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Great Smoky Mountains National Park Mountains
The crest of the Great Smokies runs in an unbroken chain of peaks that rise more than 5,000 feet for over 36 miles.
Elevations in the park range from 876 to 6,643 feet.
Clingmans Dome - 6,643
Mount Guyot - 6,621
Mount Le Conte (High Top) - 6,593
Mount Buckley - 6,580
Mount Love - 6,420
Mount Chapman - 6,417
Old Black - 6,370
Luftee Knob - 6,234
Mount Kephart - 6,217
Mount Collins - 6,118
Andrews Bald - 5,920
Charlies Bunion - 5,565
Balsam Mountain Campground - 5,310
Newfound Gap - 5,046
Alum Cave Bluffs - 4,970
Spence Field - 4,920
Chimney Tops - 4,800
Rainbow Falls - 4,326
Ramsey Cascades - 4,275
Grotto Falls - 3,770
Cataloochee Valley - 2,680
Laurel Falls - 2,600
Smokemont Campground - 2,198
Elkmont Campground - 2,150
Little Greenbrier School - 2,070
Oconaluftee Visitor Center - 2,040
Cades Cove Visitor Center - 1,716
Fontana Dam - 1,709
Abrams Falls - 1,473
Sugarlands Visitor Center - 1,462
Abrams Creek at park boundary - 876
Clingmans Dome At 6,643 feet
Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is the highest point in Tennessee, and the third highest point in the Appalachian Mountain range. Only Mt. Mitchell (6,684 feet) and Mt. Craig (6,647), both located in Mt. Mitchell State Park in western North Carolina, rise higher. Clingmans Dome is a popular park destination. Spectacular vistas await those willing to climb the steep half-mile walk to the tower at the top. On clear, pollution-free days, views expand over a 100 miles. Unfortunately, air pollution often limits viewing distances to under 20 miles. Clouds, precipitation, and cold temperatures reveal the hostile environment atop Clingmans Dome. Proper preparation is essential for a good visit. Although Clingmans Dome is open year-round, the road leading to it is closed from December 1 through March 31, and whenever weather conditions require. What's killing the trees? The balsam woolly adelgid ( Adelges piceae ) is an insect pest that infests and kills stands of Fraser fir ( Abies fraseri ) in the spruce-fir zone. This fir occurs naturally only in the southern Appalachians and used to be the dominant tree at the highest elevations. The adelgid was introduced on trees imported from Europe, and the fir has little natural defense against it. By injecting the tree with toxins, the adelgid blocks the path of nutrients through the tree.
The trees literally starve to death, and thousands of dead snags are all that are left on the highest mountain peaks. Highlights: There are several trails that start on Clingmans Dome Road and parking area. The Appalachian Trail (AT) crosses Clingmans Dome, marking the highest point along its journey from Georgia to Maine. Cool, wet conditions on Clingmans Dome's summit make the spruce-fir forest that grows there a coniferous rainforest. Catch a breathtaking sunrise or sunset from the tower or enjoy the 360ยบ panoramic vistas during the day. Newfound Gap At an elevation of 5,048 feet, Newfound Gap is the lowest drivable pass through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Newfound Gap's recognition as the lowest pass through the Great Smoky Mountains did not come until 1872. Arnold Henry Guyot, a Swiss geographer, measured many Southern Appalachian elevations. Mt. Guyot, the second highest peak in the Smokies, takes his name. He used a simple barometer to measure changes in air pressure to calculate mountain heights. In most cases he was within 2-3 percent of current values. His work revealed Newfound Gap as the lowest pass through the mountains, displacing nearby Indian Gap.
A new road followed, and it became the forerunner of Newfound Gap Road. Highlights: Rockefeller Memorial honors a $5 million donation from the Rockefeller Foundation to help complete land acquisitions to bring about the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Scenic views from the large parking area. The Appalachian Trail (AT) crosses over Newfound Gap Road and straddles the state line between North Carolina and Tennessee for most of its length through the park. Visitors can enjoy a short stroll to strech their legs or a multi-day backpacking excursion on the AT as it runs through the park
Maine ocean islands provide the only nesting sites for Atlantic puffins in the United States. Eastern Egg Rock in the midcoast region, Seal Island and Matinicus Rock at the mouth of Penobscot Bay, and Machias Seal Island and Petit Manan Island off the downeast coast provide habitat for more than 4,000 puffins each summer.