スウェイン郡の絶景の山頂・トップ9

Climbing Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park takes you up to the highest point in Tennessee around 6,300ft. The climb is a remarkably steady but relentless climb averaging around 5-6% through beautiful high-elevation spruce-fir forests, with few breaks in the gradient. On the way up you'll enjoy panoramic views from numerous overlooks and the observation tower at the summit (a short, steep walk from the road's end) are spectacular when clear. Tourist traffic can be very heavy during peak season on this, the highest and hardest climb in Tennessee.

Want to bypass the crowds at Clingmans Dome? You can walk this section of the Appalachian Trail to the summit of Mount Buckley, where you can get great views of the spruce/fir forest around you.

A very good vantage point, usually well-visited. The view is breathtaking, though. I would always bring a jacket, even on warm days it can be a bit colder there.

Andrews Bald is located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and stands at 5,920 feet, making it the highest grassy bald (a type of summit unique to the area that is covered in thick vegetation of native grasses or shrubs), in the park. The bald area, which covers the south slope of the mountain, is left over from historical cattle grazing practices, and although forestation began reclaiming the area after the park's establishment, visitor support led to the preservation of the summit as is in the 1980s. Named after early settler Andres Thompson, Andrews Bald can be accessed via the Forney Ridge Trail, which is about two miles from the parking lot, and intersects the Appalachian Trail.

Cheoah Bald is a 5062 ft summit, the highest in the Cheoah Mountains Range. There are three routes to the summit, all of which are considered difficult. The hike is rewarding when you get to the grassy bald at the top with scenic views of the forest.

The Barnett Knob Fire Tower is situated on the 4,665-foot summit and is accessible during the dry months of the year. The gate is sometimes open at the bottom, allowing you to drive up the mountain if you wish. The hike is mostly just on an old forest road, but the views are worth the trip. You can't actually access the cabin of the tower, but you can climb the steps up above the trees.

Thunderhead Mountain is a 5,527-foot peak in Smoky Mountain National Park. There is about a mile of trail offering great viewpoints to the west of Thunderhead, but the mountain's actual summit is mostly blocked by brush and trees. Rocky Top, about half a mile west of Thunderhead on the Appalachian Trail, offers much more expansive views. The section of Appalachian Trail to the east of Thunderhead is an awesome, challenging section of trail. It traverses rooty, rocky, and overgrown portions of ridgeline on its way to Derrick Knob Shelter.

Rocky Top is a popular summit on this long ridge between Derrick Knob Shelter and Spence Field Shelter on the Appalachian Trail. This summit sits at 5,440 feet and is technically a subpeak of Thunderhead Mountain (just a little further east along the trail). Many say that this overlook provides the best views from this area of the park.