Rockman - Aug 30, 2006 4:09 am Date Climbed: Apr 5, 1998
AT
Crossed while on the AT. Very icy.
osatrik - Aug 16, 2006 5:49 am Date Climbed: Aug 26, 1987
Family Highpoints Trip
In 1986 our family did a highpoints driving trip and hit Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Kentucky's high points. Clingmans Dome was number 25 of my 49 state high points, number 24 for Vanessa, and number 11 for Hillary and Holly.
dwhike - Jul 30, 2006 2:04 pm Date Climbed: Jan 7, 2006
Good Views - Big Crowds
Been to Clingmans Dome a bunch of times, always with a crowd. The huge stands of dead Fraser Firs always amaze me. Climbed from the parking lot, not sure I'd want to exert more effort for the scene at the top.
J.Iannotti - Jul 30, 2006 7:39 am Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2006
First time in the Smokies and summited Clingmans Dome after Andrews Bald of which I'll be adding a new page. Unfortunately we were in the clouds most of the time and it poured on the way down. Very impressed by the Smokies though and can't wait to go back!
Went out on a cold, windy, foggy, day from Newfound Gap and had a blast. Fun hike
gwave47 - Jul 9, 2006 4:09 am Date Climbed: Jul 8, 2006
5th Highpoint
Left from Newfound Gap and took the AT to the Dome 7.9 miles each way. After it was too late I noticed other areas to get on the AT to hike to the dome that cut out 2 miles of trail each way.
Drove up and took the short summit trail on a beautiful day. The big parking lot at the top was almost full...this is one popular mountain! But between people going up and coming down, there weren't a lot of people at the top, which was nice. The drive was great and the views were awesome. We could see everything, and I liked the signs pointing to the different peaks. Perfect day for this trip. The whole area around there in the Smokey Mountains is fantastic! After seeing pictures from years past, it looks to me like the forest is really coming back to life up there too. Highpoint #2.
jaygeekray - Jun 27, 2006 5:49 pm Date Climbed: May 19, 1989
Zero Visiblity
Drove up and walked up the short path to the spiral ramp tower in the rain...all we could see were the tops of the trees for about a hundred yards with nothing but white beyond...at least it was a fun day for our toddler to play in the rain...
Turbo - Jun 22, 2006 2:22 am Date Climbed: Mar 10, 2003
Route: Appalachian Trail
As part of a 70 mile backpacking trip in the Great Smokey Mountain National Park, myself and two friends reached the summit before noon. It was very foggy. Couldn't even see the top of the concrete tower.
Cortez - May 21, 2006 8:19 pm Date Climbed: May 20, 2006
Foggy Rather Groggy
We hit the Tennessee state highpoint after climbing Chestnut Bald & Reinhart Knob. The mountain was shrouded in clouds when we hiked the obnoxious paved trail to the summit. One thing about this state highpoint that struck me was that there was no sign at the summit marking it as such. The structure at the top was also unnec.
tarol - May 18, 2006 5:32 pm Date Climbed: May 9, 2006
Took the easy way to the top!
It was a beautiful drive to the top of Clingmans Dome. I loved how the vegetation changes as you go up in elevation. The view from the top was amazing as were the wildflowers found roadside :)
brendon - May 9, 2006 1:19 am Date Climbed: May 8, 2006
Fog
Drove up to the parking area before dawn in very thick fog. A little bit of construction on the trail. Very foggy and my ears got cold.
Holsti97 - Apr 23, 2006 10:40 am Date Climbed: Apr 11, 2006
Clingman's Dome
Drove to Cherokee from Asheville, NC to Hwy. 441. Stopped at Sugarlands Visitor Center and were told that we wouldn't be able to go to summit because of repairs to the area at the top. Drove on Clingman's Dome Road to parking lot. Hiked 2 miles round trip on Forney Ridge Trail to Appalachian Trail and then to the summit. No official looking people around so we climbed the "curved cement bridge to nowhere." Met a few through hikers on the AT. Very nice hike on a perfect day. Drove back to Maggie Valley on the Blue Ridge Parkway. HP #10.
mattdalman - Apr 22, 2006 1:00 am Date Climbed: Apr 13, 2006
Route Climbed: Parking lot Trail
This was the first of three state highpoints for the day(TN,GA,SC). There wasn't any view from the saucer because of the dense fog up at the summit. Still fun though.
