Clingmans Dome is the highest road of Tennessee

Clingmans Dome is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.025m (6,643ft) above the sea level, located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, in the southeastern United States.

Can you drive to the top of Clingmans Dome?

Clingmans Dome, also known as Clingman's Dome, is the highest point in the park and in Tennessee. The road to the summit is totally paved. It's called Clingmans Dome Road. There are many pullouts along the road which provide beautiful views of the mountains. A large parking area at the end of the road provides plenty of parking for visitors.  There is a Park Visitor Center and restrooms at the Clingmans Dome parking area.

How long is Clingmans Dome Road?

Starting at U.S. Highway 441, near Newfound Gap, at an elevation of 1.539m (5,048ft) above the sea level, the road is 11.26km (7.0 miles) long. Over this distance the elevation gain is 486 meters. The average gradient is 4.31%.

Is Clingmans Dome Road open?

The winding road to the summit is totally paved. It is open annually from April 1 through November 30 but can be closed whenever weather conditions require. The peak takes its name from Thomas Clingman, an American Civil War General and explorer, who was the first to suggest that it was the region’s highest peak. Throughout the road, there are 12 different waterfalls for tourists to see. Clingmans Dome Road runs to a parking area 300 feet from the summit, which is topped by an observation tower.

Is the road to Clingmans Dome worth it?

At the summit there’s a 45-foot (14 m) concrete observation tower, built in 1959. The observation tower offers spectacular 360° views of the Smokies. On clear days views expand over 100 miles in every direction and into seven states. Clouds, precipitation, and cold temperatures are common.