Alum Cave trail fatal fall
A 65‑year‑old woman died after falling roughly 60 feet from a cliff on the Alum Cave Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains — a stark reminder that spring hiking can turn dangerous around exposed ledges. Hikers should treat popular trails as high‑risk in wet or icy spring conditions. (cleveland.com)
The National Park Service says the incident occurred March 28 on the Alum Cave Trail south of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. (knoxnews.com) Great Smoky Mountains National Park rangers reached the scene and conducted resuscitation efforts on the mountainside. (wbir.com) Park officials said they are working to notify the hiker’s next of kin and have not released her identity. The park’s official trail guide lists the Alum Cave Bluffs route as about a 4.6-mile round trip to the bluffs, with steep, rocky sections, multiple stair sets and narrow ledges past features such as Arch Rock. (nps.gov) Park spokespeople and regional outlets reported this as the fifth fatality in Great Smoky Mountains National Park so far in 2026, compared with 16 park deaths in 2025 and nine in 2024. (independent.co.uk) Preliminary National Park Service data show the Smokies logged roughly 11.5 million recreation visits in 2025, keeping it the most‑visited national park in the United States. (nps.gov)
