Getting There....Transportation Information & Directions/Site Info
 

Fontana Village is a destination resort in the Smoky Mountains. There are many day trip options while at the resort. For the motorcycle or sports car enthusiast, there is the renowned Tail of the Dragon on Hwy 129. The Cherokee Reservation and Harrahs Casino, whitewater rafting on the Choeah or Nantahala River, Dollywood, Fontana Marina boat rentals, hiking in the Smokies and mountain biking are also close by. There are even mountain bike rentals at the Outfitter on site! The best part about the week will be the time to see old friends and make new ones and enjoy mastiffs from around the country. Here are some special notes about the site:

 
THERE IS NO CELLPHONE SERVICE AT THE RESORT! Plan to bring a pre-paid phone card to make free calls from your room or cabin. Cell phone service is approximately 12 miles away. Please purchase a pre-paid phone card before coming to the national if you plan to call out. There is no charge for pre-paid phone card calls from the cabins or rooms. You can also purchase a phone card at the Fontana store. Wireless internet available for free in the Lodge lobby. Satellite Phones can get service at Fontana. If you cannot be without a phone, you can check into renting one and bring it with you   There are two excellent restaurants on site and we have in addition to our Welcome Reception and Saturday Banquet, a Barbeque planned with a blue grass band for a reasonable cost hosted by SSMF. Remember, these events help to offset the cost of our site rental and meeting rooms, so please plan to purchase tickets to the banquet and barbeque to help us offset these costs. 
  The closest town is 25 miles away in Robbinsville.
The closest Wal-Mart or other big box retailer is approximately 40 miles away in Sylva, NC. You cannot just run down to the store to pick up a few things or go out to dinner. Robbinsville is a mountain town with limited dining options.  It is a winding mountain road and takes approx. 30 minutes to get there.
There is a small grocery store, post office, ice cream shoppe and laundry on site.

 

Airport Information

 

Fontana Village is located 75 miles South of Knoxville and 88 miles West of Asheville. You can fly into Atlanta, Chattanooga, Asheville or Knoxville, but Atlanta or Knoxville are your best bets if flying with dogs. Asheville is your best bet without dogs.

  • Asheville Airport; www.flyavl.com/

  • Easy drive into site, approx. 1.5 hr away

  • Call your airline to see if 700 crates can be accommodated. 

  • Atlanta Airport www.atlanta-airport.com

  • Most major carrier fly into Atlanta with big jets that may handle 700 crates.

  • Approx. 175 miles from the site- a 3 to 4 hour drive.

  • Knoxville Airport: www.tys.org

  • McGhee Tyson Airport

  • 73’s fly in and out of this airport which can handle 700 crates

  • Delta and NW are the primary carriers and all major rental car companies

 

****CAUTION*****CAUTION*****

Even though Knoxville is the closest airport, you need to be aware that the road from Knoxville and Chattanooga is Highway 129 which includes the famous Tail of the Dragon. This section of road includes 318 curves in 11 miles and is VERY twisty and slow going.

The road from Asheville (US74) is far better with just a small section of mountain roads and far less curves. It is a four lane road most of the way from Asheville..

DO NOT DRIVE HWY 129 from Knoxville or Chattanooga in the dark

 

 If you or your dogs are prone to getting car sick, avoid driving 129 from Knoxville

 

DO NOT DRIVE MOTORHOMES OR TRAILERS DOWN 129!!

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ALLOW FOR EXTRA TIME FROM KNOXVILLE/CHATTANOOGA AND WATCH FOR MOTORCYCLES ON HWY 129- the 65 mile trip may take up to 2 hours.

 

Driving Directions

 

From Asheville, NC; Take I-40 west. Take the Exit for US Hwy 74 (Great Smokey Mountain Expressway). Stay on Hwy 74 (4 lane road), you will pass Clyde, Sylva and 8 miles past Bryson City, (last chance for grocery shopping and restaurants) turn right on Hwy 28. Continue on Hwy 28 for 25 miles to Fontana Village on the left.

From Knoxville, TN: take Hwy 129 South from Knoxville to Maryville. Just past Maryville, Hwy 129 turns left off the four lane road. CAUTION- THIS IS THE VERY TWISTY PART OF THE ROAD AND CONTINUES THE ENTIRE WAY TO FONTANA. Just past the TN/NC state line turn left onto Hwy 28. Continue on Hwy 28 for 9 miles.

From Chattanooga, TN: Take I-75 North to Exit 60. Turn right on US 68 South. Merge onto 411 North, turn right onto TN 72 and than right on US 129. CAUTION- AS FROM KNOXVILLE< THIS IS A VERY TWISTY PART OF THE ROAD, follow on Hwy 129 as from Knoxville.

 

From Atlanta: Travel North on I-75, I-575, GA5, GA and NC 60, US 64 East to US 129/19. North of Andrews, take 129 to Robbinsville. (last chance for groceries). Take NC 143 east to Hwy 28. Go left on Hwy 28 to Fontana Village.

 

Also from Atlanta: Take I-85 North to 985 N which turns into US 441. Continue into NC to the town of Dillsboro. Merge onto Hwy 74 West to Bryson City (last chance for groceries and restaurants). Turn right onto Hwy 28. Continue on Hwy 28 for 25 miles.