If you live in the Eastern United States, chances are you’ve visited Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.
You’ve probably taken a drive through Cades Cove in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. But do you know that atop Mount LeConte, the third highest peak in the park, sits a lodge accessible only by foot?
That’s right! LeConte Lodge, built in 1926, welcomes overnight guests and is the only place in the park where a visitor can sleep overnight on a mountaintop in a cozy, permanent structure with hot and hearty meals on tap.
Five different hiking trails can take you to LeConte Lodge.
We chose to make a loop by going up the Alum Cave Trail, the shortest at 5.5 miles, but also the steepest. We returned the following day via the Trillium Gap Trail which clocks in at about 7 miles. Trillium Gap takes you behind the gorgeous Grotto Falls; you’ll walk right behind them!
Another bonus on the Trillium Gap Trail is the llama pack trains. They carry fresh supplies to the lodge on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, weather permitting.
For a more in-depth description of the trails and some pics, click here.
Accommodations include a couple of multi-bedroom lodges and seven rough-hewn one-room cabins, which is where we stayed.
There is no electricity; a kerosene lantern provides light. Large bunk beds make for a great nights sleep and the covered porch, complete with rocking chairs, is perfect to spend some time admiring the incredible view.
Also, there are no showers. Buckets are standard in all lodging for sponge baths (hot water spigot located near dining room entrance), and an up-to-date privy building with flush toilets is available in the common area. Propane heaters supply warmth, which is good since the temps can take a radical dip in the evening.
Coffee, lemonade, and hot chocolate await you upon arrival. You’ve probably worked up an appetite on the hike in, and the folks at the lodge will have a hearty dinner ready around 6 PM. Just listen for the dinner bell. Same for breakfast the next morning.
After dinner, the lodge office provides reading material, games and comfortable chairs.
There are a couple of guitars and plenty of conversation with fellow travelers from all over the world. In the morning, be sure to get up early and make the short hike to Myrtle Point to watch the sunrise.
Sack lunches are available for purchase after breakfast to simplify planning your hike out. T-shirts, stickers, and other souvenirs are available for sale in the office.
Reservations must be made early, sometimes a year in advance.
If you miss out, put your name and preferred dates on the waiting list, many people can get a reservation this way.
You won’t regret making this trip of a lifetime in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
For information visit them online here.
Read more about the hike up and back by clicking here.
