Mount LeConte and Alum Cave trail is classic hike in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Alum Cave Trail is unmatched in its combination of interesting geological features, history, high adventure and stunning panoramic views. To reach the 6593-foot summit of Mount LeConte hikers will have to climb 2763 feet, and hike 5.5 miles from the Alum Cave Trailhead. Alum Cave, which really isn’t a cave, but is actually a concaved bluff, about 80 feet in height and roughly 500 feet in length.
There’s a trail on the left of Alum Cave, you’ll know you’ve reached the highest point on the mountain when you reach the large cairn or pile of rocks, just off the main trail on your right known as High Top. Mount LeConte is the third highest peak in the Smokies. However, measured from its immediate base to its highest point, Mt. LeConte can be considered the tallest mountain in the Eastern United States, rising 5301 feet from its base near Gatlinburg.