Good Afternoon,

It’s another sunny day high above East Tennessee. Temps are quite comfortable, wasting no time in climbing up into the 50s this morning. The mountain is having no trouble staying above freezing in recent nights. A few puffy clouds are around and there’s a haze out across the horizon line, but nothing is going to keep that bright orb in the sky held back. The next couple days still look promising. By the time we get to the weekend a chance for precip returns. The leaf change continues to cascade down the mountain. Safe to say that the upper half of Alum Cave, or 5,000’ plus, is done with its autumn contributions. Still plenty of color happening on the lower half.

​Have a great rest of the day.

Good Morning,

Apart from one wet weekend earlier in the month, October has brought some fantastic weather for exploring the outdoors. Thankfully that trend is set to continue throughout this week. The sun will persist and temps will return to the 40s and 50s on top these next several days. Still count on having those extra layers for attending sunset and when you first wake up in the morning. With less daylight these days comes a shorter period of peak warmth during the afternoon. Day hikers should know before their ascent of Mt. LeConte when it is best to leave the summit, accounting for sunset and individual hiking speed. The later we get into the calendar now, the greater the risks for getting caught out unprepared in the dark and cold. And hydration is as crucial is ever, even if you aren’t sweating
through your hiking gear like you would in the hot and humid months of summer.

​Have a great start to the week.

Good Morning,

It’s going to be another stunning day for weekend warriors and leaf peepers alike visiting the Smokies today. Expect congestion along park roads and popular trails for much of the day. As expected we got down around the freezing mark last night but we’re already warming back up. Should easily get into the upper 40s this afternoon. We’re looking at a warming trend with each subsequent day in the forecast this coming week, along with continued sunshine. The next opportunity for rain might not be until next weekend, but even that could change.

Any autumn color across the park’s upper elevations are on the way out. The middle elevations are kicking into gear, and there’s still significant greenery at the lowest elevations that shouldn’t start changing until around Halloween. That’s the beauty of celebrating the fall leaf change in the mountains, there’s never one singular “peak” moment encompassing all elevations, and the entire process lasts a month and half at least. Due to the size and scale of Mt. LeConte, we’re fortunate enough to enjoy that process from beginning to end.

​Have a great day.

Good Morning,

Commence the third weekend of October, which is likely to be a busy beehive of activity in the Smokies. With sunny skies on tap and the autumn leaf change in full swing, the crowds are sure to be everywhere today. So come ready with patience for the congestion on the roads and trails.

It was our chilliest night in quite some time as we dipped down into the mid 20s. Frost abound even as far down as the valley below. As the sun rises though temps should get well into the 40s this afternoon. Tonight is not expected to be as cold but we could get close to the freezing mark once again.

We will continue to serve our guests their meals at their respective cabins the remaining few weeks, even with the changing of the seasons. Several guests have still enjoyed eating outside on their porches if the weather allows, just choosing to bundle up. Guests can of course eat inside the warmer confines of their cabins if they prefer. We’ll bring the food to you good and hot all the same!

Have a great weekend.

Good Morning,

​A thin band of rain showers has made its way through the mountains and is already heading out. Skies will remain mostly cloudy much of the day with perhaps some partial clearing late in the afternoon. Temps have already dipped down into the mid 30s, and the next two evenings could see us get into the 20s. With the precip producer moving on, cold could be all we get to witness. As far as sunshine, once we kickoff the weekend we should see a steady stretch of gorgeous autumn days. These cold temps in the evenings and mild sunny afternoons will really help along the leaf change in the mid to lower elevations.

We’re approaching less and less daylight with each passing day, almost to eleven hours of light in a few days. So hikers will need to be smart about when to leave the top of the mountain with adequate light and warmer temps to get down. Conditions can cool off quickly once the sun drops, and even sooner in the shaded areas or down by creeks. Count on utilizing those warm layers at the start and end to your hike. Reminder that even with the changing of the seasons, our COVID-19 health and safety protocols at the lodge remain in place. Come prepared for spending the majority of your time outside in the elements, as our indoor public areas provide limited access and all food orders are served “to-go.” With so many people visiting the lodge these days, our team is working expeditiously to get everyone through the lines for purchasing our famous shirts and cookies.

Have a great day.

