 The great thaw of the mountain continues as we head into what will be a warm weekend. Overnight lows well above freezing now coupled with afternoon highs near 50° will only accelerate the melting of all that snow we received. While the majority of one’s hike to the summit will see trails free and clear of any snow, what accumulated thick enough toward the top will take a tad longer to disappear. Whichever trail you take to and from the Lodge, count on your steps once above 6,000’ to require use of traction devices for safely navigating icy terrain. Hopefully in the next day or two it’s all gone and such precautions will no longer be advised. All roads and trails providing access to Mt. LeConte are open. The views from our elevation are far and wide these days after that arctic cold cleared the air. With only a dozen days left in the season, chances to soak them up while having access to our various services are about to conclude until spring 2026! 
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 What an incredible past few days atop Mt. LeConte. Warm days and vivid autumn colors followed by frigid nights and winter wonderlands. Capped off by a stunning Aurora borealis show. The beauty at 6,593’ never ceases to amaze. US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) and Roaring Fork are still temporarily closed this morning, but NPS crews will continue to assess. Warmer above-freezing temps at all elevations today and beyond should help road crews in their efforts to clear them and hopefully get reopened soon. Cherokee Orchard Road meanwhile fully reopened yesterday morning, so visitors do have access to Rainbow Falls and Bull Head trails still for their ascents and descents. We’re starting out in the 20s this morning but might ascend into the 40s by this afternoon under sunny skies. Expect a significant snow melt process to begin today, causing trails to become wet and slushy at times. Plus whatever snow has been sitting enuf up in the trees will be imitating rain as the widespread thaw ensues. Remember those traction devices, as well as adequate layers for staying warm and dry.   By the looks of it, winter has arrived early to Mt. LeConte! A white canvas has overtaken the entire landscape as the Lodge currently sits under 3” of fresh snow. We still have all day and tonight to accumulate more, so we’ll eagerly wait to see what else continues to fall. As anticipated, the air at our elevation is absolutely frigid. Although the thermometer is reporting 9°, the wind chills are going to have it feeling more like -5° outside. And it’s only supposed to get colder as the day goes along. The Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until 7:00 AM Tuesday. Cherokee Orchard Road remains open at this time, meaning guests have access to Rainbow Falls and Bull Head trails for trekking to and from the summit over the shortest possible distance. US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) and Roaring Fork were closed last night and will likely remain that way into tomorrow. Traction devices, adequate layers and accessories for warmth, and sufficient means of hydration and nourishment will all be musts for hiking in these conditions safely and as comfortably as possible. Please put more stock in the function of your gear and less in the fashion. If you have an upcoming booking for utilizing our shuttle service these next few days, please be sure to contact our reservations office in case modifications need to be made. Due to the temporary road closures of US 441 and Roaring Fork, anyone who had hopes of taking trails like Alum Cave, The Boulevard, or Trillium Gap trails will need to consider revised drop offs/pickups at Cherokee Orchard today and possibly tomorrow.  The forecast for our area has now been upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning from 7:00 PM Sunday til 7:00 AM Tuesday. Total snow amounts for Mt. LeConte have also increased, with the summit set to receive upwards of 12” by storm’s end. Wind gusts of 40mph and frigid subzero windchills are still expected tonight and tomorrow. Gatlinburg could receive an inch or two of snow as well.
Everyone, whether hiking or driving in the park, should take these conditions seriously. Hypothermia and exhaustion are no joke if you are unprepared for bone-chilling temperatures and potentially deep snow. US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) and Roaring Fork will be closing tonight in advance of the coming storm. No announcement has been made regarding Cherokee Orchard Rd, so guests with overnight reservations for Sunday and Monday should consider hiking either Rainbow Falls or Bull Head trails at this time.  The masses made their way to the mountains to soak up every bit of these final waning warm days of autumn. The sunshine, delightful day time highs, and remaining colors clinging to their trees made for outdoor opportunities worth taking, especially considering what’s blowing our direction tomorrow. Scattered rain showers are going to get things started Sunday morning, and as arctic air forces its way down to Southern Appalachia, temperatures regardless of elevation are going to plummet. At this time, our region will be under a Winter Storm Watch from 7:00 PM Sunday thru 1:00 PM Monday, calling for as much 7” of snow across the higher peaks, single digit overnight lows, and gusts of 40mph contributing subzero windchills. The NPS has already announced that US 441 (Newfound Gap Rd) and the one-way Roaring Fork loop will be closing by 6:00 PM Sunday in preparation for the hazardous forecast conditions. That means guests with reservations on Monday night will need to consider ascending Mt. LeConte via Rainbow Falls (6.7 mi) or Bull Head (6.9 mi) trails, and that’s assuming Cherokee Orchard Road remains open in its entirety. NPS crews will assess park roads when safe and with the resources they have available to them while the federal gov’t shutdown continues, but visitors shouldn’t be surprised if significant snow and long lasting frigid temps cause some roads to be closed multiple days. Guests with reservations for Sunday night who choose to ascend Alum Cave should understand that there is significant uncertainty as to what conditions they would face if choosing to hike down Alum Cave on Monday to a closed US 441. Same for anyone descending Trillium Gap to Roaring Fork. There are no guarantees these roads would be safely drivable or reopened by that point. With that information, Sunday’s guests entering the park with their own vehicles are being advised to utilize the trails out of Cherokee Orchard.  US441/Newfound Gap Road and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail will close at 6pm on Sunday, November 9 due to forecasted severe weather.
