At 6,593 feet, Mount LeConte is the third-tallest peak in the park and home to one of the most unique backcountry accommodations in the National Park System: LeConte Lodge. This remote lodge, built in ...

Great Smoky Mountains Natl. Park — Reaching 6,593 feet above the Great Smoky Mountains' foggy foothills, Mount LeConte is a popular trail with adventurous hikers looking for a challenge. LeConte is ...

This mountaintop can get cold, however, with a temperature difference of 15 to 20 degrees between top and bottom. I hiked with a sweatshirt tied around my waist and used it after the sun went down.

Once you go, you become a part of its history and mystique. The LeConte Lodge stands atop one of the highest peaks east of the Mississippi River, and there's only one way to get there: Your own feet, ...