Roan Mountain State Park
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[edit] General Description
Roan Mountain State Park is located in East Tennessee along the Tennessee-North Carolina border. Situated in the Blue Ridge of the Appalachian Mountains, this Tennessee state park is home to Roan Mountain, a 6,285 foot (1,915 m) peak. In addition to the mountain, the park contains a total of 2,006 acres (812 ha) in the surrounding area. The park contains a variety of landscapes including hardwood forests and grassy balds.
The park hosts a variety of outdoor activities including hiking, backpacking, camping, cross-country skiing (during snowy, winter months), fishing, and a heated swimming pool that is open from Memorial Day to mid-August. At an evelation of 2,972 feet (906 m), the swimming pool is at the highest elevation of any Tennessee state park swimming pool. The park also hosts a portion of the Appalachian Trail. Other attractions include the Millers homestead, Carver's Gap, and the Roan Mountain Rhododendron Festival held in the park annually during the peak of the alpine catawba rhododendron bloom in late June.
Roan Mountain State Park features camping areas for the tent, trailer, and RV visitors in addition to the rental park cabins that are available with reservations. The park also features a modern meeting facility with generous amenities that is also available for rent by reservation to individuals or groups.
[edit] Carver's Gap
Carver's Gap is an area along the Roan Mountain ridgeline that offers excellent views of the surrounding peaks because of the expansive grassy balds dominating the landscape. Fog is often a limiting factor in the aptly-named Great Smoky Mountains. The fog, combined with increasing air pollution, can reduce visibility, especially in the mornings. On a clear day however, the area is known as one of the most beautiful sections of the Appalachian Trail.
