Click on photos for larger images. Sometimes you have to refresh the page to re-activate this feature. Hide Slide Show (you will have to refresh the page to see it again)

Great Smoky Mountains LeConte Lodge

Friday, October 17, 2025 - Friday, October 24, 2025 -- $2550 ★★★★


Most everyone who has been to Great Smoky Mountains National Park knows about the incredible, full-service mountaintop lodge called LeConte Lodge that is accessible only on foot. Fitpacking has obtained coveted reservations for this mountaintop retreat in order to cap off a week of backpacking.


Great Smoky Mountains National park is the most visited National Park in the United States, but despite its popularity and proximity to major population centers, our trek provides plenty of solitude and visits some of the most beautiful wooded areas you can find in the lower 48. Spring is a great time to be in the Smokies just as the weather warms up and flowers and leaves begin to emerge.


The park is an amazing wilderness with an abundance of wildlife featuring deer, elk, wild boar, black bears and even red wolves. This trip features many things the Smokies offer: wildflowers, virgin forest, vistas, waterfalls, deep hollows, wildlife, Alum Cave and of course the historic LeConte Lodge.


Even if you have been on one of our Fitpacking trips through the Smokies before -- indeed even if you have been to LeConte Lodge -- you will want to join us again as this trek promises to be awe inspiring (as well as all-perspiring). This trip will take you through virgin forests, clear streams teeming with wild trout (note: our permit does not let us guide commercial fishing trips), high elevation spruce-fir forests and expansive balds / meadows where elk and turkeys forage. Your guides have spent many years exploring the Smokies and will be ready to help you identify the flowers, wildlife and even some mushrooms that abounds here. They may also provide a story or two about the people who once called this remote and natural region home.



Topographical Map of Proposed Route

See CalTopo map


Weather

Weather is always an important concern when hiking. Expect daytime hiking temperatures in the 60s and 70s and nighttime temperatures in the 40s. However, be prepared for the possibility of day temperatures as high as th 80s and nights below freezing, probably with a day (or more) of rainfall and on rare occasion, snowfall. Here is the historical October weather Be prepared for cold temps at high elevation (we had snow one year) as well as warm sunny weather or rain.



Probable Trip Leaders

Bruce Cannon
Beau Devlin
Any Other Guide(s) TBD

Difficulty

While all Fitpacking trips are difficult some of the time, this one might be considered somewhat more strenuous because of the longer daily mileage, even though there is a surfeit of solid footing and terrain.



Cost

$2550 per person double occupancy. Here, double occupancy means that you will share a hotel room with another trip participant. You will also share a 2 communal cabins (with King Sized beds that sleep 2) at LeConte Lodge. You will be responsible for transportation to and from Knoxville Airport (TYS), as well as personal equipment, restaurant meals and any gratuities for guides. You may also incur parking charges for leaving your car at the hotel all week (probably none, but they sometimes charge for this).


Covered expenses include 2 hotel night, a night in LeConte Lodge (with included sit-down dinner and breakfast), 5 days of trail meals, ground transportation to/from Knoxville and the National Park, park permits, storage fees, backcountry permits and awesome guides.




Notes

Important: Although the dates of our trip are confirmed and we are guaranteed spots in LeConte Lodge, the campsites we're planning on may change somewhat. Backcountry sites are awarded only 3 weeks before our trip and non-commercial users get a week jump on backcountry sites to reserve before we get to. We won't know our final itinerary until September 27th, 2025.


Due to the popularity of our Smokies trips and the fact that the park only allows commercial groups of 8 in the backcountry plus our night in LeConte Lodge, we expect this trip to sell out quickly. We suggest you make your reservation earlier rather than later to ensure your spot. Although this may sound like we're creating a sense of false urgency, we really do expect it to sell out early.


Many of the LeConte Lodge rooms feature king-size beds that we are expected to share. The beds are much wider than any 2-person backpacking tent for what it's worth.


Our route may cross creeks and streams at times. There is no guarantee of bridges. Be prepared to wear water shoes and use trekking poles to walk through almost knee-deep water in order to cross these waterways.


Back to top
Sign Up For a Trip
Itinerary
Weather
Guides for this trip
Cost
Important Note
Difficulty (Please Read)
Map
 
 

Itinerary


Friday, October 17, 2025

Drive or fly into Knoxville Airport (TYS). The best time to arrive is between around 9AM-Noon, earlier is generally better. Tyson is a small airport so flights may be limited. If you have to arrive later that may be fine as long as the group can leave Knoxville by around 3PM.

