My first try was on the Trillium Gap Trail in May 2006, when I was forced back by thunderstorms. The rangers told me that current road closures would add about 5 miles to the Trillium Gap hike. So I decided on the Alum Cave Trail.
Yesterday was a gorgeous day in the Smokies. It was a great hike to LeConte Lodge and then on to the true summit and Cliff Tops. I hope to stay at the Lodge sometime in the future.
Took my two kids, 8 and 11, up the Alum Cave Trail and spent the night at the shelter. Had the whole place to ourselves except for the deer that kept coming by and ripping up the grass around the shelter all night. My son has done overnights before, but this was my daughter's first and she really loved it. Enjoyed sunset from Cliff Top and sunrise (or lack thereof due to a cloud that settled in overnight) from the overlook on High Top.
mattdalman - Oct 20, 2009 11:45 pm Date Climbed: Oct 18, 2009
1st snow of '09-'10 season
Hiked the Alum Cave route. The snow made for a beautiful day even though there weren't a lot of views.
sprosseda - Oct 6, 2009 7:07 am Date Climbed: Jun 1, 1996
My training mountain for out west
I have to date (10/22/19) been to the top of Mt LeConte 101 times. This involved over 1,390 miles and 364,800 feet vertical gain and descent. I have done most possible trail combinations, in all seasons and weather conditions, including 3 different kinds of 5,000+ ft vertical / 20 mile day hikes, and some bushwhack routes. This is one of my favorite southern mountains. I also use it for training before going out west to do mountaineering.
PhenomenalWoman - Aug 1, 2009 12:27 am Date Climbed: Mar 17, 2009
Sunny Day!
Sunny and breathtaking summit. Climbed with Eleutheros up the Alum Cave Trail.
maddie77777 - Jun 28, 2009 2:48 pm Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2009
Foggy, but a nice hike
I wasn't aware that you need to hike in the afternoon to wait for the smoke in the Smokies to burn off, so now I'll have to try this one again. Nice hike, though, and the lodges near the top are pretty nice.
chugach mtn boy - May 23, 2009 11:55 pm Date Climbed: Oct 19, 2022
Gorgeous Mountain
Did most of the trails on this one in the 70s. Returned to a frosty summit 50 years later via Trillium Gap Trail and stayed at the lodge.
VermontMike - May 16, 2009 1:04 am Date Climbed: Aug 9, 2008
Quieter than Clingman's!
Alum Cave Trail is a gem of a hike in the Smokies . . . probably even better when the rhododendrons are blooming. Would love to stay at the lodge some time!
Hotoven - Apr 16, 2009 11:07 pm Date Climbed: Mar 9, 2009
Good for Kite Flying on Bluffs!
Alum Cave Bluff trail. Great hike to do. Had no view at top, but once we got on the bluffs, I broke out my kite and it flew to new heights!
Eleutheros - Mar 20, 2009 10:32 pm Date Climbed: Mar 20, 2009
Clear Skies and Sunshine
Alum Cave Bluff trail. Spent about an hour lounging on the cliff tops in the sunshine. Clear skies in all directions.
JGHarrison - Jan 27, 2009 1:57 pm Date Climbed: Jul 11, 2003
alum cave bluff trail
Brilliant hike with my whole family..Cant wait to go back
Ted Eliason - Jan 16, 2009 6:55 pm Date Climbed: Jun 19, 1998
Summit!
It's true. There is no escaping treeline back east
gbrady - Dec 7, 2008 3:46 pm Date Climbed: Oct 18, 2008
A must hike for GSMNP
Beautiful hike. Can't wait to hike it again.
MarkDidier - Jul 12, 2008 9:27 am Date Climbed: Apr 25, 2008
Another Great Day at Myrtle Point
While the Chimney Tops may be my favorite place in the park, the Alum Cave Trail is my favorite hike in the park.The views on the way up to LeConte are just outstanding. It was a clear day with excellent views from Myrtle Point.
captainbuuda - May 9, 2008 5:40 pm Date Climbed: May 8, 2008
The long approach
The last mountain on a 30 mile loop starting at the Chimney Tops trailhead. Incredible hike along the boulevard trail. This mountain is a true monarch in a land of majestic mountains.
I climbed this sometime during spring 1999 (I think). I recall doing a roughly 17-mile loop in a day and feeling tired of hiking by the end of it.
unclehud - Feb 3, 2008 9:38 am Date Climbed: Sep 22, 2007
overnight at the Lodge
Up and down the Alum Cave trail. The Lodge is a very romantic site for couples who enjoy backpacking and camping. Sunset was good; sunrise was cloudy, I mean "Smoky."
Great hike with my later to be wife (two years later)...this was apart of showing her many of the joys of hiking. BEAUTIFUL sunset on the hike from the summit.
friday - Jan 13, 2008 2:31 am Date Climbed: Jan 12, 2008
Well spent 36 hours
Arrived from Michigan at 3AM. Slept in car till 7:30AM. Left for summit right after using Rainbow Falls trail. Reached summit at 11:30. Descended at 12:30 via Bullhead Trail, reached car at 3:30PM. Arrived in Michigan 10 hours later. Great weekend. Weather was very clear, about 40'F or so at the summit. No snow, but traces of ice made the summit trails tricky.
CheesySciFi - Jul 15, 2010 2:41 pm Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2010
Wanted to climb for yearsMy first try was on the Trillium Gap Trail in May 2006, when I was forced back by thunderstorms. The rangers told me that current road closures would add about 5 miles to the Trillium Gap hike. So I decided on the Alum Cave Trail.
