On the Trail in the Smokies

The mighty Appalachian Trail spans nearly 2,200 miles from Springer Mountain in North Georgia to Mount Katahdin in central Maine. Of those many miles, it’s difficult to imagine a more popular part of the trail than the 4-mile stretch from Newfound Gap to the colorfully named Charlies Bunion in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. But not far south of the gap is a rewarding, much less traveled section of the AT that, in just a few miles, takes you to Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the Smokies.

Sure, you can drive to within half a mile or so of the peak via Clingmans Dome Road, but try to find a space in the usually congested parking lot to then climb a heavily trod paved path to the top, where there’s an observation tower rising above the summit. But a longer walk through boreal woods seems to me a more enjoyable way to reach the highest peak along the trail. Although this section of the AT roughly parallels the road, you likely won’t hear much vehicle traffic along the trek of about 3¾ miles, one way.

You can pick up the AT about halfway along the 7-mile-long Clingmans Dome Road, typically open April through November. On the left side of the road you’ll see two small but separate parking areas, near where Fork Ridge Trail heads southeast toward Deep Creek. In order to reach the Appalachian Trail, walk across the road to find a short connector trail marked by a wooden sign. Take that, and turn left upon reaching the AT.

The first half-mile of this AT section is fairly heavily traveled because it leads to a junction with Sugarland Mountain Trail that in turn arrives at Mount Collins shelter in another one-third mile. As you might expect, the shelter affords an easy short camping excursion whenever Clingmans Dome Road is open. (Sugarland Mountain Trail continues for another 11½ miles to Little River Road in Tennessee, descending about 3,500 feet along the way.) The rest of the segment isn’t heavily traveled except in early to mid spring, when thru-hikers are heading north.

Beyond the junction with Sugarland Mountain Trail, the AT goes up and over Mount Collins, which rises nearly 6,200 feet above sea level. The path then descends to Collins Gap, dipping below 5,800 feet elevation, before beginning a mostly uphill course to the summit of Clingmans Dome. From the gap the trail gains a net elevation of about 900 feet, first ascending Mount Love before a brief descent and one last climb toward the dome.

The AT actually doesn’t traverse the summit of Clingmans Dome. A short connecting path takes you from 6,625 feet—the AT’s highest point—to the 6,643-foot-high dome. The 300-foot-long spiral walkway leads to the observation deck 45 feet above ground level, for a total elevation of 6,688 feet above sea level. That’s four feet higher than the actual elevation of Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi, which has its own observation tower surpassing the dome’s tower.

Don’t expect to be alone atop the tower unless the weather is horrendous, as hordes of visitors walk the steep one-half mile path from the parking area most every day that Clingmans Dome Road is open. After a few minutes there you likely will enjoy slipping back into the woods on the AT, heading north back toward Newfound Gap, part of the path’s long and winding route to the Maine wilderness.