Good Morning,

Summer is going to get a most enjoyable sendoff this week. Travelers coming to the Smokies over the coming days should be spoiled with pleasant skies and comfortable temps across all elevations. For us, that means daytime highs in the 50s and overnight lows in the 40s. It’s conditions like this that will help kickstart the famous autumn leaf change that will take us through a busy October. There is some patchy fog around the mountains this morning and skies will see a mix of sun and clouds this afternoon with only light winds. Now that the autumn edition of Rod Run is behind us, traffic throughout the gateway communities will be significantly less congested and stressful.

This is the last week to get those online written requests submitted in time for the 2024 bookings, which will commence on Monday, October 2. This is a great way to get your preferred dates submitted in advance and then carry on with your day once bookings begin. Visit our reservations website for more information.

Have a great day.

Good Morning,

We’re getting into the second half of September and the official last full week of summer. These delightful temps we’ve been enjoying of late will most certainly draw in visitors to the park today. Remember that there will be a great deal of vehicular traffic congestion for those that do. The Pigeon Forge Rod Run continues into this weekend, so county-wide law enforcement is encouraging everyone to pack the patience for getting in and around the gateway communities as safely and enjoyably as possible. Between the stormy weather expected to roll in later today, and the preferred football team of East Tennesseans not playing til later tonight, expect tourists and local weekend warriors to be hitting the trails in earnest this morning. Sun and clouds will be a mix overheard to start this Saturday, but by lunchtime and into Sunday the mountains should see wet and breezy weather. Temps will continue to hover between 40s and 50s at the lodge. Rain gear and warm layers will be a must for everybody coming and going today on Mt. LeConte.

​Have a great day.

Good Morning,

Travelers will have a beautiful for spending time in the Smokies today, but all should come prepared for the possibility of a popup rain shower or two this afternoon. Conditions up top will continue to feel delightful with high temps in the upper 50s. Winds will be slightly more active today but still light. Saturday and Sunday are calling for significantly more rain and storms, so weekend warriors need to come prepared for what could turn out to be sloppy conditions.

Ya’ll did such a magnificent job provisioning our hard working crew with sweets and delectables, that they went all summer without seeing their beloved candy bucket run dry. But the time has come to put out another APB for those who love spoiling our staff. If you feel so inclined on your next trek up the mountain to offer up a chewy and savory donation, here’s a list of some favs by our folks: milk duds, almond joys, mounds, skittles, biscoff (w/ cookie butter), Reese’s, starbursts, lifesavers, gummy bears, York peppermint Pattie’s, anything sour too. Many thanks on behalf of the crew for helping to keep them energized!

Have a great day.

Good Afternoon,

We’ve been teased with glimpses of sunshine as the day plods along, but otherwise the summit has been getting quite familiar with these here clouds. It feels like a superb late summer/early autumn day at our elevation. Temps are in the 50s, and there is an ever-so-subtle touch of coolness to the air that feels comfortable but not alarming due to the absence of wind. We’ve gotten into the 40s for lows the last few nights and the trend is expected to continue. Friday is calling for a mix of sun and clouds with a slight chance of rain and storms by mid afternoon. Precip possibilities are even higher for Saturday.

1925 - 1st season!
1926 - 2nd
1927 - 3rd
1928 - 4th
1929 - 5th
1930 - 6th
1931 - 7th
1932 - 8th
1933 - 9th
1934 - 10th
………
1944 - 20th
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1954 - 30th
……………….
1974 - 50th
…………………………………
2014 - 90th
……..
2023 - 99th

If you haven’t figured it out by now, 2024 marks the 100th season of LeConte Lodge! Be a part of the celebration by submitting a written request online for a reservation to stay overnight next season. Check out www.lecontelodge.com/reservations for more information. Once we have rates from the NPS, we will publish that information post haste. Please note that we will pause accepting written requests after next Friday, September 22nd. So be sure and get yours in this week if you haven’t done so already. Booking for 2024 is slated to begin on Monday, October 2nd.

