Visiting Kuwohi (& Why They Changed Clingmans Dome's Name)

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If you’re visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a journey up to the summit of Kuwohi (pronounced koo-WHOA-hee, and formerly known as Clingmans Dome) is an absolute must.

Straddling the NC/TN border, the 6,643-foot Kuwohi is the highest point in GSMNP, in the state of Tennessee, and on the entire Appalachian Trail. It’s also the 3rd tallest mountain east of the Mississippi.

After exploring hiking trails around the Smokemont Campground in Cherokee NC, we drove up to the Kuwohi parking lot and popped into the Visitor Center before walking up the Kuwohi Trail.

While the wide, paved trail to the Observation Tower proved somewhat arduous due to the steady incline, the rewards at the top were nothing less than spectacular.

We visited on a fairly clear day and could see breathtaking Smoky Mountain vistas for miles around, looking down at the forest we had been hiking through earlier that morning.

Read on to learn more about this very special place in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including its history, the 2024 name change, and details on hiking trails and other nearby attractions.

Top Places to Stay in the Smoky Mountains

Pigeon Forge TN: Twin Mountain Inn & Suites (free breakfast & fire pit overlooking the river)

Pigeon Forge TN: Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa (indoor pool, on-site dining & spa)

Gatlinburg TN: Margaritaville Resort (excellent location with on-site restaurant & spa)

Gatlinburg TN: Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott (downtown hotel with breakfast included)

Cherokee NC: Stonebrook Lodge (across from Harrah’s Cherokee Casino)

Bryson City NC: Sleep Inn (budget-friendly hotel with continental breakfast)

Popular Tours & Activities in the Smoky Mountains:

Pigeon Forge: Rocky Top Mountain Coaster Ride (go 30 mph on a thrilling 9-minute ride)

Pigeon Forge: Titanic Museum Advance Purchase Ticket (ride on a replica of the Titanic)

Gatlinburg: Impossibilities Magic and Mind-Reading Show (80 minutes of family fun!)

Gatlinburg: Ghosts of the Smokies Haunted Walking Tour (1-hour guided walking tour)

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Self-Guided Driving Tour (download app)

Need a car rental for your Smoky Mountains trip? Find the best rental car options here!

Kuwohi Info

ADDRESS: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Kuwohi Rd, Bryson City NC, 28713

PHONE NUMBER: 865-436-1200

HOURS: The Visitor Center is open 9:30 AM-6:30 PM daily, from mid-April through November. The trails are open whenever Kuwohi Rd is open.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

History of Kuwohi (f.k.a. Clingmans Dome)

The Cherokee people inhabited the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee long before the first European settlers arrived. For them, Kuwohi (ᎫᏬᎯ, which translates as “Mulberry place”) has always been a sacred place.

As the highest point in their historic territory (now known as the Qualla Boundary), the mountain was visited by medicine people who prayed and sought guidance from the Creator regarding important matters, and then returned to the Cherokee towns to deliver the advice.

When treaties were broken and their ancestral lands were stolen from them during the Indian Removal Period of the early 1800s (known as the Trail of Tears), some Cherokee took refuge under Kuwohi. They later re-emerged to form the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

In the 1850s, European-born geographer Arnold Guyot was hired to survey the mountains of Western NC and East TN. He advocated for “scientific racism,” the pseudoscientific belief that empirical evidence exists to support or justify racial discrimination, racial inferiority, or racial superiority.

Guyot renamed many of the largest mountains in the eastern US after himself and his friends, completely disregarding the cultural and spiritual significance of their ancestral names.

He renamed Kuwohi after Thomas Clingman, a North Carolina Senator who forcefully advocated for slavery and left Congress in 1861 to fight against the United States as a Confederate general.

After Deb Haaland was named US Secretary of the Interior in 2021 (the first Native American ever to serve in a Cabinet position), the Department showed an increased willingness to engage with indigenous tribes to correct the naming of sacred landmarks.

On September 18, 2024, the request by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to restore the ancestral name of Kuwohi was honored, with strong support from the National Park Service.

Hiking the Kuwohi Trail (f.k.a. Clingmans Dome Trail)

It’s a 22.5-mile drive from the Oconaluftee Visitor Center to Kuwohi Rd, and another 7 miles to reach the Forney Ridge Parking area, which is located just below the mountain’s summit.

