Day Hikes: The Rhododendron Gardens And Other Wonders On The Roan

I have been to many places in the southern Appalachian Mountains but there might not be or hell there isn't any place better than Roan Mountain.

Roan High Knob & Round Bald.

Actually what we reference as Roan Mountain is really the Roan Highlands. There are basically two halves to the 20-mile stretch of mountains. The first is the natural balds which make up the largest part of the Roan Highlands and I wrote about a day hike I did on part of them on this blog. The second is the part that features the highest point in the massif (and the highest in the Roan-Unaka Range), Roan High Knob (6,285 feet), Roan High Bluff (6,267 feet), the site of the old Cloudland Hotel and the world famous Rhododendron Gardens. They are divided by Carvers Gap and this summer I had the pleasure of catching the sites on both sides of the gap.

Rhododendron Festival.

Clouds on Round Bald at Carvers Gap.

This blog will be two parts. I will first talk about my journey up what is referred to as Roan Mountain. The reasons are that it happen first chronological and as I have mentioned I have blogged about the other side. In the second part I will have a picture and video blog from a magnificent day on the Roan Highlands and give some highlights. Oh, and will also have a trail rating of both halves of the Roan Highlands…so let’s begin.

Road up to "Roan Mountain."

The main reason for our trip up Roan Mountain, is that it was Rhododendron Festival weekend and the flowers were supposed to be in bloom (I called the USFS office). From Carvers Gap there are two ways to get to the Rhododendron Gardens area one is to hike two miles up the Appalachian Trail (AT) or drive. Something to remember is when you reach the apt named Toll House Gap you must pay a $3 parking fee to enter (this is why the parking area at Carvers Gap is so popular it is free). When you enter there are three places to park, two are closer to the gardens and the third (which is the first you come to) is closer to the old Cloudland Hotel site. Because hiking was one of the things we were doing on this day, this is where we parked.

Overlook off TN 143.

Clouds at Cloudland Hotel parking area.

Not a lot of cars early & fog.

When we left Greeneville we had blue skies, but as wound our way up TN-143 we spotted a normal site for the Roan Highlands…clouds. They were sitting on top of Round Bald and the Roan High Knob, so when we reached the parking area there was patches of fog drifting through and almost empty parking lot. The hike from here to the Gardens was two-tenths of a mile on the Cloudland Trail. Right at the start of the trail we got our first look at why we came all of this way to see, Catawba Rhododendrons.

First Rhododendrons of the day.

Cloudland Trail sign.

Not too far up the trail I spotted a spur and Deb and I decided to see where it led, boy was we surprised (in a good way). It ended in a stone overlook which had a beautiful panorama of the Blue Ridge Mountains. There was a nice overlook at the parking lot, but not like this. So when you come to that junction go right it will be well worth your time. 

Overlook from the Cloudland Parking Area.

The overlook on the side trail...

...& what a vista.

Deb...

...Pete & I at the overlook.

Well the trail from here to the Gardens was not too difficult. Deb thought that it was a little snakey and it probably was. There was plenty of Rhododendrons, and some nice bluets.

When we finally got to the Gardens it was already hopping. There were plenty of cars and vans, unlike were we parked. The path through the Rhododendron Gardens surprisingly was paved which was cool. I will say the path needs a little maintenance. But what about what we came to see, the flowers? They were beautiful, but from some of the people I talked to this year was a moderate one. It seemed that while some had bloomed others had already dropped off while others had yet to blossom.

Utterance to the Rhododendron Gardens.

Paved path...

...Deb on it.

Bluets.

A course Catawba Rhododendrons are found from Virginia to Alabama. There are even some at Sawnee Mountain, but not like these. Here is the largest natural display of these flowers in the world. The only maintenance done is by the elements. I will say that the Flaming Azaleas at Andrews Bald may have been more impressive, this year, but there was a lot of beauty to be had here. It seemed to see the best flowers one had to move off the paved trails. In the middle of the garden there is a trail down to an overlook with a vista of the rhododendrons and the mountains in the distance, just stunning!

Rhododendron at Sawnee Mountain.

Flaming Azaleas at Andrews Bald.

Some of the Rhododendrons at the Gardens.

These views and Rhododendron bushes...

...were off the paved trail.

While it might have been a "moderate" year...

...there were some nice specimens like this...

...& this.

More Rhododendrons.

The overlook in the middle of the garden...

...& its panorama vista.

Deb at the overlook.

The bathroom was also a small information center...

...with displays like this.

After enjoying the beauty of the Catawba Rhododendrons and checking out the rest room and a small visitor center we headed on the other reason we came, to hike out to the Roan High Bluffs. From the Gardens it is about a mile out to it. The trail is a nice one which tunnel through rhododendron and Mountain Laurel.

Headed toward Roan High Bluff...

...on the Cloudland Trail.

The first road crossing point.

Headed through tunnels...

...of Rhododendron.

After crossing the road that leads to the last half-mile. Since there is road access to this spot it is a popular destination, but it is obvious at one time the trail was in much better shape. There were spots where steps use to be but have worn down over time. Once again an example of how we use to be able to offered things like nice trails. But now we need more weapon systems and the wealthy and large corporations need more tax breaks.

The parking spot...

...just half-mile to the Roand High Bluff.

