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Clingmans Dome

Clingmans Dome Rd · Gatlinburg, TN

Why you should go…

At 6,643 feet, Clingmans Dome is the highest peak in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the third highest east of the Mississippi. A steep half-mile paved trail leads to a concrete observation tower with views that stretch over 100 miles on a clear day.

  • #hiking
  • #views
  • #national park
  • #highest point

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Clingmans Dome, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Outdoor Adventure

    Newfound Gap

    Free

    The lowest drivable pass across the Smokies, straddling the Tennessee-North Carolina line.

    5.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail

    Free

    A quiet 5.5-mile loop past waterfalls and preserved log cabins deep in the national park.

    8.6 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Family Favorite

    Ober Mountain

    $25–$50

    An aerial tramway ride up to alpine coasters, a ropes course, and mountaintop views.

    9.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Outdoor Adventure

    Bryson City, North Carolina

    Free

    A mountain town bordering Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a gateway for rafting, hiking, and the Cherokee reservation.

    9.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Tours
    History Buff

    Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

    $50+

    Vintage steam and diesel excursions roll along the Tuckasegee River from Bryson City.

    9.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Family Favorite

    Anakeesta

    $25–$50

    A mountaintop adventure park reached by gondola, with treetop rope courses and zip lines.

    11 mi awayMore like this