Clingmans Dome

Clingmans Dome is a mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina, in the southeastern United States. At an elevation of 6643ft, it is the highest mountain in the Smokies, the highest point in the state of Tennessee, and the highest point along the 2174mi Appalachian Trail. It is also the third highest point in all of Eastern North America, after the nearby Mount Mitchell and Mount Craig .Clingmans Dome has two subpeaks: 6560ft Mount Buckley to the west and 6400ft Mount Love to the east. The headwaters of several substantial streams are located on the slopes of Clingmans Dome, namely Little River on the north slope, and Forney Creek and Noland Creek on the south slope. The mountain is located entirely within the Tennessee River watershed.Clingmans Dome is protected as part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A paved road connects it to U.S. Highway 441 . The 45ft concrete observation tower, built in 1959 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, offers a panoramic view of the mountains. An air quality monitoring station, operated by the Environmental Protection Agency, is the second highest in eastern North America.