Mark Doiron - Mar 22, 2006 6:20 pm Date Climbed: Jun 8, 2004
Park Closed--Except Us!
My son Curtis and I were hiking a couple days on the AT. We'd left the truck at the parking lot for Clingman's Dome. Our planned return was at sunrise, June 8th, so that we could catch the transit of Venus (I'm an amateur astronomer and had a scope and solar filter in the truck). But it was too cloudy to see the transit.
Funny thing: No one else about. Puzzled, we packed up and headed out the east park entrance. We'd stop so I could take a few images, but there was no one on the road. This is the most highly visited national park (yes, far more than Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite!), yet there was no one around. I got to where I'd just stop on the road to take pic's. Anyway--long story shortened: Turns out the park gates were closed because there'd been an incident with the FBI chasing some wanted criminal into the park. We passed the scene of the incident and there were all manner of cops (local, county, FBI, etc) for several miles before the east gate.
Eleutheros - Mar 17, 2006 7:32 pm Date Climbed: Jun 12, 1995
Fog and Rain
Beautiful hike in the fog and rain. No view from the tower, but the forest was alive.
Rockman - Aug 30, 2006 4:09 am Date Climbed: Apr 5, 1998
ATCrossed while on the AT. Very icy.
osatrik - Aug 16, 2006 5:49 am Date Climbed: Aug 26, 1987
Family Highpoints TripIn 1986 our family did a highpoints driving trip and hit Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Kentucky's high points. Clingmans Dome was number 25 of my 49 state high points, number 24 for Vanessa, and number 11 for Hillary and Holly.
royswkr - Jul 31, 2006 10:16 pm Date Climbed: Apr 6, 1991
Up paved trail.
dwhike - Jul 30, 2006 2:04 pm Date Climbed: Jan 7, 2006
Good Views - Big CrowdsBeen to Clingmans Dome a bunch of times, always with a crowd. The huge stands of dead Fraser Firs always amaze me. Climbed from the parking lot, not sure I'd want to exert more effort for the scene at the top.
J.Iannotti - Jul 30, 2006 7:39 am Date Climbed: Jul 25, 2006
A TMy first highpoint
mtwashingtonmonroe - Jul 16, 2006 8:52 pm Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2006
In the cloudsFirst time in the Smokies and summited Clingmans Dome after Andrews Bald of which I'll be adding a new page. Unfortunately we were in the clouds most of the time and it poured on the way down. Very impressed by the Smokies though and can't wait to go back!
Koonsy - Jul 9, 2006 3:48 pm
Route: ATWent out on a cold, windy, foggy, day from Newfound Gap and had a blast. Fun hike
gwave47 - Jul 9, 2006 4:09 am Date Climbed: Jul 8, 2006
5th HighpointLeft from Newfound Gap and took the AT to the Dome 7.9 miles each way. After it was too late I noticed other areas to get on the AT to hike to the dome that cut out 2 miles of trail each way.
CRiedel2 - Jul 5, 2006 1:31 pm Date Climbed: Jul 2, 2006
Great Day in TNDrove up and took the short summit trail on a beautiful day. The big parking lot at the top was almost full...this is one popular mountain! But between people going up and coming down, there weren't a lot of people at the top, which was nice. The drive was great and the views were awesome. We could see everything, and I liked the signs pointing to the different peaks. Perfect day for this trip. The whole area around there in the Smokey Mountains is fantastic! After seeing pictures from years past, it looks to me like the forest is really coming back to life up there too. Highpoint #2.
jaygeekray - Jun 27, 2006 5:49 pm Date Climbed: May 19, 1989
Zero VisiblityDrove up and walked up the short path to the spiral ramp tower in the rain...all we could see were the tops of the trees for about a hundred yards with nothing but white beyond...at least it was a fun day for our toddler to play in the rain...
