| Great Smoky Mountains National Park Part 2 - Clingman's Dome May 9, 2006 |
| The view is amazing from atop Clingmans Dome, 6,643 feet This is the highest point in the park, the highest point in Tennessee, and the highest point that hikers along the AT will reach |
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| On Tuesday after our hike out to Abrams Falls we met Woodswoman, a fellow backpacker from the Backpacker.com forums, back at our Cades Cove campsite. Woodwoman drove over for the afternoon and she offered to drive us up to Clingmans Dome and I am so glad that I said yes! The difference between the lower and higher elevations of the park were amazing and beautiful. Along the way we stopped many times to identify flowers along the road. I dubbed this practice "Roadside Botanizing." We also stopped at the Sugarlands Visitor Center and on the way back we stopped at Newfound Gap. |
| The observation tower on Clingmans Dome was closed for repairs but the views from the parking area were great |
| Stopping to take photos of the carpets of roadside flowers |
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| Beautiful big dandelions |
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| Bluets are the sweet little blue flowers with yellow centers |
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| A wild mustard |
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| White fringed phacelia |
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| A gorgeous trillium! |
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| A gorgeous violet! |
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| ? above Spring Beauty, below |
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| View from Newfound Gap |