Kuwohi Visitor Center

This small park information center and bookstore sits at the end of Kuwohi Road, beside the paved trail to the Smokies’ highest peak. Stop for park questions, small air-quality exhibits, and a compact shop. It works best as a quick visit before or after the summit walk.

The observation tower is a separate stop above the center. Its paved trail climbs steeply for about half a mile each way, or one mile round trip. Kuwohi Road runs seven miles from Newfound Gap Road to the center. The center closes seasonally over winter, so check park conditions before making the drive. The summit lot is shared with tower hikers and can get congested at busy times.

The stone building now holds park information, books and souvenirs, and small exhibits about air quality. The shop also offers snacks and drinks, so think of it as a quick top-up rather than a meal stop. Public vault toilets are available at the visitor-center area.

Built in the 1930s, the stone building first served as a restroom. Kuwohi means “mulberry place” in Cherokee. The mountain is sacred to Cherokee people; in 2024, at the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ request, the National Park Service restored Kuwohi as the mountain’s name and renamed the associated road, center, and tower. Older references may still use Clingmans Dome.