Mt. LeConte via Bull Head Trail (up) and Rainbow Falls Trail (down) (GSMNP)

 

8/24/21

Intro

Mt. LeConte has for a very long time been on my short list of hikes I wanted to complete. I have hiked several different portions of most of the trails that lead to the lodge and summit throughout a lot of my lifetime but had never hiked past a lot of the mid point destinations such as Alum Cave or Grotto Falls as I did not have anyone to hike with that shared a willingness to do much further. Today was the day that changed. My good friend Ryan, who incidentally earned his trail name "Steps" on this particular hike, came along as we had been planning a camping and hiking trip together for several weeks. I had read a lot of information on the Bull Head trail prior to this trip in trying to prepare and I was really excited about this hike. Bull Head was one of the most affected areas of the 2016 Chimney Tops 2 fire and prior to that fire, Bull Head was one of the least travelled routes up to LeConte and many of the earlier reports by those that did use this route often stated the trail was overgrown and not very enjoyable as it offered very few points of interest. The aforementioned fire changed that by burning off nearly all of the vegetation, including large trees, opening up a lot of views. While the trail is still not super heavily travelled, traffic has increased significantly on this route since the trail reopened a couple of years ago. Rainbow Falls and Bull Head share the same parking lot/trailhead so making this a loop hike was an easy choice for me and Steps as opposed to an out and back or shuttle hike. We opted to climb Bull Head, mostly due to the way the sun hits the mountain as Bull Head and Balsam Point are both on the western slops of Mt. LeConte and the trail would be in direct sunlight for much of the afternoon since there was no more "green tunnel" to hike through due to the fire, and we were to return via Rainbow Falls trail back to the car. 

We prepared for this hike by eating a nice camp dinner of salmon cooked over open fire and potatoes hoping to get a proper pre hike low-fat protein boost and carb load. Whether this helped us in the long run I am unsure, I just know that it was delicious :). We further prepared nutritionally with breakfast the morning of the hike by eating peanut butter and banana sandwiches while drinking a hot cup of Bullhead Bold dark roast coffee that we picked up from the Little River Coffee Company the day prior in Townsend on the way to camp at Cades Cove. While I do like and prefer dark roast coffee and I found this particular blend to be highly appropriate considering our choice of hike. I know it is very "on the nose" but it was very delicious. We cleaned up at camp and made our way towards Gatlinburg and Cherokee Orchard Rd. We had intended to get an earlier start on the day than we actually did, but we weren't too far behind our planned schedule. 

Hiking Up Bull Head 

We arrived to a nearly full parking lot at the trailhead. I expected nothing less to be honest as this parking area serves 4 different trail heads, though the vast majority of people were here for Rainbow Falls. We quickly changed footwear into our hiking boots, donned our packs, and headed out on the Old Sugarlands Trail which is the beginning of the Bull Head Trail. The trail splits very shortly and we began our climb up the Bull Head. When I say climb, I truly mean it... the Bull Head is relentlessly up, and up, and up with little reprieve. Steps and I saw plenty of evidence of bear activity along the hike, especially throughout the first section of trail, and heard what we believe to have been a bear in the brush above us at one point, but did not see it to confirm. We also did not have to hike very far to see remnants of the fire and the further we climbed up the more we could see the devastation the fire caused nearly 5 years ago. The silver lining is the vast views that we now have and it also did not take long for us to begin reaching several of those vistas. 

At near mile 3 you finally reach the pulpit, a rock cairn built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s to allow hikers a platform to climb to see over the vegetation for a view towards Gatlinburg. This cairn is now no longer needed as the 2016 fire left us with a near 360 view from this area but is still an interesting feature. This was also a great area for a short rest and a significant snack to help refuel our energy for the remaining ~ 4 miles to the summit, especially with Balsam Point (>5800') looming over us as the next section of trail we would climb. The next 3 or so miles continued climbing in much the same manor as the first section, just a steeper and rockier and still without much relief such as flat or downhill sections. Of particular note is that there is only 1 reliable water source up this route until you reach the lodge and it is pretty far up the trail (~mile 5). Steps and I discussed this prior to hiking up and decided to evaluate our water supply when reaching this point. We determined we did not need it when we reached this source as we each carried 2.5 liters of water individually, with a resupply planned at the summit for the trek down, but be mindful based on your own water needs and pack weight considerations if you hike this trail. 