The park will reassess conditions on Monday morning. Visit the park website for the status on all park roads: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/conditions.htm  Things are about to get interesting in our neck of the woods. While we have a warm and sun-filled Friday tee’d up for us today, the forecast is set to turn wet, sloppy, and even snowy over the weekend. In fact, if you thought that cold blast we endured last week was a frigid first test of winter, what’s coming is likely to make one quickly forget it. Rain tonight and tomorrow night will precede a steep temperature drop. Come Sunday evening, the summit could be registering single digit temps, the iciness amplified by sub-zero windchills. So enjoy these pleasant and sunny days of autumn if in the area, because the entire region will have a drastically different look and feel in a couple days. Monitor those travel alerts and road condition updates closely, because it would come as no surprise should some park roads get temporary closed for hazardous driving conditions. If you’re a guest who can’t access Alum Cave, have a plan in place for getting to and from one of the other longer trails such as those out of Cherokee Orchard. In any instance, the traction devices will be a must.   One might have thought summer made its return yesterday between the sizzling sunshine, cloudless skies, and toasty temps. At our elevation, quickly jumping from single digit windchills to afternoon highs in the 50s is a dramatic shift, but one that we’ll gladly take. Visitors to the mountain get to enjoy at least another full day of pleasant skies and comfy conditions. The summit should tag the 50s again today and we’ll stay well above any hint of the freezing mark overnight. All will continue to help trails dry up and allow for safe and confident foot-stepping without fear of icy spots. If you’re coming to the area to try and admire the last bit of fall color, below 3,500’ is where the action is happening. Whether you’re attempting either of the trails emanating from the mountain’s north side, or soaking up the sights from a scenic drive on US 441 or Cherokee Orchard Road, prepare to be amazed by the kaleidoscope of colors currently showing out. On a day like this, heading higher into the park won’t offer much in the way of a diverse color spectrum, but with such clear skies the views will speak for themselves. Although progress on it had ceased since the federal gov’t shutdown went into effect, today marks the official end of Bull Head’s weekday closures for trail maintenance. Starting tomorrow, it will be open to public use daily until the rehab project resumes next spring. The NPS trail crews, volunteers, and summer staff sure made some mighty progress on Bull Head this year. Hikers will appreciate the improved tread, added steps, and grand vistas already in place. We look forward to seeing its completion a year from now.   We’ve slowly but surely shaken off this icy coat of the past week. Warm temps and abundant sunshine have taken control of the atmosphere and are gracing the mountains with delightful hiking conditions. We might just see the temps soar into the 50s this afternoon, which will feel like an absolute heat wave compared to where we were. Visitors can bank on a few warm and clear days as we approach the weekend, then rain returns followed by another dramatic drop back into winter. But before that happens, get outside and enjoy all the remaining fall colors under these stellar skies while you can. Although trails like Alum Cave and Boulevard have empty canopies, the lower sections of Bull Head, Rainbow Falls, and Trillium Gap are aglow with vivid colors.   We have all the looks and feels of a moody November day on the mountain. Cool, breezy, overcast skies, barren trees, patchy ice, and waning daylight hours only amplified by the time change. As temps waver on either side of the freezing mark today, the threat of rain, sleet, and even snow showers are ever present. Once we get through today, we have a very promising forecast for the entire week ahead that calls for warmer temps and ample sunshine. For this next week, guest supper will be served at 6:15 PM, now that sunset is taking place closer 5:30 PM. Folks staying the night will be able to catch the end-of-day spectacle first then ramble back down to the Lodge for supper afterward. Anyone interested in attending a Myrtle Point sunrise can do so comfortably once again now that there’s plenty of time between that inspiring show (now around 7:00 AM) and when the breakfast bell rings (still 8:00 AM). Now that we’re past the time change, all hikers need to be hyper aware of the available daylight hours for making their ascents and descents of the mountain in conjunction with the season’s much chillier temperatures. Early risers will appreciate having more daylight in the morning, but those travelers without overnight reservations at the Lodge need to mindful of how much sooner it gets dark outside, especially in the deep shaded hollers of the mountains. It takes the average hiker anywhere from 3-4 hours to make the climb up a five mile trail like Alum Cave. Count on requiring as much time to make the return trip safely, especially if there’s ice on trail. So with a sunset occurring around 5:30 PM now, if you aren’t equipped with the appropriate gear for hiking in the dark and when temps turn frigid, you need to consider concluding your activities atop the mountain by the early afternoon hours. Should you decide to take any of the longer trails that access the summit, then consider even earlier departures from the top to avoid spending part of your hike in the dark.  |
LeConte LodgeWelcome to the official blog of LeConte Lodge. We hope you find the information provided here both helpful and enjoyable. Thank you for visiting the site, and we hope to see you on the mountain! Archives
July 2025
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