Have a great rest of the day.

Good Morning,

A magnificent Monday on the mountain has transitioned right into a tantalizing Tuesday. Patchy fog at varying elevations are mixing with scattered sun rays this morning. Travelers will have a decent first few hours of the day to move about, but by this afternoon stormy weather is expected to enter the equation. Before the wet conditions arrive later today, the summit could tag the lower 60s for temps. The rain possibilities will linger through Wednesday morning and then temps will make an autumn-like slide down the thermometer. Thursday on into the weekend looks stellar for outdoor adventures but with high temps in the 50s.

Heads up that this coming weekend marks the annual fall edition of Pigeon Forge’s Rod Run. Several classic cars are already lining the parkway, but traffic throughout the gateway communities this coming weekend will be thoroughly congested. Plan your routes to and from the Smokies accordingly to spend the most time enjoying the trails and least time idling on pavement.

Have a great day.

Good Afternoon,

Been a gorgeous mid-September day in the mountains. Clouds and sunshine dance among ridge tops and valley corners. The humidity of summer is present but waning. Looking ahead to tomorrow and Wednesday we have rain showers inbound, with cooler temps more appropriate for the coming season soon after. Our afternoons of tagging the 60s regularly appear to be numbered going forward, with highs in the 50s and overnight lows in the 40s becoming the norm after the cold front slices through the region. Visitors to the summit would be wise to add an extra layer or two for added warmth and comfort. Many of the wildflowers we’ve been enjoying in recent weeks are dropping petals and going to seed. A sure sign that autumn is on the way at our elevation.

​Have a great rest of the day.

Good Morning,

The Smokies are enjoying a bit of a break in the stormy weather this morning after quite a thunderous evening. Expect to find trails plenty wet today and maybe even some creeks running high after all the numerous popup showers that rolled through yesterday. More late summer storms are in the forecast for us this afternoon, so keep the rain gear primed and ready for use. Winds over the crest will be light and temps will remain in the 50s much of today. Monday should start out sunny with only a slight possibility of rainy weather tomorrow afternoon.

Have a great day.

Good Morning,

Numerous cloud layers stretch across the atmosphere this morning from low valley to high peak. The mountains are getting a break from the stormy action to start this Saturday after several big systems rolled and rumbled through the region overnight. More wet weather is on call for this afternoon and into tomorrow, so anyone hoping to spend time on trails today should do so early. Everyone should pack their rain gear regardless, because these hills and hollers can certainly produce their own weather. Temps will spend most of their time in the 50s today, especially if the sun remains hidden from view. Winds will be light over the crest.

There’s been an increase in bear activity around the mountain lately. Sadly, one continues to see the wreckless, irresponsible, and damaging behavior by those who feed wildlife and/or don’t pack out their own trash, orange peels, and plastic bottles for example. Doing so is about as disrespectful as one can be in a beautiful national park such as GSMNP, and it creates harmful and dangerous situations for not only the native wildlife but other human visitors. If you are a responsible and caring person who witnesses such despicable acts, please call out such people by educating them about proper practices or reporting what you see to the NPS. We all share in the responsibility of keeping the Smokies beautiful and unspoiled while preserving its natural resources for future generations to enjoy. Thank you.

Have a great day.

Good Morning,

Well we managed to dodge any atmospheric nastiness yesterday, and today has started out magnificently so far. The sun is shining brightly over the mountain with some low lying clouds obscuring parts of the TN valley and over yonder in NC. There remains a slight chance of isolated storms late this afternoon, though, so don’t get complacent out there on trail and get surprised by something that might unload on you without a rain shell handy. The chances over the weekend are still high for intermittent storms. Temps will continue to hover between 50s and 60s at the lodge these next several days. The Grass of Parnassus are still putting on a great show around the mountain. The impressive display should last another solid week or two for hikers to enjoy.

​Have a great day.