There was a snowstorm over Roan Mountain the last Friday in February, 2020. Seeing Roan Highlands covered in a blanket of snow is always a highlight of WNC winter. So on Sunday, March 1st I set out for this glorious destination high above the little town of Bakersville. It is quickly becoming one of my favorite things to do in winter. This makes three in a row now.

As usual I was not disappointed. To be honest, it couldn’t have worked out better. The road crews had done a fabulous job of clearing all the back country mountain roads between Burnsville and Carver’s Gap, so the driving part was a snap. It was a bright sunny day, with but wispy clouds on an azure sky, and views that seemed like 50 miles, or more. The only downer were the dozens of jet contrails polluting the sky.

There were only a handful of cars at Carver’s Gap when I arrived, so there were a few intrepid others who had the same idea. It was definitely cold. The air temp was 22° when I stepped out of my Subaru. The wind seemed calm, but that was to change on the summit of Round Bald.

Preparation is one of my hallmarks though, so I had heavy wool socks and snow boots, fleece-lined softshell pants, plenty of layers for my core and a down filled vest with a hood, plus a balaclava and gloves. Sunglasses finished off the ensemble. I probably looked a bit like the Michelin man, but I was ready.

Once out in the snow and on the Appalachian Trail, I could tell that I was first out on this morning. The other cars must have been for overnight campers. Brr! The lower trail was barely packed down by boot steps probably from Saturday hikers. Once I cleared the spruce forest, the wind had filled in any previous footsteps, so it required a bit of post-holing. The higher and more exposed I got, the windier it became. The south side of Round Bald was 4-6 inches deep. Most of it I was breaking trail. To say it was slow going would be an understatement.

The summit of Round Bald was a downright gale. Boy was I glad I had all that cold weather gear on. The snow-covered mountains that surround in every direction were astounding. Perhaps the most beautiful view was of the Hump Mountains off to the northeast. Once on the north side of Round Bald, the snow depth was a foot. The wind was obviously blowing snow from the summit mostly to the north.

I didn’t stay long, and only went as far as Engine Gap, but the two hours I was there was worth every stinging ice crystal slamming into my face. Two other solo hikers passed me on the downside. Climbing back up to the summit of Round Bald was really slow going because of the foot deep snow.

Enjoy the photo gallery below of my adventure to Roan Highlands in the snow. If you are interested in going to Roan Highlands yourself, check out my trail report that includes directions, maps, and many more seasonal photos. Thanks for visiting!

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

There was a major snowstorm over the Great Smoky Mountains on December 8-9, 2017, particularly on the Western North Carolina side. Seeing Roan Highlands covered in a blanket of snow has always been a goal of mine ever since the first time I walked the Appalachian Trail across Round, Jane, and Grassy Ridge balds. With that in mind, I set out for the Highlands on the morning of December 10th.

I was not disappointed. To be honest, it couldn’t have worked out better. The road crews had done a fabulous job of clearing all the back country mountain roads between Burnsville and Carver’s Gap, so the driving part was a snap. It was a bright sunny day, with a cloudless azure sky.

There were about a half dozen cars at Carver’s Gap when I arrived, so there were a few intrepid others who had the same idea. It was definitely cold. The air temp was 23° when I stepped out of my Subaru, and there was a pretty steady breeze. I learned more about the wind on the summit of Round Bald.

Preparation is one of my hallmarks though, so I had heavy wool socks and snow boots, fleece-lined softshell pants, plenty of layers for my core and a down filled jacket with a hood, plus a balaclava and gloves. Sunglasses finished off the ensemble. I probably looked a bit like the Michelin man, but I was ready.

Once out in the snow and on the Appalachian Trail, I could tell that there had been perhaps 20 others before me, both the day before and earlier this morning. The lower trail was somewhat packed down by boot steps and cross country ski lines, while other portions required a bit of post-holing. The higher and more exposed I got, the windier it became. Many of the footprints disappeared beneath blowing snow. To say it was slow going would be an understatement.

The summit of Round Bald was a downright gale. Boy was I glad I had all that cold weather gear on. The snow-covered mountains that surround in every direction were astounding. Perhaps the most beautiful view was of the Hump Mountains off to the northeast.

I didn’t stay long, and only went part way down the back side of Round Bald toward Engine Gap, but the 90 minutes I was there was worth every stinging ice crystal slamming into my face.

