The park's only lodging, LeConte Lodge (tel. 865/429-5704 for reservations; www.lecontelodge.com), is on the top of Mount LeConte. The lodge is very back to basics: It has no electricity, TV, phone, or indoor plumbing, although there are four flush toilets in outhouses. The only means of access to the lodge is by hiking. The shortest and steepest route is the Alum Cave Bluffs Trail, a 5.5-mile one-way trip. The lodge offers private bedrooms in cabins with a shared living room, as well as private cabins. Prices range from $60 to $75 per person daily. Adults pay another $35 per person for breakfast and dinner, and children ages 4 to 12 are charged $25. Reservations are difficult to come by if you don't make them in October for the following year. The lodge is open from the last week in March to late November. No credit cards are accepted.

Camping

The park contains 10 campgrounds with picnic tables, fire grills, cold running water, and flush toilets, but they don't have showers or water and electrical hookups. There are three major campgrounds. Cades Cove (151 sites) features a camp store, bike rentals, a disposal station, wood for sale, and naturalist programs held in the small amphitheater. Elkmont (220 sites) offers a disposal station, firewood for sale, vending machines, and a telephone. Smokemont (142 sites) has a disposal station and firewood for sale.

Reservations (tel. 800/365-CAMP [2267]; http://reservations.nps.gov) can be made up to 5 months in advance online or daily from 10am to 10pm. The campgrounds are full on weekends beginning in April and daily from July to October. The busiest months are July and October, and you should make reservations at least 4 weeks in advance. Mid-May to October, there's a 7-day maximum stay, and the charge is $29 per day for two. November to mid-May, with limited sites available, the maximum stay is 14 days, and the charge is $14 to $23 per day. The seven smaller campgrounds, open mid-May to October, are along the boundaries of the park and are $14 per day.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.