September 30, 2021

Good Afternoon,

​It’s another beautiful day high above the Smokies. With 55 days left in the season, it’s time to bid farewell to September and get psyched about the leaf change season that makes October famous. Skies are a bit cloudier and hazy today as temps have warmed in time for the weekend. We’ll spend much of the afternoon up in the 60s, and overnight lows will get down into the bottom 50s. Winds, if any, will be light over the mountain. Rain is expected to return come Saturday, with percentages for storms increasing each day after.

Tomorrow is the big day as booking reservations for the 2022 season officially begins. A couple helpful reminders:

*Beginning Friday, October 1st at 8:00 AM Eastern, phone lines will go active and written requests received prior to Sept. 27 will start being processed simultaneously. Our dedicated reservations team will work non-stop until 5:00 PM.
*No bookings will take place over the weekend. Bookings will resume at 8:00-5:00 Monday, October 4th.
*Due to our company’s COVID-19 safety protocols, we are NOT accepting any walk-in reservation requests. Do NOT come to our reservations office in an attempt to bypass the online written requests or phones.
*2022 bookings are processed exclusively at our reservations office via telephone and previously received written requests. Not at the lodge atop Mt. LeConte, not through any GSMNP visitor center, and not through this blog.
*Make sure to check your email’s spam folder for possible booking confirmations. Some domains filter emails from “@lecontelodge.com” differently than others. We don’t want you to miss out on time sensitive payment information.

We have received no indication that GSMNP or the lodge will be closed tomorrow despite the ongoing deliberations regarding a potential federal government shutdown. As soon as we learn of anything that could affect the visitor experience, we will of course share that information promptly. Repaving work is still happening around Alum Cave, so expect continued traffic congestion and limited parking in that vicinity today.

Have a great day and good luck to those vying for 2022 slots tomorrow!