Drive from Sugarlands Visitor Center to Oconaluftee Visitor Center, and see the highest peak east of the Mississippi, Clingmans Dome, and two working mills.
Tennessee’s Newfound Gap Road is a 40-mile trip from Sugarlands Visitor Center to Oconaluftee Visitor Center located in North Carolina. The2-hour trek through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was built in the 1930s.
Your drive starts by driving east out from the Sugarlands Visitor Center through a ravine shaped by the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River. A few quiet walkways can be accessed from the road. Stop at the Campbell Overlook for a look of Mount LeConte, the highest peak east of the Mississippi. The Chimney Tops become noticeable 2 miles down the road. Driving ahead, the road passes the 2-1/2 mile Alum Bluffs trail, which leads to the crest of Mount LeConte. Continuing up the path, you pass the Anakeesta Ridge.
At the Morton Overlook, you can view the Sugarlands Valley or look upon Newfound Gap, where North Carolina and Tennessee meet. The highway peaks at the Newfound Gap Overlook. Departing the main highway is a 7-mile side road to the highest peak in the park, the 6,643-foot Clingmans Dome. If you choose not to visit Clingmans Dome, you can catch a glimpse of it at Webb Overlook. Descending Newfound Gap Road, take a break at the Ocolonee Valley Overlook on top of the Thomas Divide. Driving along the Oconaluftee River, go to see the Mingus Mill, one of two working mills in the park. The trip finishes as you enter the Oconaluftee Visitor Center.
Starting Point:
Sugarlands Visitor Center, TN
Distance of Drive:
40 miles
Must Eat:
Little Princess Restaurant
Aqouni Road, Cherokee, NC 28719
Phone: 828-497-6624
Call ahead to confirm hours of operation.
Best Time of Year for Drive:
Year round
Points of Interest on Drive:
Cherokee Indian Reservation
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Newfound Gap
Tagged with: Mississippi • Tennessee
Filed under: Best Road Trips