Published October 1, 2004 12:00AM
Elevation: 6,643 feet
Summit
Bordered by Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, two tacky, traffic-clogged tourist towns, the 521,495-acre Great Smoky Mountains National Park has 800 miles of trail, 1,600 species of flowering plants, countless mountain vistas–and more visitors than any other national park. Located 50 yards off the Appalachian Trail, the Dome is downright goofy: The 54-foot central concrete pillar on top looks like a cross between a flying saucer and an air traffic control tower with a wheelchair-accessible ramp curving up over spindly pines.
Contact: Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), (865) 436-1200; www.nps.gov/grsm/
USGS Topo: Clingmans Dome