Featured Park in Northeast Tennessee:
Roan Mountain and
Roan Mountain State Park
Roan Mountain
Only a picture can describe the beauty atop Roan Mountain on a sunny day in late June. And even a picture falls short of expressing the sounds, and smells, and feel of a cool morning breeze that inhabits the area.
Rhododendron Gardens
On a recent visit in June, the temperature was a brisk 51oF by the time we reached Rhododendron Gardens, at the top of the mountain. We were amazed at the abundance and vibrancy of the pink Catawba Rhododendron blossoms. We experienced the mounds of rhododendrons in full bloom as we wandered through the gardens. Occasionally we would break out of the rhododendrons to a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains as a backdrop.
(As of February 2010, Rhododendron Gardens will only be open in 2010 from June 7 through July 6, due to construction. Call 828/682-6146, Appalachian District Office, U.S. Forest Service for further information).
Carver’s Gap
After visiting the Gardens, we drove several miles northeast to Carver’s Gap, then hiked eastward on the Appalachian Trail. As we crested Round Bald, we were amazed to find more and different views awaiting us. This open area, a remnant of past ice ages, was dotted with Flame Azaleas which varied from yellow to a deep orange color.
As we hiked towards Jane Bald, we even had the good luck to see several of the orangish-red Gray’s Lily in bloom. The balds of Roan Mountain are one of the few places these wildflowers are found.
Roan Mountain State Park
Roan Mountain State Park, located on over 2,000 acres at the foot of Roan Mountain, provides the perfect base camp to explore the Roan Mountain area. It is the nearest established campground to Carver’s Gap, which is only an 8 mile drive up the mountain.
The state park is often overshadowed by the imposing neighbor, but it also has much to offer. There are hardwood forests, rhododendron thickets, beautiful wildflowers including Pink Lady’s Slipper, Deptford Pink, and the delicate Indian Pipe, as well as dozens of birds including my favorite singer, the Wood Thrush, and the soaring Red-tailed Hawk and Broad-winged Hawk. Deer, black bear, and turkey round out the compliment of wildlife to see.
Things to Know About the Campground
It’s a good problem when you have trouble selecting a campsite because they are all desirable. The Wood Thrush sitting along the edge of campsite 36 helped us select the tent site near the river. He did a great job. Sleeping was wonderful with the Doe River providing peaceful background sounds during the night.
We car camp with a tent. Sites 21-40, without water or electricity, are set aside for tent campers.
There is a good selection in sites1-20 and 41-90 for pop-ups up to motor coaches. They include water and electricity. Sites 1-20 are situated in a flat area of the campground. There are large trees which provide shade, but there are limited smaller trees and shrubs separating the campsites. Campsites 41-90 are carved out of the hillside amongst the trees and rhododendrons. It is a little woodsier than sites 1-20, but not as much as the tent sites. The bathhouses are well kept and clean with flush toilets and nice, hot showers.
Cabins
For those who want to enjoy the outdoors, without roughing it at night, there are 30 very cozy cabins available on a reservation basis. The cabins also fit the bill for those who enjoy an outdoor getaway in the wintertime but are not hardcore campers.
Two real attractions of the cabins are the front porch with rocking chairs and the wood stove in the great room. Both invite you to sit back and slow down for awhile, and isn’t this one reason we like to go camping.
Visitor’s Center
We don’t usually mention the visitor’s center at parks, but you want to spend some time in this one. The display room is titled “Above and Below the Clouds: The History of Roan Mountain’s Uniqueness”. Here you will find professionally designed and interesting displays on everything from how the mountains were formed to the plants and animals that live on them. Other sections describe man’s use of the mountain resources.
“Coming of the Ice Age” depicts the plants and animals living in the region before and after the northward retreat of the glaciers.
The Cloudland Hotel was built on the summit of Roan Mountain by the Civil War General John T. Wilder as a resort from the summer heat. This display chronicles the construction of the hotel, which was completed in 1885, to its abandonment around 1910.
