April 4, 2023

Good Morning,

​After a day of mostly overcast skies and intermittent light rain showers, the mountains are due for a mix of sun and clouds today with unseasonably warm temps across all elevations. We’re talking mid-60s possibly up as high as we are. June through August? Sure. Early April? Unexpected, but we’ll take it! Wednesday could be just as warm before the wet weather returns to finish out the rest of the week. So we all best enjoy it while we can! As we near the holiday weekend, just a heads up to anyone needing to make last minute adjustments to their reservations. Our office will be closed Good Friday in observance of the holiday, so be sure and reach out to our awesome reservations team before close of business Thursday.

Since the inaugural rollout of the GSMNP’s new parking policies, we’ve seen a shift in the amount of people taking trails other than Alum Cave to reach the lodge. With more folks taking the historically less popular paths these first few weeks of the season, it’s certainly worth providing more detailed trail reports than is typical. Let’s get things rolling with Bull Head, which happens to be one of the best spring wildflower trails in the park! After a wet winter and strong winds of late, this trail has numerous downed trees from top to bottom. The good news is they are all navigable for folks even with average hiking abilities. For anyone ambitiously attempting the Mt. LeConte Mile High Challenge from town via Old Sugarlands Road to Bull Head, it too has numerous downed trees. Of course that added distance is not recommended for overnight guests. Trees are mostly bare still, providing great views particularly in the burn zones on either side of The Pulpit. Only a handful of trees are budding close to Cherokee Orchard. Spring Beauties have started blooming higher up, but most wildflowers are at the mid to low elevations currently. White and Yellow Trillium, Squirrel Corn, Dutchman’s Breeches, Trout Lilies, Dwarf Iris, and Lousewort just to name a few. Bull Head is one of those trails that has something to offer at all elevations all April long.

Have a great day.