The half-mile trail to the summit of Clingmans Dome is paved, but very steep. During the short hike, you will gain 332 feet, which makes the climb gradient almost 13%!

“On record, we’ve seen roughly 500 fatalities since the inception of the park” in 1934, says Dana Soehn, park spokesperson for Great Smoky. “About 170 of those deaths are related to motor vehicle accidents.”

Senator Thomas L. Clingman

Clingmans Dome (or Clingman’s Dome) is a mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina in the southeastern United States.

Clingman’s Dome is definitely worth the 1/2 mile steep hike. The path is paved and there are benches along the way, in case you need to rest. On a clear day, the views are absolutely stunning. I would highly recommend getting there early.

The drive to Clingmans Dome takes about 90 minutes. You will wind on many two lane roads, traversing blind curves along the way. There are no guardrails, so it can be a bit scary driving so close to the edge. It took another 30-40 min to hike the paved walkway to the lookout tower.

Neither drive is scary, unless you are scared of curvy roads and steep dropoffs.

Exploring Clingmans Dome Weather permitting, you may be be treated to up to 100 miles of vistas of the nearby mountains and cities. In fact, on a clear day you can catch sight of seven states: Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, South Carolina, Virginia, Alabama, and Mississippi.

The drive to Clingmans Dome in the Smoky Mountains, a highlight of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is a 7-mile, scenic Smoky Mountain drive on Clingmans Dome Road from Newfound Gap Road.

LeConte, Clingmans Dome, and Cades Cove are crowded for a reason. It can be worth braving the crowds to witness their iconic beauty, even in peak season.

Otherwise the road is open daily from 8am until sunset, weather permitting. Clingmans Dome Road: Open April 1 – November 28, 2021, weather permitting….Download Park Maps.

However, one of the best things to check out during your trip to Cades Cove are the many incredible Cades Cove waterfalls. Waterfalls are a mystic wonder to many people and will provide people with some of the most beautiful sights within the Cades Cove region.

This easy hike is 2.3 miles roundtrip and includes 314 feet of elevation gain.

Cades Cove Description Admission is free. Cades Cove features an 11-mile, paved loop road around the cove. A self-guiding auto tour booklet is available for $1 at loop road entrance. Bicycling and Horseback riding are popular in Cades Cove.

Are you planning a visit to the area and wondering, “What time does Cades Cove open?” Cades Cove is open year round, weather permitting, from 8 a.m. to sunset! 2021 Update: The Cades Cove Loop Road will be closed to all motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, and horseback riders from September 7 through September 27.

According to the National Park Service, the Roaring Fork Motor Trail is closing earlier than usual this year because they want to get a jump start on repairing and replacing a total of eight bridges found along the trail.

Park managers implemented this weekly, full-day opportunity in 2020 in an effort to improve the visitor experience and to reduce congestion associated with vehicle-free mornings that were previously offered until 10:00 a.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The closure has been extended through Saturday, July 31, 2021. Due to the complete removal of the bridges and the use of large equipment to perform repair work, the road will continue to be closed to all use.

two to four hours

The Cades Cove Loop Road is open daily from Sunrise to Sunset.