Clingman's Dome Tower To Temporarily Close June 4-15 According to Great Smoky Mountains National Park Officials



The Great Smoky Mountain Journal Tuesday, January 01, 2019 03:01 PM

Clingman's Dome Tower To Temporarily Close June 4-15 According to Great Smoky Mountains National Park Officials
GSMNP - Officials with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park announced that the Clingman's Dome Observation Tower will be closed June 4 to June 15 to complete a rehabilitation project that started last year. During those dates, crews will be working to apply a final surface overlay along the tower ramp. A GSMNP representative said visitors will not be able to climb the tower, but the parking overlook area will remain open and continue to offer mountain top views. The visitor contact station and store, the trail up to the tower, and access to trailheads in the area will also stay open. Last year, contractors fixed deteriorated areas on the concrete columns and walls, stabilized support walls at the base of the ramp, and repaired stone masonry. The work was funded by a $250,000 Partners in Preservation Grant that was awarded to Friends of the Smokies in 2016. The landmark towering the North Carolina and Tennessee state line at 6,643 feet tall is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Since 1959, millions of visitors have spiraled to the top of the tower to experience birds-eye views of surrounding valleys and mountains.