Kuwohi Road to Close Two Mornings for Cherokee Education Programs

Visitors planning a morning trip to Kuwohi should adjust their itinerary twice this month, when Great Smoky Mountains National Park will close the mountain road and observation-tower trail for educational programs developed with Cherokee community partners.

Kuwohi Road, the parking area and the paved trail to the observation tower will be closed Thursday morning, Sept. 10, and again Tuesday morning, Sept. 15. The road and parking lot will close at 8 p.m. the night before each program and are expected to reopen by 2 p.m. the following day.

The closure covers the full seven-mile road from Newfound Gap. Pedestrians and cyclists will not be allowed to use the roadway while it is closed, so visitors cannot park at Newfound Gap and walk or ride to the summit during the morning restriction.

The closures support Kuwohi Connection Days, an educational program organized with the Center for Native Health and other community partners. Students from Swain County and the Qualla Boundary will learn from Cherokee elders, language speakers and culture bearers who will share the mountain’s cultural, historical and spiritual significance.

Kuwohi, formerly known as Clingmans Dome, is the highest point in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and carries deep importance for the Cherokee people. The park restored the mountain’s Cherokee name in 2024 following a request from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Visitors who want a high-elevation view on either closure morning can use Newfound Gap, which remains open along U.S. 441. Look Rock Tower on the Foothills Parkway is another observation option, although it is on the park’s western side and requires a different driving route.

Anyone whose schedule is centered on Kuwohi can visit after the announced 2 p.m. reopening or choose another day. Current road conditions should still be checked before departure because weather can cause separate high-elevation closures.