The Haunted LeConte Lodge
Posted: 11.20.2024 | Updated: 11.20.2024
Gatlinburg, Tennessee, exudes a cozy, small-town vibe that anyone would appreciate. It also acts as a gateway community to one of the most popular travel destinations: The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Here, visitors can enjoy the picturesque views of the Smoky Mountains while hiking on any of the park’s numerous trails, including those up Mount LeConte.
Located just west of the summit is LeConte Lodge, a rustic hotel that provides guests with a comfortable place to rest after a long day of hiking, all while surrounded by nature's beauty. However, should guests choose to stay overnight, they may uncover the lodge's darker secret, which makes even the bravest think twice before spending a night at LeConte Lodge.
Is the LeConte Lodge haunted?
LeConte Lodge has a reputation as the perfect scenic resting spot for hikers, only reachable by hiking along one of five trails:
- Alum Cave Trail (4.9 miles)
- The Boulevard Trail (5.4 miles)
- Bullhead Trail (6.9 miles)
- Rainbow Falls Trail (6.6 miles)
- Trillium Gap Trail (8.9 miles)
It’s also an ideal spot for a haunting, as a more permanent resident of the isolated lodge has been known to keep hikers awake at all hours of the night. She is the spirit of a little girl with as much mystery behind her as the Smoky Mountains themselves.
Curious about what else lurks in the shadows of Gatlinburg? Visit our website today and book a ghost tour with Gatlinburg Haunts to explore the otherworldly side of this scenic town. The ghosts of Gatlinburg await.
History of the LeConte Lodge
The Great Smoky Mountains have a history that dates back thousands of years, with Mount LeConte as its third-highest peak. It was supposedly named after Joseph LeConte, a geologist and Confederate officer during the Civil War. The history of LeConte Lodge didn’t begin until 1925 when the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was in its infancy.
A movement was already underway to establish a national park on the mountain when Paul Adams constructed a tent camp. Its initial purpose was to entertain dignitaries from Washington, D.C. One year later, Gatlinburg mountaineer Jack Huff began construction of one of the earliest permanent structures: LeConte Lodge. Huff and his family ran the lodge until 1960.
Today, the nearby town of Gatlinburg remains a popular travel destination thanks to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. LeConte Lodge operates under the park’s jurisdiction and stands as the highest-elevation lodge in the United States. It has also expanded into several additional cabins to make room for the ever-increasing number of guests who wish to see firsthand the majestic view of the Smoky Mountains, and perhaps a ghost or two.
Hauntings Overview
One of the original caretakers of LeConte Lodge had a profound connection to the land. Some believe it was so profound that his spirit still watches over the haunted hotel. Hikers have reported feeling an invisible presence or hearing extra footsteps following them on the trails. Some even claim the uneasy sensation lingers even after reaching the summit. Despite this eerie tale, there is another story about LeConte Lodge that would make even the bravest of hikers sleep with one eye open.
She’s Watching You
It’s said the devil manifests himself between the hours of 3 and 4 a.m., an inversion of the time when Christ died. That’s why many refer to this time as “The Devil’s Hour.” A more common belief holds that it’s the time when the veil between the material and spiritual world shatters and ghosts run rampant.
The spirit of a little girl believed to haunt LeConte Lodge may be proof there’s some semblance of truth in the latter. Hikers have reported waking up at exactly 3:33 a.m. to the chilling sight of a little girl’s apparition standing or sitting at the foot of their bed, watching them sleep. No sooner than when the unfortunate guest wakes up, the little girl vanishes.
It’s not known who this curious spirit might be, but she is known to be harmless. Then again, what better disguise to fool someone than as a helpless, little girl?
Haunted Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is a quaint mountain town nestled in the heart of the Smoky Mountains. It serves as a gateway community for visitors and locals to take in the area’s great outdoors while hiking along one of its several paths. But there’s something else not of this world that waits at the end.
It resides at LeConte Lodge, renowned over the decades as a secluded resting spot for hikers, and some say, a final resting spot for a couple of ghosts. What only adds more intrigue to this haunted hotel is not its violent history, but lack thereof, leaving us with the question of whether there’s more to the mountains’ ethereal nature than we’ve been led to believe.
Take a walk with the ghosts of Gatlinburg. Visit our website and book a ghost tour with Gatlinburg Haunts. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more chilling stories and updates.
Sources:
https://www.gatlinburg.com/blog/post/ghosts-of-gatlinburg-10-haunted-places-to-visit-this-fall
Book A Gatlinburg Haunts Tour And See For Yourself
Experience the haunted side of this tiny town and the mysteries it harbors, known only to the hermit-like early inhabitants of the formerly suspicious community. Feuds, witches, ancient Scots, and Celtic traditions live on in this remote corner of the Smoky mountains.
Join Gatlinburg Haunts for a ghost tour into the eerie corners of this quaint mountain town. Our stories include cannibals, family feuds that go back generations, and witchcraft. See where ghosts of the past are seen walking these streets to this day, and learn of their spine-tingling hauntings and history as they search for the peace they were unable to find in this quaint corner of Tennessee.