Mt. LeConte (via Boulevard Trail)
| Trail Features: | Panoramic Views |  |
|||
| Trail Location: | Newfound Gap | ||||
| Roundtrip Length: | 15.6 Miles | ||||
| Total Elevation Gain: | 3000 Feet | ||||
| Avg. Elev Gain / Mile: | 385 Feet | ||||
| Highest Elevation: | 6593 Feet | ||||
| Trail Difficulty Rating: | 21.60 (strenuous) | ||||
| Parking Lot Latitude | 35.61084 | ||||
| Parking Lot Longitude | -83.42509 | ||||
Directions to Trailhead:
From the Sugarlands Visitor Center near
Gatlinburg, drive 13
miles south on Newfound Gap Road to reach the Newfound Gap parking lot.
Your
hike starts from the Appalachian Trail (heading eastward) before
reaching the
Boulevard Trail.
From Cherokee, drive 20.2 miles north to
reach the Newfound
Gap parking lot.
Trail
Description:
The trail to Mt. LeConte, via the
Appalachian Trail and then
the Boulevard Trail, begins from the Newfound Gap parking lot.
Many people assume that because this hike
begins at such a
high elevation that this must be the easiest trail to the summit of Mt.
LeConte. Don't be fooled. This is a very tough hike. The trail rises
and falls
many times as it crosses the ridgeline between LeConte and the main
crest of
the Smokies.
The steady climb over the course of the first two miles of the trail will quickly leave the crowds behind. For your effort during this section of trail, you'll be rewarded often and early. Take a short break at roughly two-thirds of a mile and enjoy the grand views of the North Carolina side of the Smokies. Make sure to watch for the variety of wildflowers along the way as well.
Just before reaching the Sweat Heifer
Creek Trail junction
at 1.7 miles you'll have an opportunity to take in some outstanding
views of
Mount LeConte and Myrtle Point towards the north.
Throughout several portions of
this section of the trail
you'll be traveling right around 6000 feet in elevation. Being at the
highest
point along this narrow ridge, with outstanding views on either side of
the
trail, you'll feel like you're walking along the spine of the
Appalachian
Mountains.
At just over 2.7 miles the Boulevard Trail to Mount LeConte forks off to the left. Continuing straight on the Appalachian Trail will lead you to Charlies Bunion in another 1.3 miles.
Less than a tenth of a mile after turning onto the Boulevard Trail is the junction for the Jump-Off. Although it's not an official National Park trail, it is marked with a sign. It has a few rugged sections but is easy to follow. If you still have the energy on your way back, the stunning views from this vantage point are well worth the additional one-mile roundtrip.
After circling around the
western flank of Mt. Kephart, the
Boulevard Trail drops to an elevation of roughly 5500 feet. The trail
continues
by traveling in a range of 5500 to 6000 feet, until reaching the
southeastern
flank of Mt. LeConte where it begins to climb towards the 6593-foot
summit.
Roughly 0.2 miles from the summit of Mt. LeConte you'll reach a spur trail that takes you to Myrtle Point, one of two spots on the mountain that provide outstanding vantage points. I highly recommend hiking the additional 0.2 miles from this junction to take in the nearly 360 degree views from this location. Myrtle Point is also the best location for sunrises on Mt. LeConte.
Continuing another 0.2 miles past the
Myrtle Point trail
junction is the summit of Mt. LeConte, better known as High Top. You'll
know that
you've reached the highest point on the mountain when you reach the
large
cairn, or pile of rocks, just off the main trail on your left.
At 6593 feet, Mt. LeConte is the third
highest peak in the
Smoky Mountains. However, from its immediate base to its highest peak,
Mt.
LeConte is the tallest mountain in the Eastern United States, rising
5301 feet
from its base near Gatlinburg.
You won't have any views at High Top. As mentioned, there are two places on the mountain that provide panoramic views. In addition to Myrtle Point, the other place to visit for outstanding views is known as Cliff Top, which is near the LeConte Lodge, an additional 0.3-mile hike from the summit. Descend down the other side of the mountain and begin looking for one of two social trails that fork off towards the left. Either of these will take you to Cliff Top, which is also the best location for sunset views.
There is considerable amount of
controversy over which
member of the LeConte family the mountain was named for. Most people,
including
the USGS, assume that Joseph LeConte, the famous geologist and charter
member
of the Sierra Club, is the man for whom the mountain was named.
However, that
claim has been challenged in recent years. The authors of A Natural History of
Mount Le Conte, and the Georgia Encyclopedia,
both claim the name honors
Joseph's older brother, John, who was famous as a scientist and as
president of
the University of California in Berkeley.
One of the unique things about the hike up
to Mount LeConte
is the lodge and cabins near the top. Hikers have the option of
overnighting in
one of these cabins, which can accommodate about 50 guests a night
(you'll need
to make reservations first). For more information on the cabins, visit
the
LeConte Lodge website.
The idea for the lodge was generated when
Paul Adams, an
enthusiastic hiker and explorer, led an expedition up the mountain with
some
dignitaries from Washington in order to show them the rugged beauty of
the
Smoky Mountains, and to help promote the cause for national park
status. The
group spent the night in a large tent. The following year Adams would
build a
cabin on that same spot which eventually led to the establishment of
the
LeConte Lodge.
Adams is also credited with blazing the trail from Alum Cave up to the summit of Mount LeConte.
