November 25, 2021

Good Morning,

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! After serving our final overnight guests of the season on Wednesday, and a great deal of cleaning up, locking down, and winterizing, the lodge is officially closed for the winter season. All on-site visitor services will resume March 21, 2022. A couple reminders about what visitors can expect over these next few months:

*Anyone day hiking to Mt. LeConte will only have access to our pit privies.
*The only available water source will be the natural spring located northeast of lodge grounds where Trillium Gap Trail exits. If you don’t have means of treating the water you draw from the spring, then it is recommended you pack enough hydration for the entirety of your trip up and down the mountain.
*Since our buildings are closed to the public from entry, you will also need to come prepared for spending 100% of your trip outdoors in the raw elements, as there will be no shelter from the cold or potential storms.
*More so now than ever, all visitors are responsible for being good and caring stewards of our national park, and that certainly starts with packing out all trash. Although the NPS may have the restrooms closed at any/all of our mountain’s trailheads, the bear-proof trash bins remain in place to use upon completing one’s hike.
*Our on-site gift shop might be closed until next spring, but lodge enthusiasts can still purchase unique souvenirs and apparel 24/7 through our online store. Be sure and visit www.lecontelodge.com/store to scope out our latest online offerings ahead of the holidays.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, it’s important to go through and express our sincere gratitude to everyone that helped to make this season possible. There simply isn’t enough time or text to adequately cover everyone and everything as is deserved, but we’ll do our best!

Since we are located on top of a mountain inside the most visited national park in America, we’ll start with thanking our local park partners here at GSMNP who allow us to operate in such a beautiful place. There are so many people under the employ of the NPS who do incredible work to help provide a safe and enjoyable visitor experience here in the Smokies and on Mt. LeConte. From the trail crews keeping our paths passable, to the medics responding to visitors in distress, the folks managing resources and wildlife to keep our mountains wild and beautiful, to the staff and volunteers stationed at trailheads and visitor centers keeping travelers educated and informed, and so many more. To those donning the green and gray, your services are greatly appreciated!

To be able to provide the array of goods and services that we do at the lodge requires the involvement of numerous outside business partners. We’re talking food distributors, shirt designers, artists, craftsmen, construction contractors, mechanics, electricians, plumbers, and so on. We have the fortune of working with so many businesses, big and small, local and nationwide, all of whom have been committed to providing contributions to our unique operation, even during these unusual times. Thank you all!

Countless visitors and guests throughout the year have commented on how awesome our hard working staff is, and we couldn’t agree more! Our team of folks at the lodge and Stokely Hospitality is full of caring, dedicated people working tirelessly to provide a safe and memorable once-in-a-lifetime experience. Whether working behind the scenes at our administrative offices, answering phones and emails assisting reservations, leading or caring for our lovable pack llamas, or crewing as the face of the lodge while serving up delicious meals, selling stylish shirts, and welcoming guests to cozy cabins, we just can’t brag enough about our team. In the 97 year existence of LeConte Lodge, no team has ever had to overcome and adapt to the changes and challenges of the times like this one, and to continue to do so while remaining committed to serving our guests and each other, these folks deserve the utmost thanks and appreciation.

Last and certainly not least, a heartfelt thank you to everyone who took the time and effort to visit us this season, either as overnight guests or on a day hike. It is our pleasure to be able to share our passion for this mountain and the outdoors with so many people. First timers and long time returnees, your patronage is greatly appreciated and we truly hope to welcome you back to our special mountain getaway sometime soon. The kind words of encouragement, support, and appreciation you doled upon our team throughout the year in many ways was the fuel that kept us going.

Have a safe and prosperous holiday season. We hope you enjoy the sights and musings of Mt. LeConte via this blog over the coming winter months. Until next March, thank you again and happy trails!