Tennessee's Most Scenic Overlooks and Viewpoints

Tennessee's finest views come from three geographic zones: the Smokies high peaks, the Cumberland Plateau escarpment, and the dramatic river gorge at Chattanooga.

Clingmans Dome Observation Tower (6,643 ft)
The concrete spiral observation tower above the spruce-fir canopy at the highest point in the Smokies gives a 360-degree view when not obscured by cloud. On clear autumn days, the view extends well over 100 miles across the folded Appalachians. The paved half-mile ramp is steep.

Lookout Mountain (Chattanooga)
A Civil War battlefield and tourist destination southwest of Chattanooga — the site of the famous "Battle Above the Clouds" in November 1863. The Point Park observation area on Lookout Mountain's summit gives a sweeping view of the Tennessee River's Moccasin Bend, downtown Chattanooga, and seven states. Rock City's "See Seven States" claim from the summit of Lookout Mountain is verified on the clearest days. The Incline Railway (steepest in the world at 72.7% grade) carries visitors up the mountain face.

Foothills Parkway Overlooks (Great Smokies)
The western section of the Foothills Parkway (Route 321 between Walland and Chilhowee Lake) has a series of overlooks giving views of the Smokies front range and the Tennessee Valley farms below. The ridge-top drive through Chilhowee Mountain is one of the finest scenic drives in Tennessee.

Lover's Leap (Rock City, Lookout Mountain)
Rock City's signature viewpoint — a narrow rock formation at 1,700 feet where, on clear days, visitors can see Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Kentucky simultaneously. Even skeptics agree the view across the Tennessee Valley is genuinely impressive.

Roan Highlands (Carvers Gap Balds)
The open alpine balds of Roan Mountain above 6,000 feet on the TN-NC border are among the finest above-treeline views in the eastern US. The Appalachian Trail along the Roan Highlands ridge traverses several bald summits with 360-degree views; mid-June rhododendron bloom adds extraordinary color.