Good Morning,

​Sunshine and blue skies are in the cards for this weekend. Expect the most visited national park to be bustling with enthusiastic hikers and sightseers today and tomorrow! Especially with the climate giving us autumn temperature teasers in recent days. We should finally shake the persisting cloud cover that has been keeping us from enjoying clear skies during the day like everyone else around us. Yesterday’s clouds were so thick and full of condensation that the trees were dripping so much one might have thought it was raining. The summit will also start getting back to more summer-like temps, reaching the mid 60s this afternoon and near 70° on Sunday. In all likelihood the humidity will ramp back up as well, bringing the return of sticky ascents.

There’s been an uptick in bear activity on various Mt. LeConte trails in recent days. The NPS has posted signage at trailheads detailing as much. With the calendar pushing into late summer, the berries and nuts that bears crave will become more plentiful. Some of the best pickings also happen to be in places routinely congested with human visitors. A few popular hot spots this season have been a mile down Alum Cave Trail from the summit, in Cherokee Orchard, and at the Grotto Falls parking lot along Roaring Fork Road. So please be “bear aware” while visiting those and other areas.

​Have a great day.

Good Morning,

Another gorgeous day in the Smoky Mountains is in store, with plenty more on the way. Even after several consecutive days without precip, it’s interesting how creeks and even wet-weather exclusive drainages are still riding higher than average for this time of year. Just goes to show how significant some of those most recent storms have been to leave such a lasting impact. Plenty of sunshine should grace the mountain today and this weekend. It won’t exactly be a scorcher up top today, as the lodge will barely scrape 60°. It’s also going to be a bit windier today, with gusts up to 20mph possible over the peaks. Even with these pleasant conditions and sunny forecasts of late, the summit has had a knack for attracting a nagging cap cloud that obscures our grand views much of the afternoon and evening. Hopefully we get a break from such a trend soon so all of our visitors can enjoy the magnificent sights from all the famous vistas. With such a stellar forecast expected and summer vacations winding down for many, weekend warriors will certainly flock to the national park. Come prepared for heavy auto and foot traffic congestion en route and on trail over the coming days. Kudos to the NPS trail crews for fixing up that first footbridge on Alum Cave Trail this Wednesday. That massive maple did a number on its handrail, but they’ve cleaned it up nice.

Have a great day.

Good Morning,

The sun has risen, the sky is clear, and a beautiful day awaits. In fact, the entire coming week plus looks like the best forecast for clear weather we’ve had all season. After what’s been a mostly wet and cloudy summer with some severe gully washers, everyone’s excited to finally get a break from it. What’s even better is that these next couple days will be on the cooler side, which has ratcheted up the anticipation for autumn. The mountain will barely scrape the 60s today, tomorrow, and Friday. But with the sun out, that should feel fabulous on the trail.

NPS trail crews are performing maintenance to bridges on Alum Cave Trail today, so that path won’t be an option for overnight guests or day hikers until completed. All other trails are open and accessible, so expect a few more visitors than normal utilizing the next shortest options like Rainbow Falls and Trillium Gap. We all look forward to seeing their completed handiwork when it reopens tomorrow.

Have a great day.

Good Morning,

We’re halfway through August and down to just 99 days to go in the 99th season of the lodge. And what an incredible way to mark the occasion with last night’s atmospheric spectacle. Hikers may need to pack the oars this morning for paddling on what are sure to be very wet trails and heightened drainages and creek crossings after the recent deluge. The mountaintop took a brief 30 minute pounding early Monday afternoon that dropped 1.3” of rain and turned lodge paths into fast flowing torrents and ponds. It was unusual to see and hear the prolonged roar of water around camp even after sunny skies returned.

After supper and another sensational sunset, everyone’s eyes turned north toward the horizon as cumulonimbus clouds developed with rapid intensity. The billowing anvil-topped monsters were made most impressive as their heavenly bodies transitioned from waning oranges to a constant chattering of lightning. One by one as dusk turned to dark night, an entire 180° span of thunderheads from southwest to northeast became a distant frenzy of electricity both high and low. The lodge had the best seat in the Smokies for admiring such a powerful display, but it was only a matter of time before the show made us participants. For several hours the summit received lashing after lashing filled with blinding flashes and booming echoes. The evening’s toad strangler unloaded another 2.5” of precip, and all the water will be surging down the mountain and out through gateway communities this morning, if it hasn’t already. Spotty showers and clouds will persist this morning, eventually clearing by tonight. After all that action, it appears we’ll be basking in bountiful sunshine the rest of the week.

