Watching the sunrise near Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park was an experience that I will never forget. I visited the park in 2017, and I watched the total solar eclipse from Cades Cove, a moment that will stick with me for the rest of my life.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited National Park in the United States. This park and the town of Gatlinburg will always hold a place in my heart.
When I visited the park, I stayed in a small cabin right outside of Gatlinburg, and it was one of the best decisions I had ever made.
The cabin had everything I needed, and it was not overly expensive. If you plan to visit Great Smoky National Park, I recommend staying in a cabin to get the true mountain experience.
In this article
The View from the Cabin
For the sunrise of a lifetime, wake up early and travel to Clingman Dome.
Clingmans Dome is the highest point in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At 6,643 feet, temperatures are much cooler here than in the rest of the park, especially in the early morning hours. I caught the sunrise from the parking area, which was still spectacular.
Sunrise over Great Smoky Mountains National Park
After you see enough of the sunrise, make sure you take the time to walk up to Clingmans Dome. The trail is easy and steep, and it was an excellent early morning workout. The view from the top of the man-made structure is easily one of the best in the entire park.
View from the top of Clingman Dome
If you want more amazing views, drive along Newfound Gap Road. The road has 33 miles of beautiful scenery and overlooks. It can be accessed from Gatlinburg and runs all the way into Cherokee, North Carolina.
Various trails and campgrounds can be accessed from this road, but I just enjoyed the drive because of the stunning views.
A View from one of the many overlooks
For more views and a short hike, head to Laurel Falls. This trail is one of the most popular hikes in the park, and there were several people there when I arrived at the falls. The hike was about 2.6 miles (roundtrip) and took me over an hour.
The trail was a little more complicated than I expected, but the falls at the end were a nice reward.