Enjoy the photo gallery below of my adventure to Roan Highlands in the snow. Also, down below the gallery thumbnails is a brief video I shot from the summit of Round Bald. Perhaps it will give you an idea of the elements. If you are interested in going to Roan Highlands yourself, check out my trail report that includes directions, maps, and many more seasonal photos. Thanks for visiting!

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Ho. Hum. Just another day at Roan Highlands. Now, obviously I’m being facetious. Roan Highlands is probably my favorite place to go in all of Western North Carolina, especially in mid-June when it is catawba rhododendron and flame azalea time.

It’s exciting to hike on the iconic Appalachian Trail, the views of Tennessee and North Carolina on either side of the ridge are among the best you will find anywhere, and the flowers are, to put it mildly, simply gorgeous.

This visit was on June 15, 2017. I arrived at 6:45AM with bad weather expected to approach around noon. I managed to get all of the hike along Grassy Ridge in before the weather started moving in. You will notice in the following gallery that I enjoyed bright blue sky on the way out with fog and overcast on the way back. Weather can change in a hurry in the high country, so always know before you go.

Please feel free to leave your comments and suggestions below the gallery. Thanks for visiting!

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

You can see them from Roan Highlands. They appear when viewed from Linville Gorge and Grandfather Mountain too. The long, green balds that comprise Little Hump and Big Hump Mountains stick out like limes in a grapefruit basket. And, you can see all those other landmarks from the Hump Mountains. The iconic Appalachian Trail (AT) arrives from the Highlands of Roan to traverse these two treeless knobs that stand well over 5,000 feet at their summits. Begin from the headwaters of Roaring Creek, near Spruce Pine. Climb for about ¾ mile on the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail to reach Yellow Mountain Gap. From there, turn right on the AT and navigate meadows and forests along the spine dividing North Carolina and Tennessee. Prepare yourself to be in awe. My brother Dave, my friend Ken, and I visited the Hump Mountains on Monday, June 6, 2016 beginning at 8:15AM and ending about 3:10PM. Our plan was to take the Overmountain Victory Trail to its meeting with the AT, cross Little Hump and Big Hump Mountains, then return.

This is a hike I’ve been wanting to do for some time, really ever since I laid eyes on the Hump Mountain pair from atop Grassy Ridge in Roan Highlands. I had been somewhat confused about how to get there without hiking all the way from Carvers Gap, a round trip of well over 20 miles. Many thanks to Brenda Wiley for offering impeccable directions to the trailhead. It made this a very doable day hike.

We arrived just past 8:00 after a nearly two hour drive from home. The “we” was my brother Dave, visiting from Colorado, and fellow Meanderthal Ken, my regular and steady companion. The trailhead for the Overmountain Victory Trail is at the end of Roaring Creek Road, a drive that could not possibly be any farther from anything else. This is really, really out there. All the better… the remote nature of this location made it all the more adventurous.

The trailhead is right in the cul-de-sac at the end of Roaring Creek Road, on the right hand side. It’s hard to find the trailhead marker as it’s kind of hidden in the weeds, but there is an old rusty open gate there. We discovered immediately that the trail was already overgrown by summer’s foliage. I could swear (seven hours later when we finished) that the weeds encroaching on the trail had already grown another foot. The old roadbed follows the headwaters of Roaring Creek as it tumbles down from Yellow Mountain Gap.

Just past a quarter mile up the hill, the Overmountain Victory Trail makes a hard left turn into an open field. There is a trail marker here, along the treeline. The field couldn’t look more like an old abandoned ski slope if Lindsey Vonn came schussing past. Both Dave and Ken are skiers, and they were wondering aloud about hiking up here with a pair of skis after a winter snow storm. The trail crosses the “ski slope,” then re-enters the woods on the other side to resume the climb to Yellow Mountain Gap.

As you near the gap, a side trail comes in from the left, one that goes to an Appalachian Trail shelter. Weary AT thru hikers can use this shelter for overnight rest before resuming their next day. As we approached, we just happened to meet one, a nice fellow who was struggling, but determined. 25 yards later you reach the gap, and the junction with the Appalachian Trail. Turn right here toward Little Hump Mountain.

The “ski slope” found as you climb the Overmountain Victory Trail.