The Visitor’s Center offers an abundance of books and maps if you are interested in digging deeper into the history and nature of the area or photographs, figures, and other “knick knacks” for a souvenir of your visit.
Favorite Trails
When we visit a park for the first time we like to ask the Park Rangers what are their favorite trails to hike and why. Talking to the Roan Mountain State Park rangers we heard about some of the local trails, within the park, and then we were told that the best trails were actually outside of the park, at the top of Roan Mountain.
We think this reflects the diversity of trails and adventures in the area. Within in the park, most trails carry you through hardwood forests with an abundance of trees, wildflowers, and birds. The top of Roan Mountain offers an abundance of magnificent views, as well as the beauty of Rhododendron Gardens in full bloom in mid- to late-June. The mountain straddles Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee and Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina, and is traversed by the Appalachian Trail.
Within the Park
Tom Gray Nature Trail (0.4 miles)
This is an easy trail located near the entrance to the campground. The trail wanders along the bank of the Doe River, through a Cove Hardwood Forest. On a spring walk, we saw Pink Lady’s Slipper and Jack-in-the-Pulpit in bloom, as well as Spring Beauty and Star Chickweed. As mentioned, this is a walk through a Cove Hardwood Forest, so there is the opportunity to see a variety of trees including Yellow Birch, American Beech, Tulip Poplar, and smaller trees and shrubs such as Rosebay Rhododendron. A beautiful tree, typical of the cove forest, is the Eastern Hemlock.
Raven Rock Overlook Trail (1.0 miles)
This trail begins across the road from the main entrance to the campground. The steep trail winds up the side of the mountain to Raven Rock Overlook atop Heaton Ridge. From the overlook, you gaze down to the Visitor’s Center and Miller Homestead below.
Blue 2 Trail (1.8)
Blue 2 is described as an “easier” mountain bike trail, with the caution that it does require some biking experience. If you stop to observe nature, or if you decide instead to hike the trail, look for the Pink Lady’s Slipper and other wildflowers and trees.
Atop Roan Mountain
Appalachian Trail
The trail straddles the top of Roan Mountain in the vicinity of Rhododendron Gardens and Carver’s Gap. One of the more popular hikes is to park at Carver’s Gap and hike eastward across Round Bald and Jane Bald to Grassy Ridge Bald. This is a relatively easy hike, with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.
Points of Interest
Peg Leg Mine
Miller Homestead
Doe River
Photo locations
Rhododendron Gardens
Roan High Bluff
Carver’s Gap
Appalachian Trail Balds north of Carver’s Gap
Wildflowers along State Park trails
Nature: Roan Mountain and Roan Mountain State Park (a partial list)
Go to the Friends of Roan Mountain site Species Page for a more complete list.
Trees and Wildflowers
Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis)
Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)
American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)
Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis)
Catawba Rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense)
Rosebay Rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum)
Flame Azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum)
Pink Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium acaule Ait.)
Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)
Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)
Star Chickweed (Stellaria pubera)
Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculate)
Solomon Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)
Galax (Galax urceolata)
Painted Trillium (Trillium undulatum)
Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum)
Gray’s Lily (Lilium grayi)
Deptford Pink (Dianthus armeria)
Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora)
Birds
Overbird (Seiurus aurocapillus)
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Liriodendron tulipifera)
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)
Blue-head Vireo (Vireo solitarius)
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceous)
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)
Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrine)
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica caerulescens)
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)
Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus)
Animals/ Fish
Black Bear (Ursus americanus)
White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginiana)
Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)
Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Brown Trout (Salmo trutta)
Contact Information:
Roan Mountain State Park
1015 Hwy 143
Roan Mountain, TN 37687
(423) 772-0190
(800) 250-8620
Official Website
Reservations
Campgrounds are “first-come first-served. Contact the park directly for information about camping facilities and availability.
Four Group Campsites may be reserved in advance by non-profit organizations.
Cabins can be reserved up to a year in advance, or two years in advance for groups reserving 5 or more cabins.