Things change quite a bit once you cross below Balsam Point and around to the saddle ridge. The trail somewhat flattens out and is mostly a sand base for a short while and this area is mostly untouched by the fire leaving us with some shade from the now high sun. Even though we started fairly early in the day, there was no way to completely avoid hiking in direct sun so this section of the trail was welcomed in many ways and for many reasons: momentary relief from miles of climbing, fewer rocks, shade provided by the green tunnel, and the very noticeable drop in temperature due to elevation. We picked up speed through this area due to all of those changes in addition to looking forward to the sack lunch that awaited us once we reached the lodge (LeConte lodge provides a sack lunch to day hikers for a fee consisting of a selection of specific refueling foods. More info on this here.). We also knew the next waypoint was the reconnecting of the Rainbow Falls Trail to the Bull Head Trail, then the Alum Cave Trail connection right near the lodge. Once we finally got to that initial connection (Rainbow Falls), the trail became a steep climb once again and the mostly dirt/sand trail returned to a rock bed. The energy boost we had while walking the ridge shifted to a deep sigh and we audibly expressed our exhaustion with an "oh no, more climbing!". This section was truly only about a half mile but it felt like sooo much more. We slowly climbed on, eventually connecting with the Alum Cave Trail and reaching the lodge; we now know why that section after connecting with Alum Cave is called the hallelujah corner!

The Lodge Area

We happily descended the steps from the main trail down to the lodge and took a few moments to take it all in and explore the area. We did not venture too far as LeConte Lodge is typically booked solid for months in advance and we did not want to disturb the overnight guests as they had hiked here to relax away from normal life and typical amenities (like electricity :)) but we were sure to walk over for the obligatory picture in front of the dining hall which has the elevation and current date. The views from this area were not actual views at this point of the day as the summit and surrounding area was covered in clouds. The clouds were moving constantly so we did catch a glimpse of the view from time to time but for the most part there wasn't much to look at here as far as vistas for us. We walked back over to the Lodge Gift Shop to pick up our sack lunch and view the other items available there. I was sure to purchase a t-shirt as these are only available to purchase in person from the lodge (no other stores sell them, not available online) and they change the design every year. Essentially, you have to earn the ability to purchase a shirt by hiking up here. There are many other items available in the gift shop, but I was personally mostly interested in the shirt. The gift shop also has rocking chairs just outside the entrance door on a nice porch which would provide decent views on an unclouded day. We took advantage of the rocking chairs to relax and to eat our lunch. Steps decided to give his feet a rest by taking off his boots and socks and elevating them for a bit here as well. This really was a very nice area for rest and relaxation which is definitely needed after climbing up here, regardless of the route you take. There are also public latrines for day hiker use as well as several potable water spigots to resupply as needed. We watched the clouds move across High Top and Myrtle Point while resting here and noticed there really did not seem to be a break for views from Myrtle Point. A conversation with other hikers that were coming in from that direction helped to make the decision for us: it was too risky to hike the extra 1.5 miles (out and back) to Myrtle Point only to be met with more cloud cover. We did however, decide to continue up to Cliff Tops in hopes of a view there before heading back down the car.  

Cliff Tops

After our lunch and a long rest (~45 mins), we replenished our water supply and headed up to Cliff Tops. The trail up is not long (.2 miles) but it is more climbing and the trail is even more rocky to get there. Once you get out to the cliffs, the views are nothing short of amazing. Familiar points are easily found such as Morton Overlook, Clingmans Dome, and Chimney Tops. In fact, you can see almost the entire ridge that the Sugarland Mountain Trail traverses from Clingmans Dome Rd down to the Laurel Falls Parking Area. Cliff Tops is also very appropriately named as this is very much rocky cliffs with big drops (please watch kids if they come with you here). If you visit later in the day, expect to have a fair amount of people around as this is a popular spot for sunsets. Even cloudy, the views are outstanding! We spent at least 15 minutes here just taking in the view, and likely would have stayed longer if not for the time of day and the need to hike down soon. 

