Clingmans Dome has a reputation - a well earned reputation, if we may add - for being one of the most beautiful places to visit on the east side of Tennessee. If you know our state well, then you know that holding that honor is QUITE difficult. Ol' Rocky Top is jaw dropping, but the view from this particular mountaintop takes the cake. Let's visit!
Clingmans Dome rises 6,643 feet, making it the highest point in the famed Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is actually the highest point in Tennessee! Not only does it make Ol' Rocky Top look good, but it is the third highest mountain east of the Mississippi.
The observation tower is one of the neatest places to visit in the park, giving you a 360 degree view from the mountaintop.
Just so you know: the hike to the observation deck is roughly a half mile, and is very steep. You'll want to make sure you're performing your best the day you look to crest Clingman's Dome. Unfortunately, due to the terrain, it is not wheelchair accessible.
On a clear day, you may see up to 100 miles out past the mountain. That being said, if the day is cloudy or pollution is high, you may see up to 20 miles past the ridge.
You'll drive seven miles down Clingmans Dome Road to reach the trail. There are multiple scenic pullouts where you can stop and take pictures, thoroughly enjoying your journey to one of the prettiest places in the state.
Temperatures at Clingman's Dome tend to be 10-20 degrees cooler than the surrounding area, so make sure to bring a jacket. You'll be pretty high up there!
If you're not looking to take the trail all the way to the summit, you can also walk the Appalachian Trail or the Forney Ridge Trail. Interesting fact: since the Appalachian Trail crosses as Clingmans Dome, it makes it the highest point along the entirety of the trail.
You won't find a view this beautiful anywhere else in the state, folks. Have you visited?
Learn more about the mountain, below:
What a beautiful place! If you're still in the mood to adventure, you should check out The Epic Canopy Course In Tennessee That Will Bring Out The Adventurer In You.
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