Kuwohi Observation Tower

Kuwohi Observation Tower is a 45-foot concrete lookout on Kuwohi’s 6,643-foot summit, the highest point in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In clear weather, the platform opens to a full circle of Smokies ridges and mountains beyond. Keep this on your list for the high summit view and the tower itself; cloud can hide the panorama after a long drive.

From the parking area, it’s a steep, paved half-mile uphill to the tower and the same distance back. The 375-foot ramp circles gradually up to the viewing platform, but the climb to it is still steep. Pit toilets are near the parking area and close in winter; visitor information and interpretive exhibits are by the trail start.

Kuwohi Road is seasonal, and snow or ice can close it early. Parking is limited and can fill, so check the road status and the NPS webcam before making the drive. The summit is often 10–20°F cooler than the lowlands, with clouds, rain and cold common. A parking tag is required for stays longer than 15 minutes.

Built in 1959 as part of the National Park Service’s Mission 66 modernization program, the tower is a striking departure from the rustic stone and timber style many visitors expect in a national park. It was one of only nine Mission 66 observation towers, and its design became a model for Look Rock in the Smokies and Shark Valley in Everglades National Park.

The Cherokee name Kuwohi means “mulberry place.” It was restored in 2024 after a request from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; Cherokee people had continued using the name long before the mountain was named for a U.S. senator in 1859. The summit is sacred to Cherokee people and is the highest point within their traditional homeland.

From the platform, include the ramp’s curve along the bottom of the frame and let the ridges spread behind it. That gives the picture a clear sense of where you’re standing and shows what makes this tower different from a simple summit overlook.