Happy Thursday, Smoky Mountain Lovers!
You might want to take a look at the family's schedule and see about shuffling things around a little to make room for a last-minute weekend getaway, if you haven't already booked -- the forecast for this Saturday and Sunday is calling for perfect weather.
Friday, you might encounter a little afternoon rain, as you drive into town, but once you get here look for clear skies and sun. Temperatures should be in the 80-85° range, with nights about 20° cooler, at 60-65°. The beautiful weather and minimal chance of precipitation should last all the way through this week, so if you can stay a few more days, you'll love the weather.
That means you should spend your vacation enjoying the things you might miss on rainy days: the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, for example. One peak that Smoky Mountain aficionados hold particularly dear is Mount LeConte. You can choose from 5 different trails to scale the mountain, and reach the reward at the top. Before we talk about what's up there, let's take a look at your trail options. The Alum Cave Trail is short and steep -- 5.5 miles. Rainbow Falls and Trillium Gap are both about 6.5 miles. The Bullhead trail is 7.2 miles, and the Boulevard trail tops off the list at 8 miles.
Now what's at the top? LeConte Lodge, which was recently featured on The Today Show ( watch here), is the only one of its kind. The lodge actually hosts overnight guests up at the peak, in the national park itself. With 7 rough-hewn cabins and 3 multi-room lodges, maximum occupancy is 60 guests. Find all the answers to your questions about staying at LeConte Lodge on LeConteLodge.com.
Since the lodge has no electricity and can only be accessed via the trails (pack llamas bring supplies up for staff), most visitors prefer to stay in a luxury cabin such as The Gatlinburg Lodge or The Wears Valley Chalet at SmokyMountainViews.com, and enjoy the incredible diversity of flora and fauna on the way up, as well as the rustic accommodations and the breathtaking top of the world view at the peak, as day-hikers. A shower, clean clothes, and a soft bed is the perfect end to an exhilarating day.
This week's picture shows local artist Robert A. Tino's LeConte Lodge print, depicting the rustic lodge up at the top of Mount LeConte. Click the picture for purchase information.
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