 Good Morning,
It might be the last day of April, but spring is kicking into high gear. Temps are looking mild this weekend, the first signs of green foliage in the deeper valleys can be seen from Cliff Tops, and even the first of the Mountain Myrtle are beginning to bloom at Inspiration Point. It’s a little cool for breakfast service this morning, but it won’t take long for temps to rise near 60° this afternoon. Luckily for weekend warriors today, the forecast turned more favorable, particularly for the front half of the day. Count on plenty of vehicular traffic in the park and gateway communities today. So if you have plans of traveling into the park and up the mountain, best to hit it early ahead of the crowds and before the slight chance of showers and pop up thunderstorms ramps up this afternoon. Going to be a little breezy at times also. By tonight and all day Sunday, skies are expected to deliver some unrelenting liquid precip. So come ready for wet hiking conditions from start to finish tomorrow. Have a great day.
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 Good Morning,
What a splendidly sunny day yesterday turned out to be. So many great opportunities for relaxing rambles in the woods or basking in the warm sunshine. Today will start out similarly but with a tad more cloud building set to occur as the hours march on. Temps will be mild today, ranging from the low 40s to upper 50s, along with breezy conditions. Beginning late this evening, the first batch of intermittent rain showers will move into town. Saturday afternoon is calling for some thunderstorm action, then it appears Sunday could be an all-day-long drubbing of turbulent skies and wet trails. So come ready for sour conditions as we get deeper into the weekend. Kudos to the NPS trail crews for promptly removing the downed tree on Alum Cave yesterday just above the halfway point. Folks can now trek the five miles from summit to base without having any twiggy hurdles. Have a great day.  Good Morning,
Another beautiful day in the mountains is on tap. A little chilly once again to kickoff this Thursday, but the rising sun is already working quickly to warm things up. Should see temps in the lower 50s this afternoon. Tonight’s low will dip down into the 40s. Skies are clear currently and should be for much of the day before skies cloud up later this evening. Friday is slated to start pleasant with a slight chance of showers in the afternoon. Important notice for guests with reservations between Monday 5/2 and Wednesday 5/4. The repaving project happening along US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) will be affecting the parking area at Alum Cave. This means Alum Cave Trail and parking lots will be CLOSED on Tuesday, May 3 and Wednesday, May 4. Those guests affected will need to use one of the alternate trails accessing the lodge, either The Boulevard or those originating out of Cherokee Orchard. Folks with reservations for Monday, May 2 should also use an alternate trail, as their vehicles cannot be occupying any of the paved spaces at Alum Cave come Tuesday morning. If you are someone affected by this repaving project and would like some planning assistance, please feel free to contact our reservations office at 865-429-5704. Have a great day.  Good Morning, Clear and sunny skies greet us to welcome this Wednesday. The stellar conditions are set to last all day. Conditions will be somewhat cool up top today though, especially with the winds factored in. Temps will range from the 30s to 40s. Thursday promises to be clear as well and slightly warmer. Folks looking to visit the mountain this weekend should make preparations for a wet hike, as scattered rain and thunderstorms are expected to settle in. Have a great day.   Good Morning, It’s time to bid farewell to the most enjoyable sunny and warm streak of this past week, as the clouds and rain have finally rolled into town. Hikers should plan on a wet morning and early afternoon in the mountains as the rain showers work their way through. We’re starting off in the mid 40s for breakfast but the thermometer is expected to slowly creep downward as the day progresses in conjunction with the incoming cold front. By tonight temps could be around or just below freezing. The ground warmth could be enough to deter much ice formation, but travelers ought to come prepared for slick conditions tomorrow morning. By this evening skies should begin to clear and the next couple days are calling for the return of clear and sunny skies, albeit a little cooler than of late up top. Toting some extra layers wouldn’t be a bad idea. There have been a number of bear sightings on the trails in recent days. Remember to follow the park’s recommended safe practices if and when you encounter wildlife larger than yourself. Check out this helpful link from the NPS website to learn more about black bears and what to do when you see one. Have a great day.  Good Morning,
