Roan Mountain

All photos and illustrations by Pat Johns ©2008
All Rights Reserved
See map & links to article references at the end of the article.

March, 2008

The term Roan Mountain is alternately used to refer to a peak in the Roan-Unaka Range of the Appalachians, a town near the peak and a state park. But the image most commonly used when referring to any of these is of the extensive rhododendron gardens in bloom in late June.

Roan Mountain has 5 peaks which are split into 2 sections by Carver's Gap. To the west is the dense forest and the rhododendron gardens. To the east is the long grassy bald. Each year in late June, the area celebrates the blooming of the rhododendron with a festival. Up to 200,000 people visit the area each year.

Roan Mountain is on the border of Carter County, Tennessee and Mitchell County, North Carolina. In 1885 John Wilder built a hotel and roads to reach the hotel. It was known as the Cloudland Hotel and it straddled the border between the states. The high costs of maintaining the hotel eventually put it out of business and a remnant of its foundation remains today.

The area and state park are filled with hiking trails, chief among them the Appalachian Trail. On Roan Mountain the Appalachian Trail climbs above the 6000 foot level.

To reach Roan Mountain from Watauga Lake take 321 toward Elizabethton. In Hampton turn left on Hwy. 321/ Rte. 19. Travel 12 miles and turn right on TN Rte. 143. Follow the signs to the park.

Links to references in this article:

• RoanMountain.com
• Wikipedia.com - Roan Mountain