Turbo - Jun 22, 2006 2:22 am Date Climbed: Mar 10, 2003
Route: Appalachian TrailAs part of a 70 mile backpacking trip in the Great Smokey Mountain National Park, myself and two friends reached the summit before noon. It was very foggy. Couldn't even see the top of the concrete tower.
EManBevHills - Jun 16, 2006 1:12 am
Ancient HistoryUpdating the archives!
Cortez - May 21, 2006 8:19 pm Date Climbed: May 20, 2006
Foggy Rather GroggyWe hit the Tennessee state highpoint after climbing Chestnut Bald & Reinhart Knob. The mountain was shrouded in clouds when we hiked the obnoxious paved trail to the summit. One thing about this state highpoint that struck me was that there was no sign at the summit marking it as such. The structure at the top was also unnec.
tarol - May 18, 2006 5:32 pm Date Climbed: May 9, 2006
Took the easy way to the top!It was a beautiful drive to the top of Clingmans Dome. I loved how the vegetation changes as you go up in elevation. The view from the top was amazing as were the wildflowers found roadside :)
brendon - May 9, 2006 1:19 am Date Climbed: May 8, 2006
FogDrove up to the parking area before dawn in very thick fog. A little bit of construction on the trail. Very foggy and my ears got cold.
Holsti97 - Apr 23, 2006 10:40 am Date Climbed: Apr 11, 2006
Clingman's DomeDrove to Cherokee from Asheville, NC to Hwy. 441. Stopped at Sugarlands Visitor Center and were told that we wouldn't be able to go to summit because of repairs to the area at the top. Drove on Clingman's Dome Road to parking lot. Hiked 2 miles round trip on Forney Ridge Trail to Appalachian Trail and then to the summit. No official looking people around so we climbed the "curved cement bridge to nowhere." Met a few through hikers on the AT. Very nice hike on a perfect day. Drove back to Maggie Valley on the Blue Ridge Parkway. HP #10.
mattdalman - Apr 22, 2006 1:00 am Date Climbed: Apr 13, 2006
Route Climbed: Parking lot TrailThis was the first of three state highpoints for the day(TN,GA,SC). There wasn't any view from the saucer because of the dense fog up at the summit. Still fun though.
Mark Doiron - Mar 22, 2006 6:20 pm Date Climbed: Jun 8, 2004
Park Closed--Except Us!My son Curtis and I were hiking a couple days on the AT. We'd left the truck at the parking lot for Clingman's Dome. Our planned return was at sunrise, June 8th, so that we could catch the transit of Venus (I'm an amateur astronomer and had a scope and solar filter in the truck). But it was too cloudy to see the transit.
Funny thing: No one else about. Puzzled, we packed up and headed out the east park entrance. We'd stop so I could take a few images, but there was no one on the road. This is the most highly visited national park (yes, far more than Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite!), yet there was no one around. I got to where I'd just stop on the road to take pic's. Anyway--long story shortened: Turns out the park gates were closed because there'd been an incident with the FBI chasing some wanted criminal into the park. We passed the scene of the incident and there were all manner of cops (local, county, FBI, etc) for several miles before the east gate.
Eleutheros - Mar 17, 2006 7:32 pm Date Climbed: Jun 12, 1995
Fog and RainBeautiful hike in the fog and rain. No view from the tower, but the forest was alive.
Scrambling Man - Feb 14, 2006 9:00 pm
AT Hike: Spring of 2000Great hike along the AT. The tower is unique and oddly out of place, but it does allow for views of the mountains.