Bullhead Trail (Mt. LeConte)Difficult

Cherokee Orchard / Gatlinburg, TN

Difficult
Bullhead Trail (Mt. LeConte)

Distance (One Way)

5.9 miles

Elevation Gain

4,000 feet

Trailhead

Cherokee Orchard

Location

Gatlinburg, TN

Trail Description Written by Caroline Sullivan

Bullhead Trail to Mt LeConte is a 6.9 mile hike. Beginning at Cherokee Orchard in the Rainbow Falls trailhead parking lot, you can find the trailhead by heading down Old Sugarlands Trail for 0.4 miles. Bullhead Trail to Mt LeConte will begin on your left.

Bullhead Trail (often spelled Bull Head) is one of the less popular routes to Mt. LeConte. The hike to LeConte Lodge is 6.9 miles (0.4 of which are on Old Sugarlands, 0.6 on Rainbow Falls) and is often paired with Rainbow Falls as a 13.4 mile loop hike.

If you're hiking this trail to Mount LeConte, you'll find The Pulpit at mile 2.6 (3.3 if you're hiking back from LeConte). When this trail was constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, they constructed this large stone table. According to the book Hiking Trails of the Smokies, "nobody told them to do it", but apparently somebody thought it would be a good idea. On a clear day, one can see English Mountain to the northeast and Sugarland Mountain to the southeast.

"The Pulpit is tall enough for those who stand on it to get a good look northward down into LeConte Creek Valley. It's wide enough for two or three to sit on. So it's an excellent place to stop for lunch or a snack." - Carson Brewer, Hiking Trails of the Smokies

Note: In recent years, it appears that hikers have added a bunch of rocks to the Pulpit and made it very difficult to stand/sit on. Please do not add rocks to the Pulpit. It is a historical structure that should be treated with respect. It is not a rock cairn.

To reach the trailhead, take Historic Nature Trail/Airport Road (light #8) in Gatlinburg. This road soon becomes Cherokee Orchard Road and you’ll cross the boundary to the park at 0.9 of a mile. Head to the right from the Rainbow Falls parking area onto Old Sugarlands Trail and you'll find the intersection at 0.4 miles.

Bullhead Trail goes through a part of the park that was heavily affected by the 2016 Gatlinburg wildfires. In certain areas you'll see a great deal of burnt trees cascading down the sides of the trail, revealing clear views of the surrounding mountains.

#loop
#mt leconte
#wildflowers
#difficult
#gatlinburg tn

Bullhead Trail (Mt. LeConte) Elevation Profile

Bullhead Trail (Mt. LeConte) Elevation Profile

Trail Difficulty Scales Explained

Elevation Grade

13%

Very Steep

Paul Petzoldt Scale

13.9

Strenuous

5

10

15

Shenandoah Scale

217

Very Strenuous

50

100

150

Hiker Tips & Trivia

  • This is a great downhill hike to pair with Rainbow Falls or Trillium Gap if you're looking for a loop hike to Mount LeConte
  • The earliest European settlers in the Smoky Mountain area called Mount LeConte the Bull Head due to its appearance on the western side of the massif. In 1860 Arnold Guyot wrote in an essay that the central peak of the massif (now known as High Top) had been designated as Mount Le Conte, in recognition of John Le Conte, a physics professor who assisted in measuring the height Clingman's Dome. Eventually the name was applied to the entire massif, and "the Bull Head" became the name of this minor western peak.

Photo Gallery (16)

Trail Map

Read More

Gatlinburg Fire 2016: How It Happened & the Aftermath

The Gatlinburg fire of 2016 began in late November - the day before Thanksgiving - on Chimney Tops Trail in a period of extreme drought. After 5 days of the fire spreading around the northern part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park ...

Read This Post

Mt. LeConte Hikes: 6 Trails To Reach The Summit

Mt. LeConte is the third highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and a popular hiking destination. There are actually 6 trails suitable for a Mt LeConte hike, and they all vary in difficulty, length, and features along the w...

Read This Post

Bullhead Trail: 5.9 Miles Downhill From LeConte Lodge

Bullhead Trail is one of the least trafficked of the 6 routes to LeConte Lodge. The 5.9 mile trail zigzags south of the summit of Balsam Point with an array of switchbacks around the mountain's slopes. It is frequently combined with Rainbow...

Read This Post

LeConte Lodge: The Inn Over A Mile In The Sky

LeConte Lodge is a small resort on top of Mount LeConte, the mountain with the tallest face east of the Mississippi river. It was established in 1925 and predates the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At 6,593 feet above ...

Read This Post

Trail Etiquette For Hikers In The Great Smokies

Trail etiquette in the Great Smoky Mountains is an important part of experiencing the national park. When you follow the rules - both the actual rules and the understood ones - you can enjoy your time in the Smokies while also leaving room ...

Read This Post

Gatlinburg Hiking Trails

There are a handful of Gatlinburg hiking trails that are easy to reach from the parkway. If you're visiting this popular mountain town, plan for a day of your trip to go explore the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If you're a beginner,...

Read This Post

The above list of hiking trails in the Smokies is incomplete and constantly being updated. If you have information or photos you would like to contribute, please contact [email protected].

Featured Posts

Other Hikes

By continuing to use our website, you are accepting the use of cookies. For more information please read our privacy policy.