- 4.6 miles out and back
- 1,100 feet of elevation gain
- Moderate
- Steady incline that turns into stairs
- Thin bridges (planks)
- Lots of water, hiking shoes, and snacks should be brought.
Alum Cave Trail has a unique trail as it takes you through holes in rocks and under a huge overhang. This trail is a great choice for anyone looking for a moderate hike and nice scenery. It is important to bring lots of water, especially if you plan on hiking during the summer and Tennessee tends to get very hot and humid. Majority of the trail is covered with trees although it can still get very hot. The trail also features many thin bridges over streams. These bridges although narrow, are pretty easy to navigate across, with a bar on one of the sides to help you balance. It is important to guide small children across these bridges as they could easily fall off. Deeper into the trail, you will be met with stairs that goes through a cave in a rock. This is a great spot to stop and take pictures as it is a unique and gorgeous feature of the trail. Shortly after, the incline will increase and you will be met with a large set of stairs. Once completing this set of stairs, you will find yourself at the overhang where is a great spot for pictures as well. You will also get to view some mountains near by, including a natural arch through one of the mountains.