“To those living beyond the Appalachian Mountains, the American Revolution was a faraway war that had begun in the villages of New England and concerned places like New York and Philadelphia. Most of the “overmountain people,” as they were called, descended from immigrants who had come not from England but from a vast Irish territory known as the Ulster Plantation. These Scotch-Irish had defied King George III’s 1763 proclamation that prohibited private settlements west of the mountains. They claimed the forbidden wilderness for their own, felling trees to clear the land for small farms, building dirt-floor log cabins, growing what they needed and living as they pleased—a people apart.

The Overmountain Men are best known for their role in the American victory at the Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780 during the American Revolutionary War. They hailed from parts of Virginia, North Carolina, and what is now Tennessee and Kentucky. On September 26, 1780, the Overmountain Men began their long trek over the Blue Ridge, marching from Sycamore Shoals to Shelving Rock at the base of Roan Mountain, where they camped for the night. After crossing the mountain at Yellow Mountain Gap, they followed a well-worn path up the North Toe River Valley to Bright’s settlement (modern Spruce Pine, North Carolina).

Some 11 days later, on October 7, the Overmountain Men reached King’s Mountain and prepared for battle. Loyalist casualties included 157 killed, 163 so severely wounded they were left on the field, and 698 captured. Patriot casualties were 28 killed and 62 wounded. British General Cornwallis abandoned his invasion of North Carolina and fell back into South Carolina. In later years, many of the Overmountain Men played important roles in the establishment of Tennessee and Kentucky. In 1980, Congress appropriated funds for the establishment of the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, which follows the original marching route of the Overmountain Men.” [cite Wikipedia]

For the next mile the AT climbs along the treeline adjacent to large fields of tall plants like angelica, indian plantain, and yarrow. There is a magnificent view of the Roaring Creek valley, although at times it was obscured by morning fog that wafted through the hollow with the breeze. Once you get a couple hundred feet higher, if you turn around, you can see the AT shelter down below. We also saw a lone deer standing chest deep in the field, keeping a close eye on us.

We happened upon an oddity: a tree struck by lightning that had split vertically in the trunk. It reminded us of those stilt men you see at carnivals perched high atop 12 foot poles with pant legs all the way to the ground. We called it the “stilt man tree.” It was blackberry blossom season, and we also passed a few blooming wild cherry trees. As we rounded a corner and reached a plateau we got our first glimpse of Little Hump Mountain. This was about to get really exciting.

From the moment you can see Little Hump, it is a long steady hike of about a half mile to the summit. Along the way is a gathering of large rocks, a perfect place for our first break of the day. We each grabbed a snack while Dave took about five minutes of time lapse photos of the fog rolling through Yellow Mountain Gap. It created quite the scene, but obscured most of our view of the surrounding mountains.

From the rock outcropping near the summit of Little Hump, fog obscures the view.

When we crossed to the other side of the summit, the low-lying fog continued. We wouldn’t learn until later, on the way back, what a magnificent view of the southern face of Big Hump Mountain we were missing. Still, it was amazing enough anyway with all the tenuous clouds floating on the wind. We could feel the sun. It was trying to burn off the overcast. We continued on our journey.

On the west flank of Little Hump, the AT enters a really cool beech forest. The trees are twisted and gnarled from decades of battling the fierce wind and storms that blow across the Southern Appalachian balds. For the thru hikers, there are a couple campsites and a spring contained within this forest, useful for water resupply. You also lose a few hundred feet of elevation as you drop into the gap between the two Hump Mountains. All the more to climb later.

On the other side of the beech forest, we got our first glance at the dignified expanse of Big Hump Mountain, and the sun was shining on its southern face. From this spot, not quite all the way down Little Hump, you can see the complete ascent. Familiarize yourself with what you are approaching, because as you climb Big Hump Mountain you will reach a couple of faux summits that will dash your hopes. Are we there yet?

The bare tract up Hump Mountain is imposing. We found another outcrop about a hundred feet up for another break. The nourishment would hopefully steel us for the 500 foot climb up this grand mound. The sky continued to clear. We could now see the summit of Little Hump behind us. We could also see Grandfather Mountain to our east, and the ridges of the Tennessee Smokies to the west.

I don’t do climbing steep mountains well. You’ve heard me whine about that before. Ken, however, is a monster when it comes to uphill. I think he gets his lung power from biking. Anyway, he took off on a speed burn and soon became just a blur hundreds of feet above. Dave, on the other hand, is a slow and steady climber. He can go for hours in the twice-as-high Rockies back home, but gradual and quiet. Me, I just suffer.

