatt Ridge, there's supposed to be a unmaintained trail('manway') on the left going down to a swimming hole on Raven Fork.”

“mornin, NS!”

“Raven Fork is about a 3-4 mile continuous string of swimming holes.





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“Wildcat Falls is an awesome hole too! It's in teh Joyce Kilmer Wilderness and you can jump from the falls about 25 feet into a DEEP pool. Right on the TN / NC line about a three mile hike from the road outside of Robbinsville, NC.”

“Yeah - I have to say Raven Fork and the PLACE I almost made it to a few years ago are awesome. I was so close, but my girlfriend got cut on a rock while we were sloshing down Raven Fork and we had to turn back. I won't say the name!

Night hole is nice.

Hmmm.. thinking of other places. Abrams Falls is a given and crowded. Metcalf Bottoms. See how I am mentioned all the peopled places? ahhahaahha! Go there! Forney Creek definitely. Noland Creek too.”

“*bats his eyelashes at smokygirl* puhlease send me an e-mail full of secret magical places. I'll even get mrs opie to sing rocky top!!!
opie1979@yahoo.com”

“Opie, I was talking about the Panthertown in Nantahala National Forest http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/panther1.htm




The Y is a pretty sweet spot too, but very crowded. Its like going to the beach on the 4th of july
last edited: 5/04/07 7:59:10 PM”