Catching the sunrise or sunset at Clingmans Dome is easiest when you’re camping nearby at the Smokemont Campground.
Smokemont Campground is located conveniently at the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. And what makes its location great is that it’s only a 30-minute drive from Clingmans Dome. Keep reading to learn more about camping here as well as watching the sunrise or sunset from Clingmans Dome.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is Tennessee and North Carolina’s only national park. It rests on the border of both states bringing visitors from nearby and afar. In fact, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park brings in more annual visitors than Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon combined. This is quite the popular attraction. And because of this, it can be hard to find the times and locations to enjoy certain points in the park.
When to Visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The busiest months for Great Smoky Mountains National Park are June, July, and October. The park is popular for summer tourists and again in October for fall foliage. I would recommend visiting during a slightly less busy month such as May, August, or September. This allows you to visit all the sights without as many of the crowds. It’s also important to note that some areas of the park close during the winter and early spring months due to snow and icy conditions.
Staying at Smokemont Campground
I am not a backpacking camper simply because I appreciate having a toilet. So, when I go camping, I look for campgrounds that offer such an amenity. Smokemont Campground is just that.
The Campsite
Not only does this campground have a convenient location just outside of Cherokee, NC, it is also a beautiful place. I chose campsite A4 which is right across the street from Bradley Fork, a wide creek that flows into the Oconaluftee River. This allowed for the most peaceful sounds to fall asleep to. The loud, rushing water drowned out the noises of the campground and soon I forgot where I even was and that there were other people around.
Activities
Although we didn’t have time to explore more of Smokemont Campground, this is perfect for a weekend stay to explore and relax.
Creek
You can play in the creek on a warm summer day. It’s wide but shallow with some areas more open and free from rocks. There’s also beach-like spots perfect for relaxing by the creek without getting wet.
Hike
Take a hike along the Smokemont Nature Trail which is a loop trail just over half a mile in length. If you want to hike for the day, the Bradley Fork Trailhead is located at the back of the campground. This trail follows Bradley Fork and goes deeper into the park while intersecting with other park trails. You could easily spend the entire day hiking a trail right from the Smokemont Campground.
Horses
Want to take some time to ride a horse? The Smokemont Riding Stables are just across from the Smokemont Campground. They offer various guided trail rides at different price points and features. The best part is how conveniently it’s located to the campground. You could easily walk or drive over to the stables to enjoy a horseback trail ride and then head back to your campsite for a meal afterwards.
Beware of Bears
Although we never saw or heard about any bears visiting the Smokemont Campground while we were staying there, the staff makes sure you are aware and careful to protect yourself and others from the potential dangers of them.
Smokemont Campground takes bear precautions very seriously and it’s much appreciated. You can sleep easy at night knowing that you’re in a campground with hundreds of people who are actively protecting themselves from attracting bears to the area. Bears have a keen sense of smell and will gladly come over for a bite to eat. Food must be kept within your vehicle at all times. We cooked dinner and ate it at the picnic table on site. But we were careful to pick up anything we dropped and cleaned off the table before packing the rest away in the car. Nobody wants to be awoken in the middle of the night by a bear. So collectively with the built awareness and enforcement of park staff, campers are prepared to not invite bears over for dinner.
Why I Chose Smokemont Campground
The real reason I chose Smokemont Campground is because it’s the closest campground (aside from backpacking sites) to Clingmans Dome. The goal was to enjoy the sunset and sunrise from this spot or a nearby location. Smokemont Campground is only a 30-minute drive from Clingmans Dome. The reality of this is crazy to think about because the campground is basically at the base of the mountains and Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the entire park. And the beauty of this spot is the scenic drive deeper into the park to get to Clingmans Dome.
Visiting Clingmans Dome
Clingman’s Dome is the highest point in Great Smoky Mountain National Park, in Tennessee, and the third highest mountain in the Eastern United States. The observation tower allows visitors views in every direction when the weather is clear. But at 6,643 feet high, sometimes you are in the clouds, and you can’t see anything at all.
The name might change to the original Cherokee name “Kuwohi” meaning “Mulberry Place.” Currently this change is being taken to the government level to see if it can be done. For the Cherokee people that used to reside here, this mountain peak is a sacred place. In 1859, a geographical survey led to the peak being named after Senator Thomas Clingman, who argued that it was the tallest mountain in the eastern U.S.
Hours for Clingmans Dome
I know that’s a trick title because there are no hours! Clingmans Dome is open 24/7 during the season. This makes it ideal for watching both the sunrise and sunset. The season is typically from early April through late November. It just depends on the weather. At this elevation the roads become too icy in the cold part of the year to allow visitors. If you are planning to visit near the beginning or end of season, double check for closures on the National Park website.
