| Rising 6,643 feet above
the Great Smoky Mountains, Clingman's Dome is the highest point along the Appalachian
Trail and provides a 360º view of the surrounding mountains. From it's 54 foot
observation tower the average viewing distance is about 22 miles, but on a clear pollution
free day, views can amplify as far as 100 miles into 7 states. The mountain was named after the Civil War General / US Senator,
Thomas Lanier Clingman, a prospector who obtained much wealth from the timber and minerals
of this region. Clingman originally measured Mount Mitchell as the highest peak, which of
course it is at an elevation of 6,684 feet, but Dr. Elisha Mitchell also made this claim
and after much debate and a decade later Mitchell went back to remeasure the mountain and
fell to his death at the base of what is now known as Mitchell Falls. Clingman agreed that
because of this tragedy Mount Mitchell should be named after Dr. Mitchell therefore,
the highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park was named after Mr. Clingman
and is located on the state line ridge of North Carolina and Tennessee, the observation
tower sitting equally in both states.
If you plan to hike the 1/2 mile of paved trail to
the dome expect colder temperatures and remember weather conditions can change quickly at
higher elevations. Snowfall is likely anytime between September and May, plus the wind can
also be quite chilling. The Dome is open year-round, but the park closes the road from
December 1 to April 1 or whenever snowfall occurs. Visitors are welcome to hike or cross
country ski the 7 miles from the gate to the Dome parking lot during these times.
As visitors drive to the parking lot and hike to
the Dome they notice many dead Spruce Firs, these trees were attacked by an insect known
as the Balsam Woolly Adelgid, which was brought into the US accidentally in the 1800's and
migrated here from the New England states in the 1980's and 90's killing or damaging
almost all the older fir trees, but young Spruce Firs are slowly growing to replace the
lost timber.
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