If hiking to the top of Mount Le Conte is on your Smokies wish list, the next few weeks are your last chance this year to do it while LeConte Lodge is open. The lodge’s 2026 season runs through Tuesday, November 24. After that, the kitchen, water spigots and gift shop shut down for the winter, and anyone who makes the climb is on their own until spring.
A little about the lodge
LeConte Lodge sits at 6,360 feet, just below the summit of Mount Le Conte, the third highest peak in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. According to the National Park Service, it began as a tent camp in 1925 and is now the highest guest lodge in the eastern United States. There are no roads to it. Every guest walks in, and supplies come up the mountain by llama train during the season.
Overnight stays for 2026 are fully booked, but cancellations do pop up. The lodge says cancellations within 30 days of arrival are not filled from a wait list, so the way to grab one is to call the reservation office at 865-429-5704, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern. The lodge also posts some short-notice openings on its X account, @LeConteLodge. Details are on the 2026 reservations page.
What day hikers can count on until November 24
You don’t need a reservation to hike up and enjoy the view. Here’s what the lodge offers day hikers while it’s open:
- A trail lunch for $15, no pre-order needed, sold from 9 to 10 a.m. and from noon to 4:30 p.m. daily.
- Fresh baked goods for $2 each, plus snacks, during the same hours.
- Drinking water from spigots near the office and kitchen.
- Souvenirs from the gift shop, which is now in the dining hall.
- Pit toilets, open around the clock.
The lodge takes cash, checks and credit cards with ID, but not American Express or gift cards. Pack out all of your own trash.
Once the season ends, the water system is drained for winter. Hikers after November 24 will need to carry enough water or treat water from the natural spring along Trillium Gap Trail.
Pick your trail
Five trails lead to the top, and none of them are easy. Round-trip distances from the National Park Service:
- Alum Cave Trail, 10 miles. The shortest route, starting on Newfound Gap Road and passing Arch Rock and Alum Cave Bluffs.
- Rainbow Falls Trail, 13 miles. Starts off Cherokee Orchard Road just outside Gatlinburg.
- Trillium Gap Trail, 13 miles. Starts on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and passes behind Grotto Falls about 1.5 miles in.
- Bullhead Trail, 13.6 miles. Also starts from the Cherokee Orchard area.
- Appalachian Trail and Boulevard Trail, 16.2 miles, starting at Newfound Gap.
A few things to check before you choose. Bullhead Trail is closed Monday through Thursday through November 19 for rehabilitation work (federal holidays excepted), so plan it for a Friday or weekend. The park lists Trillium Gap Trail under its bear warnings right now, so stay alert and keep your food close. Cherokee Orchard Road, the way to the Rainbow Falls, Bullhead and Trillium Gap trailheads, is closed to people on foot because of bear activity, and drivers need to stay in their vehicles between the park boundary and the Ogle homesite. Our Cherokee Orchard Road post has more on that.
The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, where the Trillium Gap trailhead sits, stays open through November 29 on the park’s seasonal road schedule. Current closures are listed on the park’s closures and cautions page.
Dress for a different season up top
The weather on Le Conte can feel like a different month from the weather in Gatlinburg. The lodge’s trail and weather page says temperatures at the top often run 15 to 20 degrees colder than in the valley, and late October and November can bring temperatures in the teens, high winds, snow and ice. The lodge recommends real hiking boots instead of sneakers and traction devices like microspikes when trails ice over.
- Dress in layers and skip cotton, which holds moisture.
- Start early. Daylight saving time ends Sunday, November 1, so it gets dark about an hour earlier, and you want to be off the mountain before sunset.
- Bring a headlamp, extra snacks and more water than you think you need.
- Buy your parking tag ahead of time. A tag is required for parking longer than 15 minutes anywhere in the park, and most trailheads don’t have tag machines. Daily tags are $5, weekly $15 and annual $40, available online or in person.
Already thinking about next year?
The lodge has set its 2027 season for Friday, March 19 through Sunday, November 21, 2027. The request window for 2027 stays has already closed, so the cancellation line is the best bet for a last-minute spot.
Conditions on the mountain can change fast this time of year. Check the park’s current conditions page the morning of your hike, and have a great time on the trail.