Visited in – May 2021
The Clingmans Dome tower is located on the summit of Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, straddling the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. To access it, drive up Clingmans Dome Road, a 7-mile spur off of Newfound Gap Road (US 441), to the parking area. From the parking lot, a steep, half-mile paved trail leads to the observation tower.
- Clingmans Dome Observation Tower
Clingmans Dome observation Tower – Clingmans Dome is, at 6,643 feet, the highest point in Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A highlight is the superb 45-foot-tall observation tower perched atop the mountain’s summit and offering 360-degree views of the Smokies. Built in 1959, the tower provides vistas that, on exceptionally clear days, can extend into seven states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
The paved trail from parking lot to summit is only around 0.5 one way, but has an elevation gain of 360 feet. At the summit there is a 45-foot observation tower with a winding concrete walkway.
Pictures don’t do justice to the views of the Smoky Mountains and the surrounding landscape from the Clingmans Dome Observation Tower. When we visited in May, it was a bit cold and windy. Because of the high elevation, the area is generally colder and windier than lower elevations, so it’s best to bring a jacket year-round.