If you’re not able to make the arduous hike up to the Observation Tower, you can sit on the rocks, have a snack, enjoy the stunning views, and/or shop for souvenirs at the Kuwohi Visitor Center.

But if you are up for the hike, be prepared for some uphill trekking! Though the distance is short (just 1.3 miles round trip), it is a steep climb to the top.

We love that the trail is paved and lined with beautiful wildflowers in Spring and Summer. It’s too steep for wheelchairs, but we did see some parents with strollers at the summit.

Thankfully, there are plenty of benches along the trail, so you can stop for a breather. Timing the climb to catch the sunrise or sunset is a real treat, but don’t forget your flashlights!

If you’re up for a little more hiking, head to Andrews Bald, a high-altitude meadow that makes a great place for picnicking and relaxing.

This is a 3.6-mile round-trip that can be reached by taking the Forney Ridge Trailhead, which is on the left just before the Kuwohi Visitor Center.

The Appalachian Trail (AT) also passes through here. If you’re really up for a challenge, you could hike up to the observation tower from Newfound Gap along the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina.

Note that this is a difficult, 8.3-mile hike, but you can park at the Newfound Gap parking lot and get a shuttle back down the mountain.

The View From Kuwohi/Clingmans Dome Observation Tower

Once you reach the top of the trail, you’ll be met with a 54-foot-tall observation tower that was built back in 1959. To get to the top of the tower, you have to ascend a 375-foot-long spiral ramp.

From the tower, you’ll have a 360° view of the Smoky Mountains, and on clear days the views can span over 100 miles!

There are several noteworthy mountains to spot, including Raven Den, Little Fodderstack, Gregory Bald, Blockhouse Mountain, and Thunderhead Mountain.

You may also get a chance to see 7 different states, including Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama.

There are signs at the tower pointing out all the special features before you. But note that it can get a little crowded on busy days, so you may have to wait a few minutes to snap that scenic selfie.

Even on a foggy, misty days, the atmosphere atop Kuwohi is magical, and seeing the mist blanketing these gorgeous mountains is really something.

As you can imagine, seeing the fall foliage in the Smoky Mountains from this beautiful vista is truly breathtaking, especially when peak Autumn colors are putting on their show.

On a clear night, this is also one of the most wonderful places to stargaze. Just remember to bring warm clothes, as it can be a good 20º colder up at the top. It’s always advised to wear layers, and bring flashlights for nighttime hikes.

Nearby GSMNP Attractions

Newfound Gap

While driving the 33-mile Newfound Gap Road, which winds through Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it makes sense to stop for a look at Newfound Gap.

Early European settlers found that this passage provided a more efficient route through the Blue Ridge Mountains than any other, hence the “Newfound” name. The Cherokee had long revered the gap, and called it “Ehonee” (meaning “Home”).

Located near the center of the park, Newfound Gap is also home to the Rockefeller Monument. It was built near the NC/TN state line to honor John D. Rockefeller’s generous $5 million donation to the park in honor of his late wife, Laura.

Mingus Mill

Built in 1886, Mingus Mill is a grist mill that’s still in operation today, and remains in its original location. This historic grist mill uses a water-powered turbine instead of a water wheel to power its machinery.

If you visit in Summer, you might find a ranger onsite ready to answer questions about the mill, or see a full demonstration of how corn is ground.

They sell all sorts of grains and other locally made food products in their small shop, and the surrounding area is beautiful, offering some great photo ops!

Mountain Farm Museum in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Cherokee NC — Mountain Farm Museum in Great Smoky Mountains National Park by Bret Love & Mary Gabbett

Oconaluftee Visitor Center/Mountain Farm Museum

The Oconaluftee Visitor Center is a great place to stop and learn a little about the National Park and its many attractions. It has several cultural history exhibits and a lovely souvenir shop.

Right next to the center is the Mountain Farm Museum. Set alongside a rushing creek, this living history museum gives visitors a glimpse of what life was like here in the late 19th century.

Every time we’ve visited, we’ve seen a small herd of elk bedded down behind the historical buildings, or sometimes wading in the creek!

These buildings are all original, but have been moved from various locations within the park to this space. There’s an apple house, a spring house, a working blacksmith shop, and a home.

We love wandering around, just taking in the Appalachian culture and history. You can also take a 30-minute, self-guided walking tour with an audio guide. -by Emma Gallagher; all photos by Bret Love & Mary Gabbett