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the secret tunnel under clingman's Dome
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that you never knew existed
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nearly everyone who's visited the Great
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Smoky Mountains National Park is
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familiar with klingman's dome which is
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on the state line of Tennessee and North
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Carolina completed in 1959 the Clingmans
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Dome observation tower is the highest
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point in the Smoky Mountains it stands
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over 6 000 feet tall and offers 360
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degree views on clear days guests can
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see almost 100 miles in any direction
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from the top of the tower sadly air
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pollution usually Limits The Views to
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only 20 miles still it's easily one of
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the most visited landmarks in the
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national park but have you heard of The
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Secret abandoned hiking tunnel under
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Clingmans Dome there's an old tunnel
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near clingman's dome but it's not
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exactly under it you won't readily find
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this on any old hikers tunnel on Google
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Maps it predates the tower itself it's a
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hiker's underpass most commonly known as
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the Thomas divide tunnel but it's also
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referred to as the Thomas Ridge Tunnel
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the old mule tunnel or simply the hikers
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tunnel the tunnel was constructed in the
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mid to late 1930s by a group of young
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men known as the civilian conserve
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duration core the tunnel is made of
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locally store Stone and features an
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ornate Archway on either side of the
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road according to the Great Smoky
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Mountains Association it is speculated
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that the tunnel is a relic of the
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section of the Thomas divide trail that
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connected the Appalachian Trail on the
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far side of Clingmans Dome Road the
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completion of clingman's Dome Road
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required rerouting of the trail one
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option could have been rerouting the
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trail to cross Clingmans Dome road on
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the road bed however Engineers decided
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to build the tunnel under the road
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alternatively the association also
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speculates that it's possible that the
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tunnel was constructed for equestrian
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use some records show that it was used
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as a mule Trail tunnel what was the
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mission 66 initiative in the 1960s the
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tunnel was cut off from the original
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Trail and Stranded due to the mission 66
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initiative it was the initiative's
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mission to improve infrastructure across
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the entire National Park system that led
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to the rerouting of several old roads to
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improve overall driving conditions
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including the upper section of Newfound
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Gap Road this rerouting cut off the old
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trail forcing the trailhead to be
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that's why you won't happen upon it
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unless you're looking for it it's no
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longer a part of any regular path or
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hiking trail it simply leads to a cliff
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with a beautiful view where the other
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side of the trail once existed where is
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the secret tunnel in klingman's dome but
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just because you're unlikely to happen
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upon this secret tunnel on accident
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doesn't mean it's difficult to find if
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you know where to look to find it take
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clingman's Dome Road until you reach the
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access gate from there simply park your
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car and walk approximately 0.2 miles up
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to the far side of Cleveland's Dome Road
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when you reach the large stone bridge
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that you normally drive right across
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from your car walk down the hill lo and
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behold you'll spot the tiny abandoned
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Tunnel Pro tip it might be a bit easier
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to access in the off season when you
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know the traffic won't be an issue
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klingman's Dome Road is usually closed
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in the winter months did you know about
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the secret tunnel in the Smokies of
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Tennessee in North Carolina what are
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some of your favorite secret spots in
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the park let us know in the comments
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below don't forget to like subscribe and
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