If anyone hiking up today notices freshly fallen trees, please notify us and the NPS immediately so that the obstructions and possible hazards can be addressed promptly. Reminder that Alum Cave Trail will be closed tomorrow for bridge repairs.

​Have a great day.

Good Morning,

We have another sunshine and flower-filled Sunday on tap for the mountain. As expected, we had a mostly pleasant day Saturday that was abruptly interrupted by a powerful storm right before supper time. More than an inch of rain fell in an hour with a load of lightning strikes throughout. By dusk, though, everyone was rewarded with clearing skies and a stunning sunset, arguably one of the most majestic we’ve enjoyed this year so far. And a calm starry night has led right into a soothing sunrise. Much of today will be gorgeous once again with only a slight chance of precip around supper time. The mountains should be full of eager outdoor enthusiasts soaking up the sights as the summer season slowly winds down. High temps will jump into the upper 60s this afternoon with little to no winds.

Have a great day.

Good Morning,

Clear blue skies greet our mountaintop dwellers this Saturday. The air is calm and only thin patches of clouds share the distant horizon with the orange and yellow gradients of sunrise. It’s going to be a hot day across East Tennessee, with temps at the lodge expected to get close to 70°. There are slight chances of popup showers and thunderstorms this afternoon, so early starts and departures from the summit for day hikers are in everyone’s best interests for staying dry. Winds could gust up to 20mph as clouds and storms build later. Weather for Sunday looks quite similar.

​Have a great day.

Good Morning,

Heavy rain and lightning are filling the skies this Thursday morning. A decent sized storm rolling into the region overnight and will linger til about mid morning. That means anyone looking to make an early start on the trail will find trail conditions quite wet and creeks likely running high. Use caution if doing so until all that runoff has a chance to subside by this afternoon. Temps will be cool up top, barely scraping 60° and winds will be blustery, gusting upwards of 35mph at times. Once the storm pushes through, skies will remain mostly cloudy the remainder of the day. Precip chances return for Friday with slightly warmer temps.

Have a great day.

Good Morning,

Yesterday the clouds weren’t really in the mood to let go of the mountains. We’re optimistic it will be a different story today in that the skies turn more favorably toward bright sunshine. All roads providing access to Mt. LeConte’s trails were gradually reopened yesterday, so visitors have numerous pickings for traversing the mountain once again. High temps at the lodge will tag the mid 60s this afternoon with only light winds. By Thursday, it appears we have another round of strong storms rolling into the region, once again calling for heavy rains and gusty winds. Best to start early tomorrow to get as far in front of the worsening weather as possible. Have those alternate plans drawn up as well in case a road or two get closed for downed trees as we saw yesterday.

A heads up for anyone with reservations next week. The NPS trail crews will be doing some bridge maintenance along Alum Cave Trail, thus requiring a temporary closure of the trail. This will occur on Wednesday, August 16th, so guests with reservations that night will need to utilize one of the other trails. It is also advised that guests staying Tuesday the 15th do the same, as the trail may be impassable during their descent that Wednesday morning.

Sevier County schools are back in session beginning today. That means traffic congestion in gateway community school zones will be quite congested in the early morning and mid afternoon hours, especially as students and families figure out the routine. So plan your routes to and from the Smokies accordingly.

Have a great day.

Good Morning,

Last night’s storms sure packed a whallop, hitting Sevier County and much of East TN quite hard. High winds and heavy rain brought down numerous trees inside the park and across gateway communities, so there will be no shortage of cleanup efforts happening today. As a result, US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) and Roaring Fork are temporarily closed. Hopefully road crews are able to quickly clear whatever obstructions might be in their way. In the meantime, Cherokee Orchard remains open, so visitors have access to Rainbow Falls and Bull Head trails this morning. The weather conditions should gradually improve as the day marches on, with clouds slowly clearing. Light winds will remain present and temps up top are going to be somewhat cooler today, only scraping the low 60s. So throw in that extra layer and expect soggy trails after yesterday’s rain.

​Have a great day.