Great Smoky Mountains National Park 2

The Alum Cave trail begins as a gradual ascent following the creek and winding through Arch Rock, an eroded hole through a small bluff that you hike through. The trail switches to following Styx Branch and begins putting on the elevation as we need to gain 2700 feet in the next four miles.


It is a very warm day as we reach Alum Cave for lunch. Alum Cave is a concave bluff just under half way to the top. Approximately 80 feet tall and 500 wide with a severely steep sandy floor. The break is well deserved and needed. We lunch at the cusp of the cave floor where some earlier hikers left a scattering of snacks that the none-too-shy red squirrels venture to gather.


Around the Gracie's Pulpit lookout we stop and watch a nesting pair of peregrine falcons chase off a third. The trail winds its way around a NW face and at times is only a foot or 2 wide with a cable handrail on the inner side to give a small amount of security. "Ok Isaac, hold tight" is an often repeated phrase. And I believe it is somewhere in this calf burning steepness that Isaac and Angie dub themselves "Team Slow." This is also where I realize that a change to my flatlander hiking style is necessary. Powering through the climbs is only destroying my calves, and my stamina.


Just as everyone is getting to the end of our proverbial ropes the top comes into sight and we make that last pushes to get to the top. Our shuttle driver said the second to the last mile will make you question your sanity, and she was not lying. We top out directly into a cloud on a flat wide boulevard just as rain begins to fall. A quick jaunt past the Le Conte lodge (which looks to be an interesting trip unto itself, small cabins and catering) to the shelter and we all can finally relax for the evening. Five miles and a final elevation 6593 feet in about 4 hours of hiking time, nice job kids.



While one of the busiest trails, especially with the lodge crowd heading up and all the day-hikers. Alum Cave is a gorgeous first day in the park. We started this trip off with a bang.