But, we all made it. Some 30 minutes later, there we all stood on the 5,587 ft summit. There were others enjoying a picnic lunch, so we continued a little bit down the north face to a plaque honoring Stanley Murray on Houston Ridge. Murray, quite the conservationist, was instrumental in bringing the Appalachian Trail to Roan Highlands. Now, it was time for lunch. We sat down on a rock outcrop and breathed deeply.

From Houston Ridge we could see Little Hump in the foreground, with the Roan Highlands behind.

The views are astounding. The clouds, now puffy whites, had lifted enough to recognize the surrounding landmarks. Each of the balds of Roan Highlands were distinct. This was now the opposite view of what had intrigued me about the Hump Mountains. It was every bit as fantastic as I envisioned. Grandfather Mountain and Linville Gorge are in plain view. I’m not as familiar with the mountain ranges on the Tennessee side, but they are all there to behold.

We stayed for probably a half hour. Even then, I still didn’t want to leave, but we had three hours of hiking and a two hour drive ahead of us. The return trip was remarkable. Everything we couldn’t see earlier in the morning was now in plain view. There were also now more hikers out enjoying the stellar day, including a couple more thru hikers, and our old pal we had first encountered back at Yellow Mountain Gap. He was hiking his own hike, steadily plodding along.

There were more wildflowers now in bloom in the afternoon sun. The birds were in full chorus, including what we later learned was a red breasted grosbeak… a loud and persistent fellow. The climb from the gap between the Humps back up Little Hump was a whole lot easier than summiting Big Hump. After we cleared the beech forest on the upward side and turned around, there it was — what we had missed in the morning fog — a magnificent view of the whole of Big Hump Mountain. You will see it in the photo gallery below.

We didn’t dawdle though. Ominous dark clouds were building over Grandfather Mountain and the recognizable Hawksbill and Table Rock at Linville Gorge. We certainly didn’t want to be on a bald mountaintop if the clouds started waging war. The section between Little Hump and Yellow Mountain Gap seemed longer on the way back. Perhaps we were just a bit apprehensive about approaching bad weather. No worries though… we made it back to the car without a drop of rain.

Best Hike How to summarize the brilliant day we all had? This is a hike you must do. If you aren’t in shape, get yourself fit. It is soooo worth it. Allow plenty of time to enjoy everything the Appalachian Trail through the bald Highlands has to offer. So get there early in the morning. Take some good friends so you have others to share the wonderment with. Keep one eye on the weather, but be sure your other is tuned to the absolute magnificence that is the Hump Mountains. I consider this trip to be a best hike, and think you will too.
 

Here is a video my brother Dave put together of our adventure to the Hump Mountains.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

When the Southern Appalachians are your home, the month of June simply isn’t complete without a visit to Roan Highlands for the annual rhododendron and azalea bloom. Like Julie Andrews sang years ago, “these are a few of my favorite things.” From the first time I set foot on Round Bald, I knew this was someplace special. The grassy ridge of the Highlands bald mountain tops runs for 14 miles, the longest stretch of unobstructed vistas on the entire Appalachian Trail. Add to that the brilliant colors of the flowers, and you will understand why this is a must see destination.

I have already written a trail report for Grassy Ridge in the Highlands. To learn how to get there, and where to hike, you can get all the details here. Rather than repeating the report, I wanted to share my photographic experiences from the most recent foray across the balds. This visit occurred on Wednesday, June 17, 2015.

I arrived approximately 7:45 AM to bright, glorious sunshine. It became apparent almost immediately that the catawba rhododendron blossoms were already gone. The Spring bloom season is fickle. Two years ago I visited Roan on June 19th, and was probably two days early for the peak bloom. This year June 17th was about four days too late. Not to worry though, the flaming azaleas were still out in abundance; and I found the elusive Grays Lily, the rare mountain perennial.

I hope you enjoy these recent photos from Roan Highlands. Feel free to leave your comments below the gallery.

The morning sun was just peaking over Round Bald when I arrived. It brought with it a summer breeze that added a wispiness to the native grass.

I’ve been to Roan Highlands for the June flowering three times now. This was my first Grays Lily. I was treated to another before the day was through.

I arrived on Grassy Ridge Bald about 10:00 AM, as did the clouds, first white, then grey.

