Beyond Nowhere: Forney Creek, Hoyle Cemetery and Woody Cemetery

   Heading northwest out of Bryson City, NC you will enter the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and travel on a lovely 7 mile stretch of road that comes to a tunnel and ends. Officially known as Lakeview Drive, it is more commonly known as the Road to Nowhere. During World War II, the United States Government constructed the massive Fontana Dam to provide hydroelectric power to support the nuclear weapons program at Oak Ridge. The resulting lake put numerous communities underneath of Fontana Lake and also the access highway for the areas that weren't flooded. The federal government relocated the residents with the promise that a road would be built to provide access to the cemeteries on the north shore of the lake. Multitudes of lawsuits and 75 years later there is still no road to access that area. A century earlier, the federal government had removed the original inhabitants--the Cherokee--through a series of treaties, broken promises and ultimately the Indian Removal Act which led to the trail of tears.

   Trailhead parking is just before the tunnel and Lakeshore trail actually goes through the quarter mile tunnel. If that makes you squeamish, there is a bypass trail that is a bit longer and less fun. Lakeshore trail is 24 miles long and generally follows the erratic coastline of Fontana Lake. Because it connects with other long trails and a host of back-country campsites, it is a prime backpacking location. After two miles, I headed up Whiteoak Branch trail to reach Forney Creek trail. This was a circuitous route to reach Hoyle Cemetery--my primary objective--but that's how I roll. At Forney Creek, I headed up a half mile. My topo map had suggested that there was a falls on a tributary just before it met Forney Creek. When I reached that spot, I found that I would have to wade across the creek and bushwhack up the tributary to find it. I decided that the meeting place of Advalorem Branch and Forney Creek was a fine picture.

   Retracing my steps, I noticed that Whiteoak Branch had a wonderfully steep and rocky descent to Forney Creek. Continuing on, the trail returned back to creek level. The waters were swift and jubilantly danced over boulders and ledges. There were many opportunities to sit on rocks by the edge or play in the water if you desire cooling off. Slightly more than a mile from Whiteoak Branch, Bear Creek trail crosses the confluence of Forney Creek and Big Creek on a flat wooden bridge and begins as an old roadway. The trail follows back up the other side of Forney Creek for a short distance before turning to follow up Welch Branch.  A short climb up the trail and I had reached my departure point into the unknown. 

   The only information I had about getting to Hoyle Cemetery was that this unassuming bridge over Welch Branch led to the access trail. My topo map did show the cemetery but it does not show the trail and I had not been able to gather any information about it prior to the hike. The trail is easy to follow but one must finagle past quite a few downed trees. And it climbs relentlessly up Welch Ridge. The sound the creek which the trail paralleled provided soothing inspiration. About two thirds of the way up the trail passes a significant home site that I assume belonged to the Hoyle family. 

     There are over 150 cemeteries in Great Smoky National Park. I have visited dozens of them and feel an affinity towards them. I feel connected spiritually with the reminder of mortality and impermanence. I also find that you can learn about the lives of the people who once lived there by their final resting place. The first thing that you are reminded of is that  these folks were not couch potatoes. Nearly all of the cemeteries are to be found up steep trails that go to the tops of ridges or bluffs. Upon reaching my destination, I found that it was simply four graves--all Hoyles who had passed within a couple of years of each other around 1890. Newer headstones have been placed at some recent time. 

   After stopping back at the home site for lunch, I retraced my path back to Forney Creek trail and turned right towards Lakeshore trail. Turning left, I began the return trip. The trail rose and glimpses could be caught of Forney Creek emptying into it's estuary and the lake beyond. In less than a mile, I had reached the side path to Moody Cemetery. At the start of the access road there is a clearing with the longest picnic table I have ever seen. I assume this was for the family who came for decoration day. Once a year, families return to ancestral cemeteries to clear them and place flowers at each grave. For many families in this region of the Smokies, that involves chartering a shuttle boat across Fontana Lake. This year, the decoration day ceremonies for these particular cemeteries were cancelled due to COVID-19. Whether for that reason or lack of interest by younger generations, Woody Cemetery showed signs of getting overgrown, with trees growing throughout and some grave sites completely hidden in brush. 

   The other thing you learn about the folks who lived in these communities was how they persevered through adversity. So many of the graves you see are infants--many only living a day. Most have just weathered small stones in bunches. Women were quite likely to die during childbirth also. This was a larger cemetery with many family names. The most recent burial appeared to be 1930.

   On this first day of summer, most spring flowers were long gone with a few late season blooms to be found. A few laurels were clinging to their last flowers but were well on their way out. A few brilliant flame azaleas dotted the trail and Rosebay Rhododendrons were beginning to bloom throughout. This area has abundant moisture so a plethora of fungus and mushrooms also populated the trails.

   After leaving Woody Cemetery, I continued on the Lakeshore trail and quickly hit the intersection where I had left it. The last two miles were a bit of a slog. I was covering a section of trail I had already done and my legs were beginning to whine. After 13 miles, this hike came to an end when I saw the literal light at the end of the tunnel.