Hi there!

 

So there are many scenic overlooks in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Carlos C Campbell overlook is one such overlook that you can stop at to take in the beautiful mountain views of the Smoky Mountains!

 

I went to the Carlos Campbell overlook in September. What the weather will be like from year to year can vary (which means the colors can vary!), but this is what it was like for me!

 

Carlos C Campbell overlook: scenic drive and overlook with smoky mountain views near gatlinburg. tn smoky mountains travel blog

Carlos C Campbell overlook: scenic drive and overlook with smoky mountain views near gatlinburg. tn smoky mountains travel blog

Carlos C Campbell overlook: scenic drive and overlook with smoky mountain views near gatlinburg. tn smoky mountains travel blog

 

 

 

 

Who is Carlos Campbell?

According to the National Park Service:

The overlook is named for Carlos C. Campbell, director of the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce in the 1930s and a leading advocate for the creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Read more about Carlos Campbell and the early days of the national park:

 

 

 

 

Planning a trip to the Campbell overlook

If you’re staying in Gatlinburg, you’ll naturally come across this overlook when you make the drive from Gatlinburg to Clingmans Dome.

You’ll be driving the Newfound Gap Road aka US-441, which is the main road that runs north to south right through the national park. 

 

Map. Getting to carlos campbell overlook from gatlinburg to clingmans dome. smoky mountains travel blog
Explore the map.

 

So this can be a quick stop to make earlier on in the drive. 

Or, if it’s your first day in the Smoky Mountains and you’re eager to take in some mountain views and want to go somewhere that doesn’t require too much time, you can just make a relatively quick drive to the Campbell overlook.

 

It’s about a 15 minute drive from Gatlinburg to the Carlos Campbell overlook.

Map. Getting to carlos campbell overlook from gatlinburg tn. smoky mountains travel blog
Explore the map.

 

 

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Finding the Campbell overlook

Carlos Campbell overlook: overlook with smoky mountains views on newfound gap road drive. smoky mountains travel blog

 

If you don’t want to take any chances of driving right past it, you can locate the Carlos Campbell overlook on google maps, and it will get you there.

You will want to download offline google maps before you go since you will likely not have data service in most of the park. GPS will still usually work.

Otherwise, when you’re coming from Gatlinburg, after you start driving on Newfound Gap Road, it will be the first main overlook that you’ll get nice views of the Smoky Mountains. So you can just start driving and you will come across it.

 

Carlos Campbell overlook: overlook with smoky mountains views on newfound gap road drive. smoky mountains travel blog

Carlos Campbell overlook: overlook with smoky mountains views on newfound gap road drive. smoky mountains travel blog

Carlos Campbell overlook: overlook with smoky mountains views on newfound gap road drive. smoky mountains travel blog

Carlos Campbell overlook: overlook with smoky mountains views on newfound gap road drive. smoky mountains travel blog

Carlos Campbell overlook: overlook with smoky mountains views on newfound gap road drive. smoky mountains travel blog

Carlos Campbell overlook parking on newfound gap road drive. smoky mountains travel blog

Carlos Campbell overlook parking on newfound gap road drive. smoky mountains travel blog

Carlos C Campbell overlook: smoky mountains views near gatlinburg tn. smoky mountains travel blog

Carlos C Campbell overlook: smoky mountains views near gatlinburg tn. smoky mountains travel blog

Carlos C Campbell overlook: smoky mountains views near gatlinburg tn. smoky mountains travel blog

Carlos C Campbell overlook: smoky mountains views near gatlinburg tn. smoky mountains travel blog

 

 

Quiet walkway near the overlook

And then after you’ve taken in the mountain views, if you want to stretch your legs a bit, there’s also a “quiet walkway” nearby if you want to get a bit of a nature walk in. There are many such “quiet walkways” in the national park (you’ll see many signs on the side of the road), and most of these are short hiking trails through the forest that you’ll likely see few people on.

In the case of the Carlos Campbell overlook, the Riverview Quiet Walkway intersects with the Bullhead View Quiet Walkway. If you were to take the quiet walkway from the overlook and keep walking, it’ll bring you back out to another part of Newfound Gap Road.

 

 

Map. Getting to carlos campbell overlook near quiet walkway. smoky mountains travel blog
Explore the map.

 

And that’s a bit about the mountain views from the Carlos C Campbell overlook!

 

Be sure to see more of what’s along the way as you drive from Gatlinburg to Clingman’s Dome.

And then keep driving further south to the historic mill in the Smoky Mountains!

For another scenic drive, see what’s along the way as you drive from Gatlinburg to Cades Cove.

And the best hikes in the Smoky Mountains for mountain views!

 

HAPPY SEEING THE VIEWS FROM THE CAMPBELL OVERLOOK!

 

Carlos C Campbell overlook: scenic drive and overlook with smoky mountain views near gatlinburg. tn smoky mountains travel blog

 

 

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Here are more ideas for a few days in the Smoky Mountains!

More of the best things that the Smoky Mountains is known for is hiking!

If you're looking for just one solid day hike in the Smoky Mountains, there's the Mount LeConte hike. Most often this is done as a day hike, but you can also stay overnight near the Mount LeConte summit! There is the LeConte Lodge, which claims to be the highest guest lodge in the eastern part of the United States! (It does book up!)

There are also lots more hikes that come with mountain views. See more about some of the best hikes in the Smoky Mountains.

There are also a lot of hikes to waterfalls. See more about the best waterfall hikes in the Smoky Mountains.

You can also go camping in the mountains. See more about the best campgrounds in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. (No showers in the national park, though!)

Cost to go to Great Smoky Mountains National Park

There is no national park entry fee for Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but as of 2023, there is a parking fee.

You'll need a parking pass when you go to the Smoky Mountains.

You can wait until you arrive to buy the parking pass, or you can buy it online before you go at recreation.gov.

Depending on how many days you will be in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the cost of parking will be $5 or $15 per vehicle.

Plan out your time in the Smoky Mountains!

Some of the best known things in Great Smoky Mountains National Park include Clingmans Dome, Cades Cove, and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail!

For Clingmans Dome, you can get great views from the parking lot, or you can hike up to the highest point in the Smoky Mountains! (No matter what, you do need weather on your side, though! For me, 3rd time was the charm at Clingmans Dome!) See more about Clingmans Dome.

For Cades Cove, it's all about the slow-going Cades Cove Loop Road! You can drive it, bike it, or walk it! You can make stops to walk inside historic cabins, see a historic mill, and even do a waterfall hike! See more about Cades Cove.

The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is also a slow-going road that you drive and make stops along the way, including quiet stops along a creek or waterfalls hikes. See more about the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.