Walk The Half Mile To The Top Of Clingmans Dome In Tennessee And You Can See All The Way To North Carolina
By Meghan Kraft|Published October 16, 2019
×
Meghan Kraft
Author
Meghan Kraft loves to travel the world, but she makes her home right here in Nashville, Tennessee. She holds a degree in English, and has worked in the digital marketing realm with companies such as Apartments.com, USA Today and HarperCollins Publishing.
The mountains of East Tennessee are arguably some of the most stunningly beautiful spots in all of the United States and the views awarded to those who are willing to climb to their peaks are absolutely breathtaking. Nowhere is that feeling stronger than at Clingman’s Dome, the highest point in Tennessee, and with just a short, paved trail to the observation tower atop the peak, it’s also one of the most accessible mountains in the state. Check it out!
Located in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Clingman's Dome is the highest point in the park as well as in the state of Tennessee. Its height alone makes for some stunning views, but with the observation tower on top, you can see forever.
The mountain is located right on the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, so you actually have to park in North Carolina to get there, but the peak itself is in Tennessee, just a short half-mile trail from the parking lot.
Fall is definitely the best time to go to the mountaintop, but be sure to pack for cooler weather! The peak is typically 10-20 degrees cooler than the valleys below and the unique ecology and weather of the mountain technically makes it a coniferous rain forest!
The trail to the summit is entirely paved, making it arguably the most accessible peak in the national park, but because of the potentially adverse weather conditions, the road to the summit's parking area is only open from April 1st to November 30th, so be sure to plan accordingly!
For those super intrepid explorers out there, the peak is also the highest point along the Appalachian Trail, so you can join the trail at any point and hike to the summit to earn the stunning views.
On clear days at the Clingman's Dome Observation Tower, you can see as far as 100 miles away, far enough to see deep into both Tennessee and North Carolina, though often the clouds of the Smokies make for moodier but equally stunning scenes.
Clingman's Dome is the perfect spot for stunning views with minimal effort, so if you're down for a short half-mile walk, head out to East Tennessee today for some of the best views in the state.
If you’re afraid of heights, don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of ground-level spots for you to check out right here in Tennessee, like the Dutch Maid Bakery in Tracy City where the cakes are almost too wild to eat.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
