Mt. LeConte - Hike Trillium Gap Trail to Mt. LeConte in Smokies


Trail Features:		Panoramic Views, Waterfalls
Trail Location:		Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
Roundtrip Length:		13.9 miles
Total Elevation Gain:		3401 feet
Avg. Elev Gain / Mile:		489 feet
Highest Elevation:		6593 feet
Trail Difficulty Rating:		20.70 (strenuous)
Parking Lot Latitude:		35.68037
Parking Lot Longitude:		- 83.46243

Directions to Trailhead:

Starting from Light 8 in Gatlinburg, turn onto Historic Nature Trail / Airport Road. At 0.7 miles, veer right onto Cherokee Orchard Road, upon which you'll enter into Great Smoky Mountain National Park. After driving another 2.2 miles, you'll enter the one-way Cherokee Orchard Loop. Drive 0.9 miles on the loop before turning right onto the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. The parking lot for the Trillium Gap Trail will be on the left side of the road, after driving roughly 1.6 miles on this one-way loop. The trailhead is just beyond the parking lot on the opposite side of the road. Because of the extreme popularity of this trail there are additional parking spaces beyond the trailhead. Your best bet is to get there early during peak visitor seasons.

Trail Description:

To reach Mount LeConte you'll be following the Trillium Gap Trail for almost the entire length of your hike. The first section of trail is technically an access trail, but just 0.15 mile you'll link up with the Trillium Gap Trail. Continue going straight at this junction.

The lower portion of the trail meanders through a beautiful old-growth forest, including many large hemlocks. If you happen to be hiking the trail during May you'll have the added benefit of witnessing a smorgasbord of wildflowers through this section, including trillium, white violets, stitchwort, squawcorn and Dutchman's breeches.

For the most part, the trail to your first destination, Grotto Falls, is a gentle climb along a wide, well-worn path.

At 1.3 miles you'll reach Grotto Falls, the only waterfall in the park that a person can actually walk behind. The 25-foot high waterfall offers a cool, shady, moist retreat for summer hikers. Similar to the Rainbow Falls Trail, the trail to Grotto Falls will be quite busy during peak seasons, however, beyond the falls, the crowds thin considerably.

As you walk behind the falls you can hear and feel the thunderous power of the water plunging into the pool in front of you. Watch your step here, especially in the winter - the area around the falls is always wet and slick.

To reach Mt. LeConte, continue on beyond the falls.

As you walk the section of trail roughly half-way between the falls and Trillium Gap, listen for the underground stream roaring through the rocks underneath the trail.

At just over 3 miles you'll reach Trillium Gap (picture on the left) and the junction with the Brushy Mountain Trail. A turn to the left and a short hike of roughly a third of a mile will take you to the summit of Brushy Mountain, a place that offers outstanding views of Mount LeConte and the entire eastern flank of the Great Smoky Mountains. Going straight at the junction will lead you down the Brushy Mountain Trail to the Porters Creek Trail. To continue on towards the summit of Mount LeConte, turn right at this junction.

Don't be surprised to run into a pack-train of llamas between Trillium Gap and the summit. This section of trail is traveled three times a week by llamas that transport supplies to the LeConte Lodge.

At roughly 6.6 miles the trail dead-ends at the Rainbow Falls Trail. Just prior to reaching this junction you'll pass the LeConte Lodge on your right. For many people, the Lodge marks the end of their hike; however, to reach the actual summit of LeConte, you still need to hike another 0.3 mile. Turn left at the junction to continue on towards the summit.

The summit, better known as High Top, will be at 6.9 miles. You'll know you've reached the highest point on Mt. LeConte when you've reached the large cairn, or pile of rocks, just off the main trail on the right.

At 6593 feet, Mt. LeConte is the third highest peak in the Smoky Mountains. However, measured from its immediate base to its highest point, Mt. LeConte can be considered the tallest mountain in the Eastern United States, rising 5301 feet from its base near Gatlinburg.

There is considerable 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.

Unfortunately you won't have any vistas at High Top. However, there are two places on the mountain that do afford panoramic views.

One is at Myrtle Point. To get to Myrtle Point, you'll need to walk another 0.4 miles by continuing along the main trail, which has now turned into the Boulevard Trail. About 0.2 miles from High Top, take the fork off the right side of the trail to reach Myrtle Point, which is another 0.2 miles from this junction. Myrtle Point provides nearly 360 degree views and is the best location for sunrises on Mt. LeConte.

The other location for outstanding views is known as Cliff Top, which is near the LeConte Lodge. You will have passed two side trails to Cliff Top, on your right, as you made your way up to High Top. Cliff Top is the best location for sunsets.

One of the unique things about the hike up to Mount LeConte is the lodge and overnight cabins at the top. Hikers have the option of spending the night in the historic cabins which can accommodate about 50 guests a night (you will need reservations well in advance). For more information, visit the LeConte Lodge website.

The idea for the lodge was created when Paul Adams, an enthusiastic hiker and explorer, led an expedition up the mountain with some dignitaries from Washington to show them the rugged beauty of the Great 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 built 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.

Please note that the road to the Grotto Falls trailhead is closed in the winter. However, during the winter months, you can still hike to Mt. LeConte via Trillium Gap by starting your hike from the Trillium Gap Trailhead near the Rainbow Falls Trailhead. This will add another 3.4 miles to your roundtrip hike.