Located at 6,593 ft elevation on the top of Mt. LeConte in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, LeConte Lodge is the only place where a visitor can sleep overnight in a snug, permanent structure with hot and hearty meals on tap. The cozy rough-hewn cabins are furnished with upper and lower double bunks making them ideal for two couples or a family. The mellow glow of kerosene lamps lights your accommodations and propane heaters warm the cabins as there is no electricity! There are flush toilets but no showers, basins are in all cabins for sponge baths but no one is anxious to get wet all over as the daytime temperature has never reached the 80s even in the height of summer.
For those planning on arriving on Thursday (highly recommended!), we will coordinate lodging (a block of rooms or sharing VRBO), and run a car to the Alum Cave trailhead for shuttling drivers back up to the cars at Newfound Gap.
We will meet early Friday morning to carpool/caravan to the Newfound Gap parking lot to start on the Appalachian Trail and turn up the Boulevard trail to get to LeConte Lodge. Starting elevation is at 5,000 ft, and we’ll have almost 2,000 ft of elevation gain on this 8-mile trail. The trail is rated as difficult due to the length and elevation gain and we expect the hike to take up to 5 hours.
You will be greeted upon arrival at the top with coffee or hot chocolate and a hearty dinner is served at 6 PM. Leisure activities would include watching the sunset from Cliff Tops and for the hearty souls who arise early, a sunrise from Myrtle Point, followed by a substantial breakfast.
After breakfast we will descend on the Alum Cave Trail where we will have 1,500-foot descent over the 5.5 miles trail down. This trail is also rated as difficult due to length and continuous descent.