Roan Mountain Day Use Area

Day Hiking

Recreation areas with activity Day Hiking:

• Cloudland TR 1000
• Cloudland Trail # 1000-Roan Mountain Area
• Roan Mountain Garden TR 1002

An easy , paved trail starts at the information cabin and winds through rhododendrons to and overlook. You can choose between a short, 0.3 mile loop or continue on a longer, figure-eight loop. The Cloudland Trail is a moderate, 1.2-mile hike from the end of the Cloudland parking area to a Roan High Bluff Overlook. The Appalachian Trail crosses Roan Mountain on its trek from Maine to Georgia.

Backpacking

Recreation areas with activity Backpacking:

An easy , paved trail starts at the information cabin and winds through rhododendrons to and overlook. You can choose between a short, 0.3 mile loop or continue on a longer, figure-eight loop. The Cloudland Trail is a moderate, 1.2-mile hike from the end of the Cloudland parking area to a Roan High Bluff Overlook. The Appalachian Trail crosses Roan Mountain on its trek from Maine to Georgia.

Viewing Plants

Recreation areas with activity Viewing Plants:

• Cloudland TR 1000

The Natural Gardens

Every June, thousands of people flock to Roan Mountain to walk among the magnificent mounds of rhododendrons.  In a good year, these dense shrubs, standing taller than a person, create a spectacular display with thousands of blooms. Each bush’s round, manicured shape is a testament to severe pruning by wind and winter weather. The peaks blooming time is usually around the third week of June.

Today hundreds of acres of Catawba rhododendrons (Rhododendron catawbiense) cover the high elevations, although in the 1930’s truck-loads of rhododendrons were carried away and sold to nurseries! The primary threat to the rhododendrons today comes from trees growing too closely, shading them from the sun.

A Canadian Forest

During the ice age, about 20,000 years ago, spruces and firs dominated the Southern Appalachian forest. Then as the climate warmed, the spruce-fir forests gradually retreated north to Canada, eventually remaining only on the tops of the highest southern mountains, like Roan Mountain. Along with the red spruce and Fraser fir, other unusual plants and animals were isolated in cool, Canada-like climate above 5,000.

Roan Mountain’s forests were logged in the 1920’s and 1930’s. According to a local logger, all merchantable timber was cut by 1939. In 1941, Roan Mountain became part of the Pisgah and Cherokee National Forests and the forest returned.

In the 1950’s a tiny insect, the balsam wooly adelged, first appeared in the Southern Appalachians. The adelgid feeds on Fraser firs and eventually kills any fir that is large enough to have bark crevices.

The insect doesn’t affect the young trees, so thousands of fir seedlings often form a thick carpet of trees under dying firs.

Grassy Balds

Round Bald, Jane Bald, Grassy Ridge: these large grassy balds east of Carver’s Gap are rare and beautiful ecosystems. The origin of the balds is not clearly understood. In the last century, cattle and sheep, as well as goats, horses, mules and hogs extensively grazed the mountain. Some scientists speculate that continuous grazing by prehistoric animals, followed by elk and bison, maintained the balds for millennia.  

Grassy balds are regarded as natural communities, although shrubs and trees will invade the open areas if left alone. The Forest Service maintains the balds by mowing and grazing.

Viewing Scenery

Recreation areas with activity Viewing Scenery:

• Cloudland TR 1000

The Natural Gardens

Every June, thousands of people flock to Roan Mountain to walk among the magnificent mounds of rhododendrons.  In a good year, these dense shrubs, standing taller than a person, create a spectacular display with thousands of blooms. Each bush’s round, manicured shape is a testament to severe pruning by wind and winter weather. The peaks blooming time is usually around the third week of June.

Today hundreds of acres of Catawba rhododendrons (Rhododendron catawbiense) cover the high elevations, although in the 1930’s truck-loads of rhododendrons were carried away and sold to nurseries! The primary threat to the rhododendrons today comes from trees growing too closely, shading them from the sun.

A Canadian Forest

During the ice age, about 20,000 years ago, spruces and firs dominated the Southern Appalachian forest. Then as the climate warmed, the spruce-fir forests gradually retreated north to Canada, eventually remaining only on the tops of the highest southern mountains, like Roan Mountain. Along with the red spruce and Fraser fir, other unusual plants and animals were isolated in cool, Canada-like climate above 5,000.

Roan Mountain’s forests were logged in the 1920’s and 1930’s. According to a local logger, all merchantable timber was cut by 1939. In 1941, Roan Mountain became part of the Pisgah and Cherokee National Forests and the forest returned.

In the 1950’s a tiny insect, the balsam wooly adelged, first appeared in the Southern Appalachians. The adelgid feeds on Fraser firs and eventually kills any fir that is large enough to have bark crevices.

The insect doesn’t affect the young trees, so thousands of fir seedlings often form a thick carpet of trees under dying firs.

Grassy Balds

Round Bald, Jane Bald, Grassy Ridge: these large grassy balds east of Carver’s Gap are rare and beautiful ecosystems. The origin of the balds is not clearly understood. In the last century, cattle and sheep, as well as goats, horses, mules and hogs extensively grazed the mountain. Some scientists speculate that continuous grazing by prehistoric animals, followed by elk and bison, maintained the balds for millennia.  

Grassy balds are regarded as natural communities, although shrubs and trees will invade the open areas if left alone. The Forest Service maintains the balds by mowing and grazing.

Picnicking

Recreation areas with activity Picnicking: