Newfound Gap Overlook

Temperatures at Newfound Gap are considerably cooler than in the lowlands, even in summer.

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Significance:

Point of Interest on Newfound Gap Road (US 441)

Amenities

4 listed

Parking - Auto, Restroom - Seasonal, Scenic View/Photo Spot, Trailhead

In southern Appalachian vernacular, a gap is a low point in a mountain ridge. New Englanders call such places “notches,” while westerners refer to them as mountain “passes.”

At an elevation of 5,046 feet (1,538 m), Newfound Gap is the lowest drivable gap through Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Temperatures at the gap are considerably cooler than in the lowlands, and precipitation falling as rain in Gatlinburg or Cherokee may be snow at Newfound Gap. Pack layers even in summer.

How to Get There

• Drive on Newfound Gap Road (US 441) from either Cherokee, North Carolina, or Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
• Parking and seasonal restrooms available at the overlook.