Alum Cave Trail

"If you can do only one trail during your trip to Smoky Mountains National Park, look no further. This is a beautiful trail you won't regret adding to your itinerary. The trail is long with varying difficulty but most people turn around at Arch Rock which is 1.4 miles one-way. It is Easy to Moderate until Arch Rock. The parking lot is small and it is very hard to find parking if you are not early."

"Alum Cave Trail to Mt. Leconte. This 11 mile out and back course, designated strenuous, is full of fun surprises along the way with such diverse landscape and flora to take in. There is a lot of climbing and elevation gain with a combination of smooth and sandy trails in some points and Rocky, somewhat slippery parts in others. I really loved the Alum Cave Bluffs as the combination of sand and rock was such a unique feature to take in and the surrounding trees and views made me feel like I was in a far away, magical place. At the top of the mountain are a collection of rustic cabins that hikers can stay in for the night, but be advised, they frequently book up a year in advance. If you continue on a little ways past that, you will reach a pile of stones that form the location referred to as the Mt. Leconte "peak"...it's kind of comical and not what'd you expect, so I highly suggest continuing on the additional miles to see the view from Myrtle point. Totally worth it! This is definitely a bucket list/must-do hike!"

"I went up to the Alum Cave Bluff with my parents. The trail was relatively easy up to the arch rock, and then it became moderate. It was a fun trail, with some bridges and stairs. There are metal ropes in some parts of the trail to help you. Overall, I enjoyed the trail and had no trouble reaching the Alum Cave Bluff, but it could be pretty challenging for non-hikers. However, I think I would enjoy it more if I visited during the peak fall folliage since the trail would look more beautiful. Don't forget to bring plenty of water and snacks. Also, try to use the bathroom before you start because there's no bathroom after you leave the parking lot. Parking was not hard for us because we came during less busy season and relatively early too (around 9 AM), but all the parking spots were filled out by the time we returned."

"Stunning! Gorgeous trail with abundance of greens, lots of vegetation along side of mountain river and to the top with breathtaking view. Has some elevation (to the Arch is about 5000 feet, distance is approximately 2.5 miles)"

"Our favorite trail in the Smokies. We arrived at 6:30am to secure parking and avoid crowds. It was well worth it. We enjoyed cool temps and a quiet hike mostly to ourselves. Only bathroom facility is in the parking lot. We did this hike with our two children, ages 7 and 9, and they managed well. Lots of fun bridges to cross, climbing through Arch Rock and beautiful views at Alum Cave. Did not continue on to the bluffs, but I hear that's great too. 10/10 recommend! Did encounter a bear on the trail, that ran off once it heard our human voices, so be prepared for that possibility."