Hiking to Clingmans Dome
Although you can see amazing views from the parking lot, it’s best to hike to the observation tower to see it all. But I will warn you, although the trail is paved, it’s quite steep. If you’re planning to visit the top, prepare yourself for a half mile climb. There are a few benches to take breaks along the way, which you might need if you’re not used to the elevation or a straight uphill climb such as this. The climb took us about 30-40 minutes both for sunset and sunrise so be sure to plan for this added time.
Parking Area and Restrooms
There’s plenty of parking in this area unless it’s super busy. But if you’re visiting for sunrise or sunset, chances are it won’t be too packed.
Also, there’s restrooms in the parking area, however they are not flushable toilets. They are holes in the ground with a toilet seat sitting on top. Be sure to close the lid when you’re done to help ventilate the place by its design.
Sunset at Clingmans Dome
It was a special request from my friend while planning this trip that we watch the sunrise at Clingmans Dome. It’s a common thing to see backpackers of the Appalachian Trail doing this as the trail crosses by Clingmans Dome. But why just watch the sunrise when you can watch the sunset too? Initially I planned to watch the sunset at a westward facing overlook on the way to Clingmans Dome instead. However, the trees were in the way at the best one, so we decided it was worth the extra drive to Clingmans Dome anyway.
We were both surprised to find the parking lot not overly crowded as sunset time was drawing near. Most people were headed out while we were hiking up for the show. Once we reached the tower, it was full of people so much so that we chose to stop on the ramp up. It didn’t feel too crowded, and it was nice because you could still see the skyline perfectly from the ramp vantage point. We then watched one of the most vibrant sunsets I’ve seen in a long time.
Sunrise at Clingmans Dome
I’ll be honest, I don’t advise trying to catch the sunset at Clingmans Dome one night and the sunrise there the next morning. That means you only get 5 hours of sleep once you count the commutes back and forth. We went to sleep around 11pm and woke up around 4am in order to have plenty of time to see the sunrise. Not nearly as many people chose to wake up early for sunrise. And thankfully we had a clear morning just as we had a clear night, so we were able to enjoy both. The cloud inversions (clouds in the valleys) are greater in number for sunrise than sunset so that was spectacular to see as well.
My Suggestions for Smokemont Campground and Clingmans Dome
I really enjoyed camping at Smokemont Campground. However, our campsite (A4) is a corner site, so it backs up to two other sites. Although close to the restrooms and across from the creek, it felt like trespassing as we walked through our neighboring campsites to use the bathroom. If I choose a site here again, I would not stay on the corner, but rather another site that faces the creek as well and backs up to the restroom more directly or just forest. I also would plan more time to enjoy this campground and all it has to offer. We didn’t have time for that on this trip and simply used it as a place to sleep.
Honestly, I found the sunrise at Clingmans Dome to be overrated. I thought the view of the sunset was better, although both were not blocked by mountains or trees. The sunset was just more vibrant but that may have just been due to the nearby rain. I also think the elevation plays into the neon orange and pink hue of the sun. Either way, you need to add one of these sky shows from Clingmans Dome to your bucket list. Both are worth the challenging half mile hike.
Special Note for Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Starting in March 2023, there will be parking tags required for every vehicle parking within the park. If you’re camping at a place such as Smokemont Campground (not backcountry), you do not have to have a parking tag. But if you visit other sights within the park, such as Clingmans Dome, you will need to purchase a parking tag. When the program rolls out there will be daily, weekly, and annual parking tag rates. The design of this fee program was made with participation of the locals surrounding the park. The Great Smoky National Park wants to be fair, and I believe that they are being as fair as possible given the situation.
Why are they now charging fees? Because they have seen an increase in park visitation over the last few years and their income does not increase for that. National Parks have to take budgeting shortcomings into their own hands and create ways to generate revenue to keep the parks open and operational. The money brought in from the parking tags will go directly to the upkeep of the park. As it stands now, they do not have enough money to keep up with the maintenance required. The parking tags were designed to relieve this issue.
In Closing
I highly recommend staying at Smokemont Campground. Not only is there plenty to explore within the campground, it’s conveniently located at the start of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cherokee, NC. There’s so many attractions nearby, you could easily enjoy a full week here.
I also highly suggest planning a visit during season to Clingmans Dome for sunrise or sunset. Photos and video just don’t do this natural phenomenon justice and it’s greater than you can imagine at these heights.
Be sure to watch the video to get a feel for how our stay at Smokemont Campground and explorations of Clingmans Dome went. And let me know in the comments below if you’ve visited these two places yet. I’d love to know your thoughts! Until next time, enjoy exploring Chatt.
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