Good Morning,

In the blink of an eye we’re halfway through October with Halloween quickly approaching. Yesterday the clouds finally stopped discriminating and allowed for open and abundant sunshine for all, making for a beautiful day across East Tennessee. It appears that will not be the case today as the gray veil has the upper elevations thoroughly socked in. There could be some intermittent breaks of sunshine at times today, but current conditions will likely persist in advance of the forecasted rain and temperature drop coming tomorrow. We’re starting off in the mid 40s and can expect to hover between there and the 50s today. Late this evening and into tomorrow morning there is a chance for rain showers. It won’t be nearly as warm come Friday, and the overnight low into Saturday could produce below freezing temps across all Park elevations. How that timing will coincide with any lingering precip of course has our attention.

A few notes about current Park closures in our area...
*The Trails Forever crews continue to rehab Trillium Gap Trail on weekdays Monday through Thursday. The work lasts until mid-November, so visitors will only have permission to use that trail for accessing the lodge on weekends.
*The backcountry shelter up the hill from the lodge remains closed to all users due to recent bear activity. Overnighters for the shelter who have not been notified by the Park or who have failed to do research before their hike should not rely on the lodge as a backup plan. Camping of any kind on lodge grounds is strictly forbidden, and our cabins are booked up well in advance by guests who have taken the proper steps to secure and pay for a reservation.
*Access to Brushy Mountain Trail from Greenbrier is closed to all users and has been since the spring. Signs are clearly posted at the start of Porters Creek Road. Visitors should respect this closure by the Park for a multitude of reasons, one of which includes visitor safety.

Good Morning,

Visitors to the mountain sure got a treat yesterday as we enjoyed one of those mystifying “island above a sea of clouds” days. It was nice to have a solid day of sunshine again from start to finish, our first in about a week. It also allowed one to better assess the status of the autumn leaf change since the winds and rains of Delta blew through. There isn’t so much color along the higher peaks anymore, but still plenty going on in the mid elevations. Our llama wranglers have noted the brilliance of vivid color on their ascent of Trillium Gap in recent trips, with the slopes of Brushy Mountain and Mt. Winnesoka sporting a kaleidoscope of reds, oranges, and yellows. The temperature inversion has helped keep things mild up top with temps in the 40s and 50s. We’re due for a few more days just like it, but by Friday the precip chances return and the temps will drop substantially. Everyone is curious what the skies will bring when that happens.

​Have a great day.

Good Morning,

Mondav was a tale of two halves, as we started out the day clouded in with a constant mist, but conditions gradually improved throughout the afternoon as skies cleared and the sun returned. After several days it was good to see the bright orb in the sky once again. All that tropical air and moisture stirred up from Delta had the mountaintop feeling muggy and mild yesterday, but it appears that is going to change by this weekend. We are currently clouded in and even had a brief rain shower during the night, but conditions are expected to improve throughout the day with the sun staking a longer and stronger claim the next couple days. Temps will remain in the 40s and 50s. There is a little less fall color around camp now after all of the turbulent weather, it still plenty to enjoy further down the mountain. Enjoy if you are out and about in the woods today.

Good Morning,

Constant cloud cover and a ceaseless mist were the theme for Sunday. Although the rain associated with Delta seems to finally be over, the clouds and fog are still going to need more time to clear out. If we aren’t able to witness the return of the sun later today, then hopefully by tomorrow. Trails will still be plenty saturated today. After several inches of rainfall, it will take some time for creeks to subside and surfaces to dry. With all of the freshly fallen leaves on the trail, slick surfaces and even tripping hazards can become hidden, so be mindful of one’s foot placement. The early part of the week will continue to be warm, but by the weekend a cool down is expected. Watching what that could mean for the precip possibilities very closely.

Beginning tonight we are bumping up supper meal time to 5:30 PM to continue to support folks in their sunset viewing aspirations. This will remain the case until the time change at the end of the month. Breakfast service will still be served hot at 8:00 AM.

​Have a great day.

Good Morning,

We’re still going to be riding out the rain, wind, and clouds the next 24 hours, but it appears the worst that Delta has to offer is now behind us. The heaviest rains came down throughout the night, so creeks in some places are sure to be surging until conditions dry up. The mountain is socked in at the moment, and scattered rain bands should persist throughout the day. Wind gusts of up to 30 mph are still possible across the higher peaks of the park. The forecast for Monday has improved since Delta made landfall and has slowly but surely broken apart.

The fall color display along Alum Cave Trail is at its peak from top to bottom, so essentially everything above 3,500 feet in elevation. Mostly golds can be seen higher up, and especially down along the creek between the trailhead and Arch Rock. Up around Inspiration Point and the Bluffs are where colors diversify with reds and oranges in the mix. As weather conditions turn more favorable, these mountains are certainly worth exploring.

Have a great rest of the weekend.