Call or text us and we will pick you up and take you to a local hotel where we will assemble

We will assemble at: TBD, To Be Determined

You should have already done an online shakedown pre-trip, but guides will still ask you a few questions and give you a "mini equipment shakedown"

Make your own trail mix from our selection of nuts, fruits and sweets

All the items that you won't bring on the trail will be set aside and put in storage.

At around 3PM, shuttle to campsite: TBD, To Be Determined Site(s) TBD

Shuttling will take about 2 hours

Guides prepare dinner in camp. On some trips with longer shuttle times, we may opt to go out for an opening dinner at a local restaurant. (Cost of restaurant dinner not included in trip price)

Camp at TBD, To Be Determined Site(s) TBD


Saturday, October 18, 2025

Guides may take up to an hour and a half to shuttle vehicles within the park to Cherokee Orchard Road

Start hiking at Cosby Frontcountry Campground, elevation 2165'

Hike 5.0 miles on the Gabes Mountain Trail to Sugar Cove Campsite #34, elevation 3065'

Camp at Sugar Cove Campsite #34, elevation 3065'

Miles today: 5.0. Total miles: 5.0

Possible bailout: Route Cosby


Sunday, October 19, 2025

Hike 10.8 miles on the Gabes Mountain Trail and Old Settlers Trail to Settlers Camp #22, elevation 1965'

Camp at Settlers Camp #22, elevation 1965’

Miles today 10.8, total 15.8

Possible bailout: US 321


Monday, October 20, 2025

Hike 6.6 miles on the Old Settlers Trail to Porters Creek Parking, elevation 1680'

Cache food here for pickup tomorrow

Hike 3.2 uphill miles on the Grapeyard Ridge Trail to Engine Creek Camp #32, elevation 2255'

Camp at Engine Creek Camp #32, elevation 2255'

Miles today: 9.8, total 25.2

Possible bailout: Porters Creek


Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Hike 3.2 dowhill miles on the Grapeyard Ridge Trail to Porters Creek Parking, elevation 1680'

Pick up cached food here

Hike 1.9 uphill miles on the Porters Creek Trail to Brushy Mountain Trail, elevation 2210'

Cache food here for pickup tomorrow

Hike 2.6 uphill miles on the Porters Creek Trail to Porters Flat Camp #31, elevation 3410'

Camp at Porters Flat Camp #31, elevation 3410'

Miles today: 7.7, total 32.9

Possible bailout: Porters Creek Road


Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Awaken before dawn to get an early start on a long difficult day, and to make it to LeConte Lodge before the reward of a sit-down dinner begins.

Hike 2.6 downmiles on the Porters Creek Trail to Brushy Mountain Trail, elevation 2210'

Pick up cached food here

Climb 4.4 uphill miles on the Brushy Mountain Trail to Trillium Gap, elevation 4720'

Hike 3.6 uphill miles on the Trillium Gap Trail to LeConte Lodge, elevation 6360'

LeConte Lodge provides / include family style supper and breakfast, and plenty of it. You can purchase souvenirs from the lodge and send a post card with the LeConte Lodge post mark to your family. Llamas will pack out your post card on Wednesday. Our cabins have propane heat, kerosene lanterns and genuine Hudson’s Bay wool blankets for all the comforts of (a 19th century) home. The lodge is only accessible by foot and you have earned it.

Day-Hike 1.0 round-trip miles to enjoy a National Geographic quality sunset from Cliff Top after dinner. Return to enjoy a hot cocoa in the community room, play a board game or sing a song or two (note: singing ability not required).

Miles today: 11.6. Total miles: 44.5

Possible bailout: One day away


Thursday, October 23, 2025

LeConte Lodge provides a full sit-down breakfast

Steadily descend 6.6 miles from the lodge on the Rainbow Falls Trail to Cherokee Orchard Road, elevation 2590'

End of hiking

Possible bailout: Cherokee Orchard Road

Miles today: 6.6. Total miles: 51.1

Shuttle back to local hotel: TBD, To Be Determined

Gather your off-trail items from storage

Dinner and awards ceremony at a local restaurant (Dinner cost not included in trip price)

Stay in our local hotel (included in trip cost)

This is the official end of the trip. You are welcome to spend the night at the hotel, however if you drove and would like to get on the road or if you flew and would like to schedule a late flight (or a red-eye if this is a West Coast trip) you can definitely do so.


Friday, October 24, 2025

Take free airport shuttle or we will pay for a shared cab/Uber


Back to top