Yesterday was a gorgeous day in the Smokies. It was a great hike to LeConte Lodge and then on to the true summit and Cliff Tops. I hope to stay at the Lodge sometime in the future.
chilkoot - Jul 11, 2010 9:16 pm Date Climbed: Jul 2, 2010
My daughter's first backpacking tripTook my two kids, 8 and 11, up the Alum Cave Trail and spent the night at the shelter. Had the whole place to ourselves except for the deer that kept coming by and ripping up the grass around the shelter all night. My son has done overnights before, but this was my daughter's first and she really loved it. Enjoyed sunset from Cliff Top and sunrise (or lack thereof due to a cloud that settled in overnight) from the overlook on High Top.
mattdalman - Oct 20, 2009 11:45 pm Date Climbed: Oct 18, 2009
1st snow of '09-'10 seasonHiked the Alum Cave route. The snow made for a beautiful day even though there weren't a lot of views.
sprosseda - Oct 6, 2009 7:07 am Date Climbed: Jun 1, 1996
My training mountain for out westI have to date (10/22/19) been to the top of Mt LeConte 101 times. This involved over 1,390 miles and 364,800 feet vertical gain and descent. I have done most possible trail combinations, in all seasons and weather conditions, including 3 different kinds of 5,000+ ft vertical / 20 mile day hikes, and some bushwhack routes. This is one of my favorite southern mountains. I also use it for training before going out west to do mountaineering.
PhenomenalWoman - Aug 1, 2009 12:27 am Date Climbed: Mar 17, 2009
Sunny Day!Sunny and breathtaking summit. Climbed with Eleutheros up the Alum Cave Trail.
ZachStone - Jul 6, 2009 2:31 pm
Nice walksnowy
maddie77777 - Jun 28, 2009 2:48 pm Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2009
Foggy, but a nice hikeI wasn't aware that you need to hike in the afternoon to wait for the smoke in the Smokies to burn off, so now I'll have to try this one again. Nice hike, though, and the lodges near the top are pretty nice.
chugach mtn boy - May 23, 2009 11:55 pm Date Climbed: Oct 19, 2022
Gorgeous MountainDid most of the trails on this one in the 70s. Returned to a frosty summit 50 years later via Trillium Gap Trail and stayed at the lodge.
VermontMike - May 16, 2009 1:04 am Date Climbed: Aug 9, 2008
Quieter than Clingman's!Alum Cave Trail is a gem of a hike in the Smokies . . . probably even better when the rhododendrons are blooming. Would love to stay at the lodge some time!
Hotoven - Apr 16, 2009 11:07 pm Date Climbed: Mar 9, 2009
Good for Kite Flying on Bluffs!Alum Cave Bluff trail. Great hike to do. Had no view at top, but once we got on the bluffs, I broke out my kite and it flew to new heights!
Eleutheros - Mar 20, 2009 10:32 pm Date Climbed: Mar 20, 2009
Clear Skies and SunshineAlum Cave Bluff trail. Spent about an hour lounging on the cliff tops in the sunshine. Clear skies in all directions.
JGHarrison - Jan 27, 2009 1:57 pm Date Climbed: Jul 11, 2003
alum cave bluff trailBrilliant hike with my whole family..Cant wait to go back
Ted Eliason - Jan 16, 2009 6:55 pm Date Climbed: Jun 19, 1998
Summit!It's true. There is no escaping treeline back east
gbrady - Dec 7, 2008 3:46 pm Date Climbed: Oct 18, 2008
A must hike for GSMNPBeautiful hike. Can't wait to hike it again.
MarkDidier - Jul 12, 2008 9:27 am Date Climbed: Apr 25, 2008
Another Great Day at Myrtle PointWhile the Chimney Tops may be my favorite place in the park, the Alum Cave Trail is my favorite hike in the park.The views on the way up to LeConte are just outstanding. It was a clear day with excellent views from Myrtle Point.
captainbuuda - May 9, 2008 5:40 pm Date Climbed: May 8, 2008
The long approachThe last mountain on a 30 mile loop starting at the Chimney Tops trailhead. Incredible hike along the boulevard trail. This mountain is a true monarch in a land of majestic mountains.
Sam Page - Apr 21, 2008 4:32 pm
Long loopI climbed this sometime during spring 1999 (I think). I recall doing a roughly 17-mile loop in a day and feeling tired of hiking by the end of it.
unclehud - Feb 3, 2008 9:38 am Date Climbed: Sep 22, 2007
overnight at the LodgeUp and down the Alum Cave trail. The Lodge is a very romantic site for couples who enjoy backpacking and camping. Sunset was good; sunrise was cloudy, I mean "Smoky."
GroundControl - Jan 13, 2008 10:26 am
Mount LeConte, March 2003Great hike with my later to be wife (two years later)...this was apart of showing her many of the joys of hiking. BEAUTIFUL sunset on the hike from the summit.
friday - Jan 13, 2008 2:31 am Date Climbed: Jan 12, 2008
Well spent 36 hoursArrived from Michigan at 3AM. Slept in car till 7:30AM. Left for summit right after using Rainbow Falls trail. Reached summit at 11:30. Descended at 12:30 via Bullhead Trail, reached car at 3:30PM. Arrived in Michigan 10 hours later. Great weekend. Weather was very clear, about 40'F or so at the summit. No snow, but traces of ice made the summit trails tricky.