Hiking Down Rainbow Falls

We began hiking down the same way we came up to the lodge and made a right at the trail split. Steps made mention of the lack of blaze or markings for the trails (this was his first time visiting GSMNP). I explained that a few trails were blazed through the Smokies (AT and MTS trails) but that there wasn't much need due to the signage and trail maintenance throughout the park. He agreed that the trails had been easy to follow thus far. We also quickly discovered that hiking down is much easier and faster than climbing up. One would think that would be obvious but there are several trails that I have been on that the exact opposite is true - going down is more difficult and slow due to the terrain and the care one needs to take navigating it. I also made mention that I had read somewhere that Rainbow Falls Trail was the "most rocky trail in the park" but that it didn't seem such thus far. I quickly ate those words; the further we hiked down, the rockier it got. We took a marked side trail to Rocky Spur Overlook and that trail, while not difficult, was largely unmaintained and felt like a path only wildlife would take as it was so narrow and overgrown. It did offer a nice view of Pigeon Forge which we hadn't seen prior on this hike but seeing and hiking it in person, I likely would have opted not to take this side trail. We hiked for several miles and began to see a lot of the burn damage on this ridge, similar to the earlier experiences on Bull Head. But, unlike Bull Head, there are a multitude of water sources along this trail, including several nice, smaller cascades in addition to the main falls that are lovely spots for a quick breather and a picture. 

A mile or so prior to reaching the falls, we began to feel rain drops and for most of this section, opted not to stop to adjust our clothing as we were still in the green tunnel that blocked most of the falling rain from reaching us. We could see however, that it was a full on rain shower coming down as we looked out across the gorge and agreed that if the trail opened up any we would need to adjust. I also made comment that this was likely a single cloud that had just crossed over the summit of LeConte and the rain shouldn't last long (which it didn't). We did eventually stop to don rain gear over our packs before continuing down the trail. 

We eventually made it to Rainbow Falls and I expected to find a lot of people there. To our surprise there was only one family at the actual falls. We had planned for this to be an extended rest area for us so we could again refuel for the remainder of the journey down, and we did just that. We chatted with the family there for a short bit before they left for the trailhead, leaving just me and Steps there alone. What a wonderful few moments we had there as the rain had stopped just as we arrived to the falls and how rare it is to be able to visit and photograph such a popular place without others around and unintentionally making their way into your photos. I did take a few pictures with that family I mentioned in them for perspective on how big the falls actually are (75-80' drop). A few more moments there and we headed on. We knew we were tired, but just how tired we were at this point was becoming evident and we both made comments regarding such. The trail continued as did the challenges navigating rocks and steps down. This trail had been recently rehabbed and I cannot imagine what it was like prior. Thankfully, we experienced no more rain on the way down but we did have another issue: we were running out of daylight. We were moving in a good pace truly, but we really could not safely move any faster and the reality eventually set in that we were going to complete the trail in the dark. We stopped and dug out our headlamps from our packs. We both made comments about always packing those but never really using them on day hikes; we were definitely thankful to have them now! While I would have liked to have finished with plenty of daylight left, I would have not been able to get one of my favorite pictures of the entire trip if we had done so, a nice picture of the sunset over the mountain horizon through the trees. The trail was still fairly easy to follow with headlamps, the worst part really was the moths that were now attracted to us. About the time that Steps made the comment that "it can't be much farther" the trail turned to gravel and I exclaimed "guess where we are!". Almost immediately we met the intersection of Old Sugarlands/Bull Head trail and Trillium Gap Trail - exactly where we started. We made a beeline to the parking lot and I lifted my trekking poles in the air and literally shouted "victory!". We had finally made it back to our car; we were the only vehicle left in the parking lot. It felt wonderful to shed the hiking boots and put back on my flip flops - this part always feels so good! And the chocolate milk waiting in the cooler... never tasted better. 

Overall, this was a very long day and we were exhausted by the end. It was worth it though. The views were amazing, even with cloud cover, Rainbow Falls is a very nice waterfall that sits within a really nice cove, and the sense of accomplishment truly was wonderful. 

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Total Miles: 15.1 Strenuous due to elevation gain (>4000') and length

Features: Views, waterfalls

Overall rating: 5/5

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