I call this turtle rock.

The trail use to have steps, but the days of keeping them up has past...for now.

Tree growing into a rock...cool!

Besides Catawba Rhododendrons one of the cool things we spotted was a tree that had grown into a rock. These trees also bring to mind the wonder of the natural balds up here. We are hiking through fir trees that is higher in elevation than say Round Bald, which has no large trees, not like here. Finally, we reached the overlook and it is amazing. It gives a 180 degree view into North Carolina and Tennessee including views of Unaka Mountain, Big Bald and Mount Mitchell. It just one more reason that make the Roan Highlands the king of the mountain vistas in the Southern Appalachia’s.

The last part & you arrive...

...an information marker...

...& the Roan High Bluff Overlook...

...the vista from it.

Looking back to Roan High Knob.

Panorama vista.

Yellow blazed trail back.

The hike back was a good one since it was mostly downhill. So, after passing the busy Gardens we headed back to where we parked and our last destination the old Cloudland Hotel site. After visiting that overlook, I mentioned above, one more time when we got back and two our surprise the parking area was almost full. Like I said when we arrived there were only one or two other cars, but now not so much. With cars means people are there was a good many at the site of the old Cloudland Hotel.

Back at the Cloudland Trail Overlook.

Headed up toward the Cloudland Hotel site.

 For those who don’t know there was once a hotel on the mountain here. The original 21-room log structure was built in 1877 but was replaced by the three-store hotel in 1885 which, according to accounts had between 166 and 266 rooms. While the hotel guest registry is lost to history, it is known that a number of dignitaries stayed here and the most famous (for our purpose) was the great naturalist John Muir.

Two facts about the hotel, like most of the Roan Highlands and the AT the hotel straddled the North Carolina/Tennessee state line. In Tennessee alcoholic beverages were legal while not so in North Carolina. As legend has it the Mitchell County Sheriff use to frequent the hotel hoping to see someone drinking on the wrong side of the dining room, so he can “take’em to jail.” Another interesting fact was that the hotel opened for the summer on June 20, which is around peak (and sometimes past) for Rhododendrons, which is the mountains most famous feature.

The hotel closed in 1915 and went downhill pretty quickly. Within three years of closing the building was near collapse and the hotel was sold off room by room, so there were a lot of houses in the area built with remnants of the hotel. Today, all that still stands of the original building is a stone wall and there is also a historical marker on the site.

Cloudland Hotel Historical Marker...

...up close.

Upper side of the Cloudland Hotel site...

...Lower side.

Sitting on the remnants of the Cloudland Hotel.

Yes there were Rhododendron here too.

After visiting the site I ventured down to where the AT passes close by. There one wooden marker that points the way and another that tells hikers that north (right) heads toward the tallest point on the Highlands, Roan High Knob and south (left) heads steeply down toward Hughes Gap. I was going to head down the Roan High Knob Shelter, but we wanted to watch the USA v. Portugal game so I didn’t (wish I had, but I will head there next year).

Sign post point the way to the AT.

The junction with the sign post...

Deb posing with it...

...one can go south toward Hughes Gap...

...& north goes to Roan High Knob & Carvers Gap.

The other stairs at the Cloudland Hotel site.

Busy day on Roan Mountain.

Back to Carvers Gap & Round Bald (next).

 We finished the day at the Roan Mountain State Park Visitor Center, which is on the way back. Last October I missed it by about five minutes so I was glad to get to see it. The mill building has some interesting displays, including a moonshine still and in the visitor center, besides being able to buy souvenirs, there is a pretty cool museum about the mountain. This is a really good visitor center.

The Roan Mountain State Park Visitor Center.

The Grist Mill...

...& inside the mill building was among other things a moonshine still.

One of the displays in the visitor center.

Where we hiked today.

Exhibits for the mountain...

...& the Cloudland Hotel.

Anyway, overall the other side of Carvers Gap had wonders of its own and while the world famous Rhododendron Gardens might have been slightly off this year they were still beautiful and it will be worth a look at next year.

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Cloudland Trail & Rhododendron Gardens

My Take:

For Difficulty – 2 ½ Stars

For Trail Conditions – 4 Stars

For Views – 5 Stars

For Solitude – 1 Stars

Overall – The first part is the Cloudland Trail and the first ½ mile to the Rhododendron Gardens is easy. It does get harder as you head toward the Roan High Bluff. The trip back is mostly downhill so not too bad. The Rhododendron Garden trail can best be described as easy. The trail conditions are good, but as I mentioned above it is obvious maintenance was once better than it is now. As I said above the views from the Roan High Bluff, the Cloudland Trail Overlook and the Gardens is wonderful. If you want solitude I am sorry this is not the place, but it is a large area that spreads the people out, which is good.

Pete’s Take:

For Difficulty – 2 Rabbits Paws

For Trail Conditions – 4 Rabbits Paws

For Views – 5 Rabbits Paws

For Solitude – 0 Rabbits Paws

Overall – I didn’t think any of the trails were hard, hell the Gardens trail was paved which puts it on par with the Alpharetta Greenway. The trails are good, but the Lummox is right about the lack of maintenance. Even a rabbit like me will admit the view is great, but for solitude there is none. Kids everywhere that was the only thing that was a black mark on what was a nice day.