
Located
in the middle of the half-million acre Great Smoky Mountains National
Park, LeConte Lodge® is the only place where a visitor can sleep
overnight on a mountaintop in a snug, permanent structure with
hot and hearty meals on tap. It has a capacity of fifty guests
per night housed in either rough-hewn cabins or group sleeping
lodges. The cozy cabins are furnished with upper and lower double
bunk beds, making them ideal for two couples or a family of four
to five persons. The lodges sleep from ten to thirteen persons
each.
Appropriate for a getaway from the high tech world a mile below,
there is no electricity. The mellow glow of kerosene lamps lights
your accommodations and we recommend that you pack flashlights
in your gear. Propane heaters warm the lodges and cabins. Not too
long ago, an up-to-date privy building with flush toilets was
a welcome innovation to the mountaintop retreat, but there are
no showers. Basins are standard in all lodging for sponge baths
and truthfully, no one is anxious to get wet all over, especially
since nighttime temperatures take a radical dip, even at the height
of summer and the daytime temperature has never reached 80 degrees.
The fleecy virgin wool blankets on the beds rate far higher with
lodge guests than icy showers ever could!
Outdoor
activity creates healthy appetites and the hosts at LeConte Lodge®
recognize this. From the coffee or hot chocolate that awaits you
upon arrival to the family-style meals served in the lodge dining
room, you will be able to eat your fill of tasty and nourishing
dishes which appease hunger and restore energy. Lunch is also
served to guests staying for more than one night.
You may live by the sun on Mount LeConte -- early to bed, relaxed
by your climb, and early to rise to enjoy a renowned Myrtle Point
sunrise. Televisions aren't missed. For leisure activities, the
lodge office provides reading material, games and comfortable
chairs. Then there's always the most popular activity of all;
sitting on the deck in rocking chairs, soaking up the view of
the mountain tops and distant valleys.
Whether
feasting your eyes on a sunset from Cliff Tops, watching a tame
boomer squirrel nose around at your feet, enjoying a concert of
birds warbling in the bushes or making way for a meandering black
bear, your time spent at LeConte Lodge® is natural quality time.
For your LeConte adventure, choose sturdy shoes already broken
in. Include more than one change of socks in case of wet feet.
Layered, lightweight clothing gives you the flexibility to add
or subtract as temperatures fluctuate. A warm sweater or jacket
is advisable anytime and a lightweight raincoat or poncho is a
must. Nature shows no mercy for those unprepared for her whimsical
changes in weather. Summer nights can dip to forty-degree readings
while in spring and fall, nights can drop to the teens with snow.
A light backpack should be adequate for your necessities, since
everything but personal articles are provided at the lodge. Remember
to include a snack for the trail and a canteen of water (drinking
from streams is discouraged for health reasons), your own hand
towel and wash cloth and that flashlight.
Last Minute Reminders
Pack a towel please. We ask that you to bring your own hand towel
and washcloth. Packing supplies up and down the mountain continues
to be a problem and with your help, we can improve overall service
to our guests at LeConte Lodge®.
Send your $8.00 per person if you want to enjoy wine with your
dinner. This is for adults only and prepayment is requested.
Pack lightly but don't forget a flashlight and a warm sweater
or jacket for those chilly nights on the mountain.
Each year LeConte Lodge® offers an original limited edition T-shirt.
The shirts are available in various sizes and colors in both long
and short sleeve styles. The shirts are sold exclusively on the
mountain. Sorry, no credit cards are accepted.