What a beautiful weekend it was on the mountain. Abundant warmth and sunshine for a change. Any overnight guest or day hiker who made the climb in recent days sure cashed in on what has been the best stretch of weather this year. And what’s even better, today should welcome more of the same! Calling for clear skies and high temps in the mid 60s once again. It appears as though our luck will run out for Tuesday. Rain is expected all that day with breezy conditions. Temps will also drop with the ensuing cold front, seeing the thermometer dip back down into the 40s for highs and 30s for lows. It’ll all be a one-hit-wonder thankfully, as mid-week conditions will improve for savory outdoor exploration once again. Have a great day.  Good Morning,
Mmm. Mmm. Do we have a gorgeous Saturday on tap for the mountain! The sun is shining bright and the air is sooo satisfyingly warm against the skin. Even the light breezes zipping through aren’t strong enough to give any type of chill the upper hand. We surpassed 60° for the first time in 2022 yesterday, and fully expect to establish a new high mark today. The day hikers are already rolling into camp in droves, and Sunday ought to be a repeat of sunny skies and a busy park. Have a great day.  Good Morning,
There’s a gray veil smothering the mountain top to begin this Friday, but the rising sun is already going to work at thinning it out. The air is calm, the colors are turning vivid, and the temps are mild. Should be a beautiful spring day in the park and across the upper elevations. We didn’t quite scrape 58° yesterday, but the warming trend will persist through the weekend along with abundant sunshine. It’s going to be a fabulous stretch of days to play in the woods and soak up some sun. If you’re in the area, come on up and enjoy what the mountain has to offer! Have a great day.  Good afternoon,
Here we are, rolling into the final third stanza of days in April, and the weather conditions are as topsy-turvy as ever. Seems like we’re still getting over having frost on the trees and single digit wind chills. Meanwhile today, we are basking in bright sunshine and the thermometer is creeping ever closer to a new high mark for the year. Judging by the extended forecast, if we don’t achieve 60° today, we certainly will this weekend. With such delightful conditions on tap for gallivanting through the woods, one can count on the crowds flocking to the Smokies over the coming days. Pretty soon we’ll be reminding folks to bring plenty of hydration and sunscreen instead of extra insulation and traction devices. And with each passing day comes more and more daylight hours. Sunrise up at this elevation is taking place well before 7:00 AM now, and the sunset at Cliff Tops nearly a quarter past 8:00 PM. More light means more time to enjoy the outdoors, right? Have a great rest of the day.  Good Morning, We’re waking up to mostly clear skies and a delightful sunrise high above East Tennessee this Wednesday. It’s a chilly start once again as the day kicks off in the 20s. Thankfully we’ll make our climb up into warmer temperatures this afternoon and stay there for the remainder of the week. That’s right, we’re talking 40s and 50s for highs and lows. We know better than to rule out any more wintry blasts over the coming weeks, but most folks are ready for spring to show up and stick around for once. The forecast also looks promising in the way of some steady sunshine. Looks like the next chance for any rain isn’t until next Tuesday. That means plenty of folks will be spending their free time in the outdoors over the coming days, so count on some traffic congestion in the park’s popular areas. Beginning April 25, GSMNP will be putting the finishing touches on a repaving project it initiated last year. The work will be taking place between the Chimneys Picnic Area and Newfound Gap along US 441. It is expected to last at least three weeks, but could require more time if various factors impact their ability to complete the work. Visitors to the Smokies during that time should expect occasional delays and single lane closures Mondays thru Fridays. Folks hoping to utilize Alum Cave or The Boulevard should plan accordingly if sitting in traffic longer than usual doesn’t sound appealing now through mid-May. Have a great day.  |
LeConte LodgeWelcome to the official blog of LeConte Lodge. We hope you find the information provided here both helpful and enjoyable. Thank you for visiting the site, and we hope to see you on the mountain! Archives
April 2023
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