The highest point in the Smoky Mountains, 6,643-foot Clingmans Dome, was named in honor of North Carolina Senator Thomas Lanier Clingman, who helped measure it in 1858. Take a short but steep, half-mile hike along a paved walkway up to the Dome's 54-foot-tall observation tower for a panoramic view of the Smoky Mountains. To reach Clingmans Dome, take a 7-mile side road off Newfound Gap Road. The road to Clingmans Dome is usually closed from December through March because of weather conditions.
