Do you have goals to hike up to Mt. LeConte in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, about three hours from Greenville, SC? Read on to plan your epic hike!
Hiking to Mt. LeConte Lodge, the third highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, was a goal of mine for awhile and it was during the middle of June, when I took my daughters to see the incredible synchronous fireflies, that we made it happen the first time. We’ve gone back again but it did take some bribery, which I’ll tell you about shortly.
Long story short: totally worth the effort to hike!
For more things to do inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, see our guide to visiting this beautiful place with kids.
The Uniqueness of Mt. LeConte
Mt. LeConte is the only place that we know of in the country where you can hike up over 6,000 feet, buy a commemorative hat or t-shirt, and purchase a sack lunch. My daughters, ages 13 and 9, will tell you that’s exactly the reason they agreed to the difficult hike. It’s amazing what bribery will get you.
Mt. LeConte sits at 6,593 feet above sea level. Mt. LeConte Lodge has several cabins and a dining room for guests who are lucky enough to score a reservation and make the hard trek up to check-in.
The Lodge itself is rustic but really cool. I have not stayed there but know many people who have and they all say what an amazing experience it is. There are trails to hike around at the top if you somehow have any energy left after making it up there. Hiking to Mt. LeConte is easily one of those bucket list hikes in the Smoky Mountains for its beauty, views, and overall coolness.
Hiking to Mt. LeConte
There are several ways to get up to Mt. LeConte but both times we hiked it, we did Alum Cave to Mt. LeConte, about 5.5 miles one way. I like this trail because it’s shaded so it’s not hot in the summer and it’s the shortest route up. The views are also pretty awesome and you get to go past Alum Cave, which is such a neat place to visit and rest awhile with its high, arched rock and sandy bottom. It took us three hours to get up there but this timetable very much depends on your own abilities. It’s a hard hike with more than 2,700 feet of elevation gain. Definitely know your limits and the limits of those you are hiking with before tackling this trail. Rescues happen here not infrequently.
There are six trails to reach the summit, including Alum Cave:
- Rainbow Falls – 6.7 miles one way
- Bullhead- 6.9 miles one way
- The Boulevard – 8.1 miles one way
- Brushy Mountain – 9.1 miles one way
- Trillium Gap – 6.7 miles one way
All of these are not easy trails and be prepared for snow and ice into early May and starting in September. Follow LeConte Lodge on social media to see current conditions and plan your trip accordingly.
About Mt. LeConte Lodge
Mt. LeConte Lodge was actually built and conceived before the Great Smoky Mountains became a national park. Construction began on the lodge, which sits at 6,593 feet high, in 1925 and was run by Gatlinburg mountaineer Jack Huff and his family until 1960. In fact, many of the buildings that he constructed still stand today at the lodge.
From 1960-1975, horses were commonly used at the lodge to get provisions up and down the mountain. Horses are no longer used. Instead, llamas make the trek three times a week!
The famous llamas weren’t used until after 1976 and to this day, if you’re lucky, you can catch the llama train heading up to Mt. LeConte with food, bedding, and other provisions Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during the season when the lodge is open. I got to see them one time when we were hiking to Grotto Falls and they are super cool and chill. I’m certain I annoyed the llama wranglers with all my questions but now I have a goal to be one of those wranglers when my kids grow up and I can move to the Smokies for a season and hike with llamas! The llamas use the Trillium trail to get up to Mt. LeConte Lodge and back down.
Today, ownership of the lodge is through a limited partnership with Tim Line, the longest serving steward of the Lodge, and Stokely Hospitality Enterprises, which operates several restaurants in Sevier and Knox counties in Tennessee.
I have not stayed at the lodge because 1) it is very hard to get reservations, and 2) it’s not an inexpensive endeavor. 2024 rates start at $100 for kids ages 4-12 and $184 per night for adults, which include lodging, dinner, and breakfast. Perhaps one day I can cross it off my list but for now, I’ll be content to be a day hiker and buy t-shirts and refill my water bottle there.
Reservations for the 2025 season, which is usually late March through November depending on weather, open up in the fall of 2024. If you follow the Lodge on X, you may be able to snag a last minute booking because someone canceled.
The Sack Lunch & T-Shirt
Every year, there is a new t-shirt design for hikers to purchase that says “I hiked it.” My daughters and I each have two of these and we have now decided to start a collection. It’s a challenging collection but that’s the fun of it!
Day hikers can also purchase a Sack Lunch, which my daughters and I have deemed a “Snack Lunch” due to the array of snacks that are in the lunch and that my kids are hobbits and will do anything for snacks. Sack Lunches are $14 each and contain a bagel, cream cheese packet, beef and pork stick, fruit leather or fruit snack, trail mix, Oreos, and a Gatorade drink packet.
There’s a water pump at the lodge, which is very useful since you’ll probably need a refill. And while there are pit toilets there, they are probably the smelliest toilets I have ever encountered in my entire life.
The Lodge gift shop is open 9-10 am and Noon-4:30 pm on the dot. I know this because we got up to the Lodge at 10:02 am and it was closed. We hung out and hiked to Cliff Tops to pass the time, which was totally fine because it was a beautiful day!
Tips on Hiking to Mt. LeConte
No pets allowed: pets are only allowed on two trails within the boundaries of the national park. This isn’t one of them so don’t bring your pet.
Get to the Alum Cave parking lot early: the lot will fill up by 7 am most days and then you’ll have to park further down the street or nowhere at all. Have a backup plan to hike another trail if you can’t find parking.
Know your limitations: this trail is hard. We’ve hiked with our kids but they are great hikers and have done harder trails. There are hundreds of other trails in the park that are easier if you need to build up endurance.
Plan your day: the Alum Cave trail took us around 8.5 hours both times (that was with stopping for lunch and waiting for the gift shop to open). The other trails will probably take even longer so plan accordingly if you’ll be coming down, or going up, in the dark and use headlamps.
Bring enough water, food, and a first aid kit: this is standard for any hike. Be prepared.
Be sure to have your parking sticker: the Great Smoky Mountains National Park requires cars parked longer than 15 minutes to have a parking sticker. They are $5/day, $15/week, or $40/year and can be purchased at Visitor Centers and kiosks around the park.
Directions to the trail from the National Park Service: Drive 8.6 miles on Newfound Gap Road from Sugarlands Visitor Center or 20 miles from Oconaluftee Visitor Center. There is a sign and two large parking areas marking the trailhead.
Happy trails!
For more things to do in the Gatlinburg area, see our Guide to Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge.
