Top 10 Scenic Overlooks, Drives and Mountain Views

Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome) is the highest point in the park at 6,643 feet. A steep, paved half-mile path leads to a 45-foot observation tower built in 1959, where a 375-foot ramp climbs to 360-degree views when the weather allows. Clouds roll in often, so check the park's webcam before making the drive.

At 5,046 feet, Newfound Gap is the lowest drivable pass through the park and sits right on the Tennessee and North Carolina line, so the group can stand in two states at once. The Rockefeller Memorial marks where President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the park in 1940. There is a large lot, seasonal restrooms and an Appalachian Trail trailhead.

This 11-mile, one-way loop circles a broad valley ringed by mountains, with paved pullouts for wildlife watching and stops at three churches, a working gristmill, barns and log houses. The park says to allow at least two to four hours, longer if you hike. Pick up the self-guiding tour booklet at the start to learn the history behind each stop.

Morton Overlook faces west from about 4,826 feet on the Tennessee side of Newfound Gap Road, looking down a valley framed by high ridges as the mountains drop toward the Tennessee Valley. It is one of the park's favorite sunset stops, and on a clear night you can pick out the lights of Pigeon Forge. Look for it just past the tunnel near mile 13.

Reached from traffic light 8 in Gatlinburg, this narrow 5.5-mile one-way road winds past rushing mountain streams, old-growth forest and preserved log cabins and gristmills, with the Grotto Falls trailhead two miles in and the roadside Place of a Thousand Drips near the end. On busy days it can take hours, so treat it as a half-day outing rather than a shortcut.

For a big view with fewer people, walk 3.6 miles round trip from the Kuwohi parking area down through spruce-fir forest to Andrews Bald, an open grassy meadow known for flowering azaleas in summer and views of the surrounding mountains. The trip out is downhill, so save energy for the stair-heavy climb back.

This roadside pull-off on Newfound Gap Road frames the Chimney Tops, twin knobs of bare rock that are among the few rocky summits in the park. No hiking is needed, which makes it a good stop for anyone who wants the view without the climb, and azaleas bloom around it in season.

On the Parkway Bypass between the national park entrance and the Gatlinburg Spur, this roadside pull-off looks over downtown Gatlinburg with the Smokies rising behind it. It is at its best at sunrise, when the light comes over the mountains and town, and again after dark when the downtown lights come on. Fall color from here is excellent.

Ride the yellow SkyLift chairlift from downtown to Crockett Summit, then cross the SkyBridge, which SkyPark bills as the longest pedestrian cable bridge in North America. Up top, the SkyDeck and the newer Clayton's Landing overlook face the national park, and a 1.5-mile trail system leads to Tulip Tower. It is the easiest mountain view in town for mixed ages.

The 200-foot observation wheel at The Island in Pigeon Forge has turned since 2013, carrying up to eight riders per all-glass gondola for views of the Smokies over town. A new lighting package added in 2026 runs light shows after dark, so an evening ride doubles as a show. The ride is wheelchair accessible.