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For more details about this route, check out our guide on the best gravel roads in the Smoky Mountains. If you want to drive through high elevation areas of the national park, the Clingman’s Dome Road is a must-visit destination.
This popular drive begins at the Newfound Gap parking area and leads to Clingman’s Dome , the highest peak in the Smokies at an elevation of 6, Ft. Motorists will enjoy this region’s lovely spruce-fir forests that thrive in this mountain’s cool, wet conditions. Along the way, there are several pull-offs that feature gorgeous mountain views.
You can also access the Appalachian Trail as it nears the summit of Clingman’s Dome. At the road’s terminus, you can access the 0. At the top, you’ll be treated to stunning, panoramic views from the highest peak in the Smokies. Additionally, this area of the national park is also home to Andrew’s Bald, a unique high elevation field that features excellent views of the North Carolina side of the Smokies. This destination can be reached via the Forney Ridge Trail that begins at the Clingman’s Dome parking area.
Please note, this popular drive in the Smokies is closed from December 1 to March 31, due to winter weather conditions. Located on the North Carolina side of the park, this remote valley features historic cabins, beautiful mountain views, and the national park’s only wild elk herd.
The entrance road to Cataloochee Valley is one of the prettiest drives in the Smokies, but the road is narrow and unpaved. Though the Cataloochee Valley road, it is probably one of the most underrated scenic drives in the Smoky Mountains. Because this rugged mountain road is unpaved, driving to Cataloochee Valley takes approximately 45 minutes.
This curvy mountain road begins at an elevation of 5, Ft. This high-elevation gravel road is an excellent way to explore the different plant life that exists in different elevations of the park. Please note that this driving route in the Smokies is closed during the winter months. Additionally, this road is named Balsam Mountain Road on national park maps, but the signage for this road calls it Heintooga Ridge. First envisioned in the s, the Foothills Parkway was a grand public works project that was meant to build a mile road that connected I to Lake Chilhowee.
However, the project soon ran into budget shortfalls and environmental concerns, so only some sections of this scenic road have been completed.
Though this road is not technically inside the Great Smoky Mountains, it is maintained by the national park service. As the name suggests, this road straddles the scenic foothills of the Smokies. This picturesque road follows a mountain ridge, so the foothills parkway offers views of the towering Smoky Mountains in the distance.
Additionally, this scenic route will soon be expanded. With the recent completion of the «missing link. Additionally, this new section of road will offer impressive views of the Townsend Valley. Many of these roads are curvy and have low speed limits, so please exercise caution on these scenic roads.
In addition to these top driving roads in the Smoky Mountains, check out our guide on the best motorcycle roads in the Smokies. With these excellent scenic drives in the Great Smoky Mountains, we hope you can get the best out of your trip! We’d love to know, what’s your favorite drive in the Smoky Mountains? Have you driven all of these driving roads in the national park? Please share your thoughts in our comments section! Written by Mark Frazier.
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Loading alerts. Alerts In Effect Dismiss. Dismiss View all alerts. Park Statistics. Picnic Areas 11 picnic areas, totaling sites. Roads miles total — are paved and are unpaved. Personnel Approximately permanent and more than 80 seasonal. Volunteers 2, volunteers donated , hours in Fiscal Year Last updated: January 12, Review more traffic and travel tips for a safe visit. Allow three to four hours to leisurely wind through Cades Cove in your vehicle, enjoying wildlife and historic structures.
Cataloochee Valley is the best place in the park to see historic frame buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Split into multiple sections, the Foothills Parkway provides unique views of the Great Smoky Mountains. A trip over Newfound Gap Road has been compared to a drive from Georgia to Maine with the variety of forest ecosystems one experiences.
The narrow, winding Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail invites you to slow down and enjoy the forest and historic buildings of the area. Inexpensive booklets are available to serve as your personal tour guides along many park roads. These booklets are keyed to numbered posts or landmarks and include information on park history, wildlife, and plants.
Booklets are available for the following roads from park visitor centers and the Great Smoky Mountain Association’s online store. Self-guiding tour booklets are also available from dispensers at the start of the roads they cover.
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The AT in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Helpful Links
miles with over , hikers annually. Approximately 70 miles of the Appalachian Trail run through the park. miles total — are. There are miles of road to choose from in the Smokies. Most are paved, and even the gravel roads are maintained in suitable condition for.
Great Smoky Mountains Vacation Guide, North Carolina – Discover the Smokies by Trail, Train or Tube
North Carolina» PDF. Rockefeller Jr. Getz However, please note that some areas of the Park, great smoky mountains distance Смотрите подробнее Valley, may require driving mojntains dirt or gravel roads. The orange- to sometimes red-flowered and deciduous flame azalea closely follows along with the Catawbas.