Updated October 6, 2015: Autumn must mean it’s time for another visit to the Highlands, chasing the ever-illusive colors of the new season. Timing the Roan Highlands fall foliage chroma display is a fool’s-errand. It is never the same two years in a row. I started with a visit on September 28th, only to find a mountain covered in fog so thick that I was breathing moisture. Oh well, there’s always the exercise, I told my disappointed self.

Following a week of torrential downpour over the Southern Appalachians, it finally cleared on Monday, October 5th, so I was there ready and able the next morning. This time the weather totally cooperated. As you will see in the photos below, the sky was magnificent and the clear air enabled long distance viewing that extended well into Tennessee and maybe even beyond to Virginia. The coloring was a mixed bag of earth tones, some past peak, others yet to fully impress. Regardless, it was quite a distinction from my last spring-time visit in June.

I love the earthy tones color spectrum that Fall brings to the mountains.

Updated January 6, 2017: It seemed only natural to add a winter gallery of Roan Highlands. With that in mind, Ken and I set out in search of the white stuff. We didn’t find snow, but what we did find was a wonderland of rime ice, hoar frost, and frozen fog. The only downer was the thick clouds that had settled on the Highlands making long distance viewing impossible. Still, focusing at ground level revealed a world of ice at 6,000 feet.

The climb up Jane Bald was particularly rewarding. The alderberry, rhododendron, and azalea bushes were all covered with a thick coating of rime ice.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Located along the North Carolina/Tennessee state line, and where Pisgah and Cherokee National Forests merge, Grassy Ridge in the Roan Highlands is the longest stretch of grassy balds in the Appalachian Mountains. The Appalachian Trail navigates this stunning ridge, hopping from Carvers Gap to Round Bald to Jane Bald, and on to the 6,169 foot Grassy Ridge Bald. The Highlands are a haven for wildlife, and mountain bushes like rhododendron, flame azalea, and green alder. Rare flowers are found here as well, including species such as spreading avens, Blue Ridge goldenrod, Gray’s lily and mountain bluet. There are clear views of Grandfather Mountain and the peaks of Linville Gorge to the east, and Mt. Mitchell and the Black Mountains to the south. In short, the Roan Highlands area is a must see. This hike occurred on Wednesday, June 19, 2013 from 8:30am to 1:15pm. My plan was to follow the Appalachian Trail from Carvers Gap across the three balds of Grassy Ridge, then explore more of Roan Mountain as time, and weather, permitted.

This is a hike I’ve wanted to do for quite some time, but just never seemed to get it together. It’s in a very remote area, and a long way from my home (about two hours), so I always seemed to talk myself out of it for regions with easier access. The time factor seems silly because I’ve made the effort to go to other wild places that were at least as far. Well, now that I’ve finally been, it’s not so tough to get there after all, and I’ve truly been depriving myself of one of Western North Carolina’s most remarkable gems.

When I arrived at Carvers Gap on the North Carolina/Tennessee state line just past 8:00 AM, there were already a couple dozen people milling about the parking area, and much to my surprise, the parking along the highway was already full. Well, I thought, I guess that’s what you get at peak rhododendron season. I would learn later that something else was up. Eventually I discovered there’s a whole other parking lot off the main highway, and all was good.

About that parking though, there seems to be about 60-70 spaces, but it’s a good idea to get there early in the morning, especially during busy visitor seasons like June and October. When I finished my hike just past 1:00 in the afternoon, the parking was crammed and Carvers Gap was a trafficky mess.

I couldn’t quite figure why everyone was just hanging out, but I could see if I got my pack and camera gear together quickly, that I could beat them all onto the trail. And the last thing I wanted was to get behind a mob of people starting out. The Appalachian Trail (AT) trailhead is just across the road on the east side. So off I went, somewhat confused, but tickled that I wouldn’t be behind this big crowd of folks with unknown intentions.

Because of the popularity, the trail track here is a light gravel with borders on each side, kinda like you might see in a city park. Fancy. The trail switches back on a grassy hillside, going in and out and around clusters of rhododendron shrubs as it leaves the cars, and people, at Carvers Gap behind. It took me less than 15 minutes, and only a couple hundred feet of climbing, to realize that Roan Highlands is a very special place.

