Clingmans Dome Observation Tower - Great Smokey Mountains National Park
N 35° 33.775 W 083° 29.904
17S E 273565 N 3938343
Clingman's Dome is reached from the Newfoundland Gap on a spur road 7 miles long. From the parking lot a .05 mile steep trail leads to a tower with a spectacular 360 degree view.
Waymark Code: WMHQ88
Location: North Carolina, United States
Date Posted: 08/03/2013
Views: 31
01/01/1963 by USGS (FIRST OBSERVED)
DESCRIBED BY US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 1963 CHEROKEE, 12.0 MI NW. OF, 10.0 MI S. OF GATLINBURG AND 5.4 MI SW. OF NEWFOUND GAP ON TOP OF CLINGMANS DOME, FROM NEWFOUND GAP GO W. ON CLINGMANS DOME ROAD TO PARKING AREA, PACK 0.5 MI ON TRAIL TO TOP AND STATON, CENTER OF CIRCULAR CONCRETE OBSERVATION TOWER WITH SPIRAL RAMP LEADING TO TOP, TOWER DESIGNATED---CLINGMANS DOME OBSERVATION TOWER---.
Long Description:
From the guidebook, we read:
The road ends at a large parking plaza, 7.7 m. A Class B trail to the summit of CLINGMANS DOME (6,642 alt.), about 0.5. m. in length. From the plaza are fine views of the Blue Ridge Range, and the Natahala National Forest and Andrew's Bald in North Carolina. From the top of Clingmans Dome are visible a number of the highest peaks in the Smokies; Mt Kephart, Siler's Bald, and Mt. Collins. On some days clouds fill the valleys on both the Tennessee and North Carolina sides, and on the brightest days the blue haze, from which the Smokies derive their name, dims the landscape.
----- TENNESSEE - A Guide to the State (third printing 1949).
The observation platform at Clingman's Dome continues to be a very popular tourist destination while visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. When the guidebook was written, the observation platform was a large wooden tower, which was replaced with a spiraling concrete structure in 1960. As the guidebook says, the views can be clear of the surrounding mountains or completely fogged in clouds.
Condition: Mark found in good condition
Designation: Concrete observation tower
Benchmark Agency: National Geodetic Survey
Benchmark Agency (if other): NGS
Monumentation type: Lookout Tower
Monumentation type (if other): Original tower - Wooden Platform / Current Tower - Concrete Platform
County: SWAIN COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
USGS 7.5' Topographic Quadrangle Name (optional): Clingmans Dome
Special category (optional): Mountain summit marks
Special Category (if other): Mountain top observation platform
Find type: Coordinates and/or to-reach information from the NGS database (or Geocaching's copy of it) were used
Web address of this benchmark's datasheet (optional): [Web Link]
NGS PID: FB2495
Local database's URL (optional): [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
- A closeup photo of the mark taken by you is required.
- A 'distant' photo including the mark in the view is highly recommended. Include the compass direction you faced when you took the picture.