About Campbell Overlook (Closed)
Status: temporarily closed. The park listed Carlos Campbell Overlook as closed in October 2026, with no reopening date published. Check the park's conditions page before you plan a stop here, and don't count on parking along the road shoulder; the Newfound Gap Road shoulders are narrow and rangers do ticket.
What it is
The overlook is a roadside pull-off about 4 miles up Newfound Gap Road from Gatlinburg, on a bend where the road climbs out of the Sugarlands valley. It is named for Carlos C. Campbell, an early park booster and author. When it is open, its view looks over the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River valley toward the long ridge that carries Mount LeConte, with Sugarlands Mountain on the near side.
Where to go instead
Several equally good stops are within a few miles on the same road:
- Chimney Tops pull-off (about 7 miles up): the direct view of the twin rock spires, with the 2016 burn scar still visible as grey snags on the slopes.
- Morton Overlook (about 12.5 miles up): a wide layered-ridge panorama, best late in the day.
- Gatlinburg Scenic Overlook, down toward the park entrance: a quick look back at the town and the Sugarlands.
Newfound Gap Road itself is open year-round, weather permitting. It fully reopened on September 12, 2025, after the August 2025 washout repair, and it closes for ice, snow and high-wind events. Parking anywhere in the park beyond 15 minutes needs a parking tag: $5 a day, $15 a week or $40 a year, displayed in the vehicle.
If it reopens
When the park reopens the site, plan on a short stop of about ten minutes. Expect a small lot, a modest view and little company; this is one of the least-visited named pull-offs on the road, which is its charm. This page will be updated when the reopening is announced.
Good to know
- Do I need a parking tag?
- A Park It Forward parking tag ($5 a day, $15 a week or $40 a year) is required for any vehicle parked more than 15 minutes inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Entry is free, and federal passes such as America the Beautiful do not replace the tag.