Hiking to Alum Cave Bluff in the Smoky Mountains was an adventure, just like many of our hikes.  The beginning of this trail is flat and goes through and old hardwood forest.

Following the Alum Cave Creek for about a mile, we bragged about how easy the trail was and how fast we were going to knock off this 6 mile round trip hike. We soon learned the trail gets steep once you get through the first section. 

One of the main landmarks on the trail is Arch Rock.  The arch was formed by extremes in weather of freezing and thawing. Over the years, the weather eroded the softer rock from underneath the harder rock. The result; a beautiful and unique arch to hike under. 

As you get closer to the bluffs, there is a spectacular view of a mountain ridge. It is a great place for pictures or to rest and to snack on food rations.

Alum Cave

Alum Cave is not a cave at all but is a concave bluff that is about 80 feet high and 500 feet in length.  It is massive and on rainy days provides amazingly dry cover from the weather.  The views from the Bluff and the Bluff itself are amazing and well worth the hike.

Interestingly, Gail started thinking about her next blog post Hikes and Life’s Lessons while on this trek. We brainstormed the topic on the way down the mountain and she wrote her post that night.

So, we would say the Alum Cave Bluff hike is also inspirational!

The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is beautiful and has many opportunities for families and adventurers. The diversity of wildlife and plant life are astounding there. The park is a great American destination for all and Alum Cave was a great hike on a beautiful day.

For other stories about the Great Smoky National Park follow the links below.

Animals of the Great Smoky Mountains

Clingman’s Dome