Andrews Bald (5.5 miles; d=8.00)
Read MoreClingman's Dome Parking Area - 6,250'
A clear weekend summer day at Clingman's Dome? Yeah, it's gonna be busy. We added a bit of distance to the hike by having to park down the road a ways from the main parking lot...
Clingman's Dome Parking Area - 6,280'
Views were immediate and all encompassing...and the purity of the air...I'm pretty sure I've never seen such clarity from atop the Smokies during any of my previous summer visits...
Clingman's Dome Parking Area - 6,280'
Another, panoramic, shot from the parking lot looking deep into the mountains of North Carolina...
Clingman's Dome Parking Area - 6,310'
Despite the crowds we decided that on a day of such rare clarity we shouldn't skip the quick walk to the top of Clingman's Dome...
Clingman's Dome Summit Trail - 6,400'
Looking back down the cattle trail that takes you to the top of the dome...
Clingman's Dome Summit - 6,643'
After a half-mile uphill walk the summit spaceship came into view...
Clingman's Dome Summit - 6,643'
Looping our way around the summit up to the overlook...
Clingman's Dome Summit - 6,643'
Looking south the ribbon of water that is Fontana Lake could be clearly seen between the ridges far below...
Clingman's Dome Summit - 6,643'
To the north Mt. LeConte rises dark and massive. At 6,594', LeConte is the highest peak entirely within the State of Tennessee. I've never managed to climb it on a perfectly clear day so I was feeling a bit jealous of those who'd be standing on its summit this afternoon...
Clingman's Dome Summit - 6,643'
The panorama to the north and east from the top of the Dome. Mt. LeConte (6,594') is the broad, high peak to the left of center while the remainder of the Smokies 6,000-footers are also all out there somewhere...
Clingman's Dome Summit - 6,643'
Zooming in a bit on the ridges to the east. Immediately below is Clingman's neighbor, 6,188' Mount Collins while in the distance are the majority of the Smokies 10 other 6,000-foot-plus peaks (eight of which I have yet to climb to complete my SB6K Challenge)....
Clingman's Dome Summit - 6,643'
Looking due north from the summit, the Smoky Mountain Ridge drops quickly away to the foothills of eastern Tennessee...
Clingman's Dome Summit - 6,643'
The panorama south from the summit takes in the majority of the countless peaks and ridges of the North Carolina Smokies and northern Nantahala National Forest...
Clingman's Dome Summit - 6,643'
Before heading down I took this quick shot looking west along the ridge in the direction we'd shortly be heading in along the Appalachian Trail. The bump in the near distance is Mount Buckley (6,560')...
Clingman's Dome Summit - 6,643'
It always hurts to see the devastation wrought by the Balsam Wooly Adelgid on these high ridges...I so wish I could have seen these peaks before its arrival...
Appalachian Trail - Clingman's Dome Spur Path - 6,600'
The AT doesn't actually cross right over the summit of Clingman's Dome but passes just below it. A couple short spur paths lead from the summit trail down to it...