Hazel Creek Fly Fishing and Camping Trip
Step back in time and fish one of the most legendary creeks in the Great Smoky Mountains. Our Hazel Creek Camping Trip with Fly Fishing the Smokies takes you deep into the heart of the park, where wild trout, rich history, and true mountain solitude all come together on one unforgettable adventure.
Call or Text (828)-421-6378
The Legend of Hazel Creek
Hazel Creek has long been whispered about in fly fishing circles—a place of big wild brown trout, cold clear water, and classic pocket water runs that seem tailor-made for a fly rod. Tucked away in one of the most remote corners of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Hazel Creek has earned its reputation as a bucket-list destination for serious anglers.
This is one of the most nutrient-rich watersheds inside the park, with lush, healthy insect life that fuels strong populations of wild rainbow and brown trout. The combination of fertile water, gravel-bottomed riffles, deep green pools, and shaded banks creates perfect habitat for wild trout to grow old, strong, and wary.
When you’re standing midstream, throwing dry flies and nymphs into classic Smoky Mountain seams with mountains rising around you, you understand why Hazel Creek is considered hallowed water.
Big Browns in a Wild Setting
Hazel Creek holds the kind of wild brown trout that haunt an angler’s dreams. These fish are strong, smart, and beautifully colored—true mountain browns that have survived floods, droughts, and generations of anglers.
The creek’s structure is ideal for browns: undercut banks, logjams, deep bends, and long runs that offer cover and ambush points. Add in the rich bug life and ample food that flows through Hazel Creek, and you have a recipe for trout that can grow to impressive sizes by Smoky Mountain standards. Every cast holds the possibility of a true Smokies trophy.
A Creek Steeped in Smoky Mountain History
Hazel Creek isn’t just famous for its fishing—it’s a place woven into the history of the Great Smoky Mountains. Before the park was established, this valley was home to bustling communities, farms, logging operations, and families that carved out a life deep in the mountains.
You’ll hear stories of old Appalachian homesteads, the logging town of Proctor, and the people who once called these hollers home. Hazel Creek was tied closely to some of the park’s most notable figures and early characters—fishermen, writers, and local mountain families who helped shape the lore of the Smokies.
As we hike and fish along the creek, old home sites, stone chimneys, and forgotten roadbeds hint at a way of life that disappeared when the national park and Fontana Lake were created. It’s a rare chance to fish world-class trout water and walk through living history at the same time.
Our Hazel Creek Camping Trip
Our Hazel Creek Camping Trip is designed for anglers who want to immerse themselves fully in one of the Smoky Mountains’ most remote and beautiful waters.
You’ll camp along Hazel Creek under a canopy of hardwoods and hemlocks, with the sound of the river just steps from your tent. From camp, we can roam miles of fishable water, working up or downstream to match the day’s conditions and where the trout are feeding best.
On this trip, you can expect:
- Professional, experienced guides who know Hazel Creek and its moods
- Multi-day access to some of the most productive and scenic stretches of the creek
- Camp set up near prime water, so you can fish early and late when trout are most active
- Hearty camp meals and time around the fire swapping fish stories under the stars
Whether you’re a seasoned Smokies angler or visiting for the first time, this trip gives you the time and access you need to truly get to know Hazel Creek.
Peace, Solitude, and the True Smokies Experience
Hazel Creek is about more than just catching fish. It’s about the feeling of being far from roads, crowds, and noise, where the only sounds are the riffles downstream and the wind in the trees.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall, Hazel Creek has a special quiet that’s hard to find anywhere else. Mist lifts off the water in the morning, sunlight filters through the hardwoods, and the mountains rise in soft blue layers all around you. Between runs, you’ll find yourself just standing there, listening to the creek and taking it all in.
This is the peaceful side of fly fishing in the Smoky Mountains—no rush, no distractions, just time spent in a remote valley with good water, good company, and wild trout.
Rates and Dates
May 29-31st, 2026 and September 18-20th, 2026
One Person $1850
Two People $2250
Book Your Hazel Creek Camping Adventure
If you’ve ever dreamed of fishing one of the most legendary streams in the Great Smoky Mountains, our Hazel Creek Camping Trip is your chance. We’re taking care of everything from the tents, chairs, entertainment (tall tales and BS!), covered sitting area, and great food. Leave your cares behind, grab your sleeping bag, some clothes, and fishing gear and join us for a grand ol’ time to one of the Smoky Mountain’s best trout streams. From the stories in the moss-covered stones to the wild browns tucked under a log-jam, Hazel Creek is a place that stays with you long after you hike out.
Ready to go?
Contact Fly Fishing the Smokies to reserve your Hazel Creek Camping Trip and come experience one of the park’s most remote, historic, and trout-rich streams for yourself.
Reserve your Spot today! Call or Text (828)-421-6378
