Alum Cave Trail is a popular hiking destination located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, United States. This scenic trail is part of the Great Smoky Mountains …
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5.0/5 · 478 reviews
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Sep 19, 2024
This was a 6.4 mile round trip hike from where we had to park. Parking was a HUGE issue, and we were there on a Monday at noon. It was a nice hike for us, we aren’t experienced hikers and rarely get … Full review by shopgirl55355
Aug 16, 2024
We snagged the last parking spot at 9.15 , but when we were hiking we did not see a lot of people on the trail unlike Laurel Falls. I did a lot of reading on this hike. Most articles made it sound … Full review by Teresa M
Aug 16, 2024
Absolutely stunning trail. Perfect for a family with older children. The views are spectacular. Moderate in difficulty Full review by Ruth M
hi, someone said "There is a foot bridge through a passage and over the water. By foot bridge, I mean a log, probably 10-14 inches wide. There is a cable to hold onto,", is this part before the Cave bluff or after the Cave bluff, I plan to go with kids (age 5 & 7) up to the Alum Cave bluff which is located at 2.3 miles from the trail head, then will turn back, so is it ok for this portion? or it is still risky to bring kids for this portion? thanks.
A:
Agreed! Definitely manageable for that age group and safe!
Hi, We are trying to plan a quick trip down to the Smoky Mts. ~May 19-21 and are trying to find information on what hiking trails are currently open. We've hiked Alum Cave, Grotto and Rainbow Falls before and would love to at least hike Alum again next week. Does anyone have a link or phone number to call which gives more information regarding open/closed trails?
A:
This site usually will not let links be posted but do a search for the official Great Smoky Mountain National Park website. Scroll down to Current Conditions. Click. It gives a current list …
This site usually will not let links be posted but do a search for the official Great Smoky Mountain National Park website. Scroll down to Current Conditions. Click. It gives a current list but things change quickly. As of yesterday there were no visitor centers open. I think a lot will be opened by Memorial weekend.
Hi! We will be visiting the Smoky Mountains in late December. Is the Alum Cave trail an option for that time of the year? I know some roads are closed, but not sure if the trailhead for this hike is on one of the closed roads or not. (I believe Clingman's Dome Road and Roaring Fork Motor Trail will both be closed in December; not sure if more roads are closed). Thanks in advance for your time!
A:
The parking area for Alum Cave is on Newfound Gap Road/hwy 441. Newfound Gap Road is open unless there is ice and snow. If there is ice on the trail at that elevation, many hikers will …
The parking area for Alum Cave is on Newfound Gap Road/hwy 441. Newfound Gap Road is open unless there is ice and snow. If there is ice on the trail at that elevation, many hikers will use devices to aid in traction on the trail. Sugarland Visitor Center should have info on trail conditions. It is a very popular time of year for visitors so get an early start. Hiking the Smokies is a great website for trail description. Tips...There is no cell service in the park and have a full tank of gas in your car before entering park.
How early can you begin this hike? I’d like to try to catch the sunrise if possible.
A:
To take advantage of the beautiful sunrise, you would need to go to the top of Mt LeConte. The trail is not closed, however hiking up 5 miles on the Alum Cave Trail in the dark is a …
To take advantage of the beautiful sunrise, you would need to go to the top of Mt LeConte. The trail is not closed, however hiking up 5 miles on the Alum Cave Trail in the dark is a little risky and perhaps not recommended. I would suggest hiking up the day before and staying at the LeConte Lodge or at the backpacker shelter. The lodge takes months to reserve. The backpacker shelter is a three sided open air lean-to with wooden platforms to lay out a sleeping bag. No other amenities are available at the shelter. This can be reserved 30 days in advance through the National Park Backcountry Permit site. Reserve them early. The 12 available spaces/night are gone rather quickly. The shelter is $4 per person - one night only. Then hike out 1/2 mile or so to Myrtle Point for the sunrise. The night before you can head over to Cliff Tops for the sunset - Absolutely breath taking.
Just curious. I would love to take my kiddos ages 9 to 18 on this hike as well as my gbaby's ages 2.5 and 4 (by July 2018). I see the snow and ice now but during July how is the trail? Driving from FL to see Cades Cove and Clingmans Dome came across this and thought very cool. Please advise or share opinion.
A:
This is a very popular trail. It is very important to get a very early start for all park activities. Parking areas fill up by 10AM at most trailheads. You can get great trail info from Hiking the …
This is a very popular trail. It is very important to get a very early start for all park activities. Parking areas fill up by 10AM at most trailheads. You can get great trail info from Hiking the Smokys website. I agree that this trail would not be the best choice for very small children. There are lots of easy trails in the park for the whole family... Oconaluftee River Trail (near Cherokee) Gatlinburg Trail (located at the very end of River Road in Gatlinburg) Laurel Falls Trail ( on Little River Road about 15 minutes from the Sugarland Visitor Center) Sugarland Valley Nature Trail ( on Newfound Gap Road about .5 miles from the Sugarland Visitor Center)
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