The following is a sample hike from The Best of the Appalachian Trail: Day Hikes by Victoria and Frank Logue. This hike in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is just one of 150 hikes in the book. In the book itself icons at the top of each hike help readers to quickly identify the key features of the hike such as a view, waterfall, or historic area.

Clingmans Dome and Mount Collins
Great Smoky Mountains National Park

This day hike will take you to the highest point on the A.T.--Clingmans Dome (elevation 6,643 feet). On clear days, there are outstanding views of the peaks of the Great Smokies from the observation tower. Formerly Smoky Dome, the peak is named after Thomas L. Clingman, a Civil War General and U.S. Senator. Clingman is known for his heated debate with Elisha Mitchell. The two argued over which peak in the state was the highes--Grandfather Mountain or Balsam Mountain. The debate took place through editorials in rival Asheville, North Carolina, newspapers. Mitchell died in a fall while trying to prove his claim that Balsam Mountain was the tallest. History proved Mitchell right, however, and the highest peak east of the Mississippi bears his name.

Clingmans Dome features an observation tower with signs identifying the distant mountains. The section of the A.T. from Clingmans Dome north to Newfound Gap was constructed by the CCC between 1939 and 1940; this hike will take you along the ridge from Clingmans Dome through a spruce and balsam forest and over the summits of Mount Love and Mount Collins.

The Hike
From the parking area at Clingmans Dome, hike .5 mile along a paved path to the observation tower. It is a short walk along a side trail (rare mountain cranberry abounds here) to the A.T. From Clingmans Dome, you will descend into a gap before climbing to the summit of Mount Love (elevation 6,446 feet). Descend moderately to Collins Gap (elevation 5,886 feet) at mile 2.8, then climb steeply to the summit of Mount Collins, which offers good views as you climb.

A short distance before reaching the summit of Mount Collins (elevation 6,188 feet), you will have good views over North Carolina. Once you reach the summit, you are at the end of this day hike.

Return to the Clingmans Dome parking area by retracing your steps back along the A.T. and taking the side trail to the observation tower and paved trail.

Trailhead Directions
The Clingmans Dome Road (closed in the winter) is accessible from Newfound Gap on US 441, 20 miles west of Cherokee, North Carolina, and 16 miles east of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Clingmans Dome is 7.6 miles from Newfound Gap on Clingmans Dome Road.

~Copyright 1993 Victoria and Frank Logue