The Adventure:
Hiking Roan Mountain is a great hike any time of year, but after a fresh snow or the rhododendron bloom are the peak times to visit. You can access this hike from the parking lot off Carver's Gap (boring) or you can step it up and hike in from the Overmountain Victory Trail.
Starting at the Overmountain Shelter you'll get an inside view into a popular overnight lodge for A.T. hikers. If you head up the relatively steep .3 mile Yellow Mountain Gap trail (blue blaze) you'll take a left onto the A.T. (white blaze) at the crest of the ridge. From there you'll stay on the well marked trail on your 5 mile trek up and over Roan Mountain.
The majority of the hike and ascent is wooded. As you reach the top of your elevation gain, the world opens up and the balds give incredible vistas of the surrounding mountains. This is a great place to have your hike meal and stretch your legs before starting the descent.
Type:
Out and Back; could make it a 2-day trip as there is a camping shelter off the A.T. roughly halfway between the start of this hike and Roan.
Distance:
12-13 miles round trip if you hike all the way from the Overmountain Shelter to Carver's Gap. 2,595 FT of elevation gain.
Parking:
Park at the end of Roaring Creek Road. Navigate to Roaring Creek Freewill Baptist Church or Yellow Mountain Gap Trailhead (Google Maps has it) which will get you to Roaring Creek Road. From there just drive until the end (the last mile is gravel). At the end of the road, there is an area for parking before you see the forest road which is normally gated. Park here and walk up the forest service road for approximately a mile when you'll reach the shelter. If you walk to the shelter, you actually passed the Overmountain Victory Trail on your right. Head back on the forest road and the trailhead will be on your left.
Gear:
The usuals + water. It's 12+ miles without access to water on the trail so be ready for a long day.
Don't Forget:
The Roan Highlands are exposed balds which are beautiful, but don't offer much protection from the weather. Dress in layers, be ready for sun, wind and precipitation.
My Take:
Do this hike in the winter since Roan Mountain gets some of the greatest amounts of snowfall in this stretch of the Appalachian Mountains. If that's a bit much, spend a night camping on one of the balds in warmer weather - I hear the stars are pretty incredible.
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