Clingmans Dome is protected as part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A paved road, closed in winter (December 1 through March 31),[3] connects it to U.S. Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road). The concrete observation tower, built in 1959, offers a panoramic view of the mountains in every direction. An air quality monitoring station, operated by the Environmental Protection Agency, is the second highest in eastern North America.