Tennessee State Parks

Rhododendron Festival - June 15 & 16

For more than 60 years, the Catawaba Rhododendrons have been delighting visitors with their breath-taking beauty. Celebrate the blooming of the Catawba Rhododendron Gardens atop Roan Mountain. The festival features crafters, folkway demonstrators, musicians and of course food! Held at the amphitheater starting at 10 a.m. ET. Sponsored by the Roan Mountain Citizens Club. For more information visit: www.roanmountain.com.

NEW - Campsite Reservation System

Online reservations for campsites are now available. This service will offer visitors more ease and convenience when it comes to their park stay.
» Roan Mountain Campground Reservations

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Roan Mountain State Park encompasses 2,006 acres of southern Appalachian forest at the base of 6,285 foot Roan Mountain. Park elevation ranges from 3,000 feet in the valley to around 3,700 feet on surrounding ridges. Rich hardwood forests allow for a great diversity of life and a wide range of outdoor activities. Park guests have opportunities to hike along creeks and ridges, fish for trout, play tennis, swim, tour a century old farmhouse, join rangers and naturalists for educational programs, and enjoy mountain music concerts.

Wildflowers and wildlife inhabit the hollows and ridges of the Roan foothills in abundance. From Dutchman's-breeches to deer, trillium to turkeys and bee balm to black bears there is always something to discover. Guests who wish to stay overnight have a choice of RV and tent camping or fully equipped AAA cabins. The Appalachian Trail and famous Rhododendron Gardens of Roan Mountain can be accessed at Carver's Gap, an 8 mile drive from the park. A naturalist is on hand year round to provide programs for visitors to the park and special groups.

Cabins

Thirty AAA cabins are situated in the woods of Roan Mountain State Park. Each cabin has a front porch with rocking chairs, fully outfitted kitchen, full bath with tub/shower, wood burning stove and gas/electric heat. Firewood, bedding and towels are provided by the park. Cabins 21-30 have telephones; none of the cabins have televisions.

Cabins 1-20 have a private bedroom with a queen bed and an upstairs loft with two twin beds. Cabins 21-30 have a private bedroom with a double bed and a loft with two double beds. All cabins have a sleeper chair.

Reservations may be made up to a year in advance for individuals or families, and two years in advance for groups reserving at least 5 cabins.

Camping

Please Note: The park is currently in the process of completing campground renovations. We are still open to visitors, however campsites are only available on a first-come first-served basis until Memorial Day weekend 2013. Water will be unavailable in the campground until May 1, 2013.

NEW – Roan Mountain Campground Reservations are now available online.

All of the park's 107 family campsites have a grill and picnic table and are located near a bathhouse with hot showers. A dump station is located at the campground check-in. The campground has 87 RV sites with water and electric hookups and 20 tent sites that are served by two community water spigots. The tent camping area does not have electric or water hookups.

Four group sites, which will accommodate approximately 25 people each, are available for non-profit groups. These four sites may be reserved up to a year in advance. Please contact the park office at 423-772-0190.

The Campground is opened to self-contained campers only from Nov. 15th until May 1st of each year.

Events and Programs

The park hosts special events throughout the year to celebrate the natural and cultural heritage of the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

2013 Event Calendar

February 16 - Winter Naturalist Rally
The Winter Natualist’s Rally is a family-friendly, winter celebration of the Roan Highlands: their grassy balds, balds of green alder--a relict shrub from the Pleistocene, their birds and rare & endangered wildlife. We’ll meet Saturday morning, at 9 a.m. ET at the Roan Mountain State Park conference center. The day’s events include hikes, interpretive programs, guest speakers and more. Led by Friends of Roan Mountain. For more information, to view schedule and registration forms visit www.friendsofroanmtn.org/ or call 423-772-3500.

March 23 - Easter Egg Hunt
May 3-5 - Spring Naturalist's Rally
May 11 - Jr. Trout Tournament
June 1 - Diamond Jubilee
June 15-16 - Rhododendron Festival
June 29 - Independance Day Celebration
July 8-12 - Jr. Ranger Camp
July 27 - Xtreme Roan Adventures Youth Rally
September 6-8 - Fall Naturalist's Rally
October 5 - Chili Cook-off
October 12 - Autumn Harvest
October 26 - Halloween in the Campground
November 9 - Old Time Yule

Park naturalists are on hand year round to provide fun and educational programs for the public. Call the park to schedule an activity for your group at the park or at your school or organization. A naturalist can also join tour buses headed to the top of the mountain to provide natural and cultural history information. Program schedules are available each week during the summer.

Dragonfly and Damselfly Checklist

Fishing

The Doe River, which originates just above the park on Roan Mountain, is cool enough year round to be home to three species of trout. Native brook trout, as well as rainbow and brown trout stocked by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, are present.

Tennessee Fishing Regulations (exit TDEC)
Tennessee State Parks fishing policies

Hiking Trails

There are approximately 12 miles of hiking trails in Roan Mountain State Park and 2.25 miles of mountain bike trails. Difficulty levels range from easy to strenuous. Hikers can stroll along the Doe River or take a challenging trail up to a ridge with a great view. Trail users should wear appropriate footwear and clothing and carry drinking water.

Other hiking choices abound in this area of the southern Appalachians. Many trails of varying distances and difficulty can be accessed from the nearby Blue Ridge Parkway. Elk River Falls, Laurel Fork Falls, and Linville Falls are also nearby. The Appalachian Trail, Rhododendron Gardens Trail, Roan High Bluff Trail and Hack Line Road Trail can be accessed from Carver's Gap, which is 8 road miles from the park.

Swimming

The park's swimming pool is open from Memorial Day weekend to mid-August. A wading pool is available for small children. A lifeguard is on duty during open hours.

All park public pools will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, except Holiday weeks. Please call the park for those schedules. Cabin and camping guests will pay half price for admission to the pool.

Park Features

Carvers Gap
Millers Homestead

Other Activities

Playgrounds, Volleyball, Tennis (2 courts open 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.), Horseshoes, Ping-Pong, Basketball, Softball Field, Game Room, Picnicking

Tour Buses

Tour buses are welcome.

Friends Group

Check out the Roan Mtn. Friends Group