50 States of Glorious Hiking Destinations

Located in the Great Smoky Mountains, the Alum Cave Bluffs Trail is the shortest — and steepest — of the five trails leading to Monte Le Conte, the sixth highest mountain east of the Mississippi River. Although the trail is a total of 10.3 miles, it only takes 1.3 miles from the trailhead to reach the fascinating Arch Rock, the first prominent landmark along the trail. Because of the trail's short length, it is the most common footpath for hikers looking to reach the summit of Le Conte.