For years I’ve wanted to hike to LeConte Lodge. Even before I started hiking as a hobby.
When I first learned about LeConte Lodge located atop one of the highest mountains in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, accessible only on foot, I romanticized the notion of visiting and pictured myself trekking along through the forest with llama packs nearby.
Fast forward fifteen years, give or take a few, to a friend’s Christmas party. She visited LeConte earlier in the year and loved it. My interest renewed, I set a reminder to call LeConte on the day they begin taking reservations for 2018.
It’s difficult to get through, and when I’m finally successful, they’re sold out. Disappointed, I put my name on the waiting list with a couple of potential dates and promptly forget all about it. Until I get an email that says I’ve got a spot in early April!
Five different trails can take you to LeConte Lodge.
If I can do a loop rather than an out-and-back, I’ll choose that every time. Opting to go up Alum Trail and return on Trillium Gap, I make arrangements with a hiker shuttle service to pick us up at the Trillium Gap Trailhead where I’ll leave the car.
The Alum Cave Trail is the shortest trail to LeConte, albeit the steepest.
We’re dropped off at the trailhead and immediately cross a sizeable wooden bridge framed with foliage and spanning rushing water. The first part of the hike is rather gently graded, winding along the Alum Cave Creek. My son, not a big hiker, but up for the experience, says his calves are burning. This less than a mile in…it’s probably going to be a long day for him with a 2,763-foot elevation gain ahead.
A little over a mile in, after passing through a rhododendron tunnel, we reach Arch Rock. The trail goes under the arch on stairs that are carved into the rock.
The grade is getting steeper as we make our way to Inspiration Point. It’s drizzling now. Fog is rolling in and around the Anakeesta Ridge as we continue to climb. It’s eerie, yet beautiful. The namesake of this national park.
Arriving at Alum Cave, we sit down to enjoy some lunch. Not a cave at all, more of a gigantic inverted bluff, it provides a respite from the rain and drizzle.
The next two miles or so, the trail continues hugging the cliff face. Some of these ledges are pretty narrow with some exposure. Clinging to the chains bolted to the cliff, we inch along the rocky path made slick by the rain.
Eventually (thank god) the trail begins to flatten out and just like that, cabins appear on our left. We made it!
Note: This is not the actual summit of Mount LeConte. To reach it you will have to continue past the lodge for another half mile or so to reach the true summit.
The next morning we make our way to the Trillium Gap Trail and begin our descent through the forest.
It’s beautiful but a lot less dramatic than the Alum Cave Trail. The sun begins peaking out as the fog burns off and we arrive at the intersection of Brushy Mountain Trail.
The fog has cleared, so we opt to summit Brushy Mountain (about 1/3 of a mile) to take in the view. The trail is muddy and slippery, but it’s worth it to get those incredible panoramic views.
Back on Trillium Gap, we pass the llama pack. Our main reason for choosing this trail. The llamas run three days a week, carrying the bulk of food and supplies to LeConte. Fun to see for sure. Led by a cheery woman, they pass us single file, trotting along with their loads, as they head up to the lodge.
We pass several small waterfalls along the way that usually don’t exist.
Pop-up Falls due to recent rains. But the main event is Grotto Falls, which the trail runs behind. Yep, a front row view of the backside of water.
There are signs that the rocks can be slippery. You should heed them. I did not. Inching out onto a flattish rock for what might have been a spectacular photo, I feel my feet start to slide. Uh-oh. I slide sideways, executing a slow-motion barrel-roll, complete with backpack, into the icy water.
A woman begins to scream; I jump out faster than I would have thought possible. She continues screaming, sure that I’ll be swept away. This seems unlikely since I’m underneath and behind the waterfall.
Sitting on a rock, I peel off my boots and socks, throw on my Tevas and begin the final, soggy, slog to the parking lot. It’s about a mile and a half to the car, the trail is very crowded, and I’m not gonna lie. I’m getting some looks. But the show must go on, and dry clothing awaits in the trunk of the car.
Traffic sounds reach our ears, and I know we’re almost there. Moments later we’re in the parking lot, my vehicle patiently waiting. And just like that, another incredible adventure is in the books.
Want to read about our stay at LeConte Lodge? Click here.
