#1 of 197 trails in Great Smoky Mountains
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN · NC
A creekside climb through rock passages to high mountain views.
Overview
This is the full summit outing on Alum Cave Trail: a strenuous 10-mile out-and-back from Alum Cave Trailhead toward Mount LeConte’s summit area. Plan on about 6–8 hours for the main hike, longer if you linger at viewpoints. The climb strings together a creekside approach, a natural rock arch, broad bluffs and high-elevation forest before reaching the summit-area viewpoints. The shorter Alum Cave Bluffs outing turns around halfway; it is a different goal on the same path. Published summit distances vary: the park lists 10 miles round trip, while some hiking accounts give roughly 11–12. Side trips and turnaround points affect measurements, so leave time for the signed viewpoint paths and check trail markers along the way.
Map & elevation
Plan your hike
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Great Smoky Mountains Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Great Smoky Mountains audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Alum Cave Trailhead“You're coming up on the Alum Cave trailhead, where a forest hike leads through Arch Rock to a huge rock overhang.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Great Smoky Mountains Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
The trailhead is on Newfound Gap Road and the route is popular enough for its limited parking to fill early. The park recommends an early start or shuttle. Begin with the full distance in mind: the steady climb and uneven footing make the summit route a substantial day, even though the first few miles have several natural places to pause.
The lower trail winds through dense forest beside Alum Cave Creek, crossing bridges and rocky, rooty ground as it climbs. Arch Rock is a standout landmark on this stretch, where softer rock has eroded beneath a harder layer. The route combines flowing water, shaded woods and exposed stone rather than holding to one kind of scenery.
At about 2.3 miles from the trailhead, Alum Cave Bluffs rises above a wide, mostly open area. The name can be misleading: it is an inward-curving cliff overhang, not a cave. Many hikers turn here, making a roughly 4.6-mile round trip. For Mount LeConte, continue uphill beyond the bluffs; that is where the outing becomes longer and more demanding.
Past the bluffs the trail grows steeper and enters spruce-fir forest. Expect sustained uphill work on rocky tread, with stairs and bridges along the way. The trail continues toward the high ridge and LeConte’s summit area. Keep the group together at junctions and follow the marked route rather than assuming every path leads to the same viewpoint.
Short signed side paths near the summit lead to Cliff Top and Myrtle Point, the park’s recommended viewpoints. They add time and some distance beyond the mapped main line. The high views depend on weather; low cloud or rain can obscure the ridges, and exposed viewpoints deserve extra care when storms are possible. Turn back if conditions make the ridge unsafe.
A parking tag is required if you leave a vehicle for more than 15 minutes, and pit toilets are available by the trailhead parking area. Pets are not allowed on this trail. Rocky steps can be slick when wet. In cold weather, ice and falling icicles are hazards around exposed rock; the park recommends microspikes in winter. Check current park alerts and weather before setting out.
Wildlife
1,567 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
899 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
13 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
142 sightingsTimber RattlesnakeMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
26 sightingsBobcatMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
42 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Great Smoky Mountains. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateAlum Cave Trail to Alum Cave Bluffs4.6 mi · 3.5 hr · At the trailheadA forest climb to a 75-foot rock shelter and natural arch.
ChallengingChimney Tops Trail3.5 mi · 2.5 hr · 1.2 mi awayA steep stair climb ends at a view of the fire-scarred pinnacles.
ChallengingRoad Prong Trail2.4 mi · 2 hr · 1.4 mi awayA rocky creek walk on the old Oconaluftee Turnpike
ModerateCharlies Bunion via Appalachian Trail8 mi · 5 hr · 1.9 mi awayAn 8-mile Appalachian Trail out-and-back to an exposed Smokies outcrop
ModerateThe Jump Off Trail6.5 mi · 4 hr · 1.9 mi awayClimb a rough AT approach to a cliffside Smokies panorama
ChallengingMount Le Conte via Appalachian Trail and Boulevard Trail16.2 mi · 10 hr · 1.9 mi awayA demanding ridge traverse to Le Conte via the Appalachian Trail.
EasyMyrtle Point Trail0.7 mi · 45 min · 1.9 mi awayA sunrise detour reached only after the climb to Mount Le Conte
ModerateOld Deep Creek Quiet Walkway0.1 mi · 15 min · 2.3 mi awayA signed, steep forest path drops from Newfound Gap Road.Sight · 0.8 mi awayAlum Cave BluffsA 4.6-mile Smokies hike ends beneath a 75-foot rock overhang.
Sight · 0.9 mi awayArch RockTake the stone steps right through a natural arch.
Sight · 1.8 mi awayBen Morton OverlookA west-facing Smokies overlook with a seasonal sunset alignment.
Sight · 1.8 mi awayCliff Tops ViewpointA wide LeConte panorama, best saved for sunset.
Sight · 1.9 mi awayNewfound Gap OverlookA 5,046-foot pass, a state line, and a historic terrace.
Lodging · 1.9 mi awayLeConte LodgeA historic hike-in lodge on Mount LeConte with family-style meals.Sight · 2 mi awayMyrtle PointA serious hike earns one of Le Conte's best signed views.
Picnic area · 2.3 mi awayChimneys Picnic AreaA shady lunch stop beside a cold, boulder-strewn river.Parkwolf’s Great Smoky Mountains ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