This is high country, with clear air, crystal blue sky, dazzling emerald green grasses that conjure images of Ireland, and long-distance views to the south and southwest of the blanket of valley fog. It’s why they call them the Smoky Mountains. It became apparent early on that I might as well just leave the camera on the tripod and carry it, rather than putting it away in the pack each time I moved on. This was going to be a fantastic day.

After catching my breath from the sheer stunning beauty of the southern vista, I proceeded to the next curiosity. The trail winds through a dark and mysterious spruce-fir forest tightly packed with black balsam spruce and Fraser fir. There are large igneous rocks on either side of the path, and that heavenly aroma from the evergreen needles and bark. Quite the contrast from the brightness of the meadow to the gloomy stroll through the conifers.

Just about the time my pupils were adjusting to the pitch of the forest, the trail was back out in the light in another series of rhododendron bushes. These are the catawba variety (rhododendron catawbiense), a dense shrub with evergreen leaves, and numerous violet-purple flower clusters bigger than your fist. The fruit is a dry capsule with numerous small seeds. They are really quite lovely, and there are more natural rhododendrons in the Roan Highlands than anywhere else in the world.

The trail continues climbing Round Bald up a series of steps about 20 feet apart. There are more terrific views of the southern mountains, and then eventually, the Tennessee side of the ridge comes into view. On this particular day, that side was even more socked in. The clouds were boiling like a witches cauldron, occasionally rolling up and over the bald.

I reached the summit of Round Bald, 5,826 feet, and was in awe of the panorama of Smoky Mountains surrounding me. The bald is aptly named. It’s like standing on a massive basketball with grass. The top is truly round. As I approached the eastern side I could see down into Engine Gap, the path of the trail a half mile away. Clouds were wafting through the gap on a race from Tennessee to North Carolina.

A series of switchbacks aids the descent eastward, and brings the trail closer to the edge of the forest where there is a plethora of flame azalea bushes. Much as the western slope was alive with the pink/magenta catawbas, this eastern side of Round Bald is lush with rhododendron calendulaceum. The flowers of this deciduous shrub are larger than most other native azaleas, measuring from 1.5 to 2.5 inches across, and come in a wide range of colors from ochreous yellow, through various shades of orange, almost red even. A number of the blooms on the balds are a blazing bicolored orange.

Dropping about two hundred feet from Round Bald into Engine Gap, I entered a sea of yellow hawkweed. In the late 19th century, a steam engine was setup in the gap between Round Bald and Jane Bald by logging companies (hence the name, Engine Gap) to move lumber from the Tennessee side to the mills located on the North Carolina side. Thanks to the efforts of land conservation since, I could enjoy hawkweed instead of locomotives.

I took a glance behind me to enjoy the rhodo and azalea gardens on the eastern grade of Round Bald, and wait… What is that? Is that sheep up on the mountain? I dialed in the zoom on my camera to get a closer look. Sure looks like sheep.

Not long afterward another hiker caught up to me and I asked him if he saw the sheep behind us. He said, “Those aren’t sheep. They’re goats. We’re herding them up in the highlands for summer. When the goats approach you, you don’t want to be in front of them because it spooks them. It makes them want to scatter. So you might want to setup your camera over there on the side and catch them as they come by.”

Cool! What dumb luck! I quickly learned that I just happened to pick the day to be at Roan Highlands when they were bringing the goats up for the summer Baatany Project. Despite the somewhat cheesy name, apparently this is the sixth year of the Baatany Project, a volunteer-based effort to restore the Grassy Bald corridor on Roan Mountain using goats as an experimental management tool. Could this day get any more perfect?

A bell dinged in my head. Now I understood why all those people were milling around at Carvers Gap. They were waiting for the goats to arrive for the drive up the balds. Unknowingly I had become a part of this year’s Baatany Project. So I spent the next half hour on the side of the trail taking pictures of the nearly two dozen goats and at least twice as many volunteers as they herded into a fenced area on Jane Bald. The babies came last.

Well, that was exciting. Now it was time to climb up Jane Bald for the next surprise. Unlike Round Bald, Jane Bald is nearly covered with granite and rhododendron. The trail is steeper, and carved through a forest of shrubs that also includes green alder, a large bush with flowers known as catkins, oblong and almost berry-like.

Jane Bald is smaller than the others, and six feet lower than Round Bald at 5,820 feet. The views however, are fantastic. To the west is Round Bald with Roan High Knob and Roan High Bluff beyond. To the east is the continuation of Grassy Ridge onward to Grassy Ridge Bald. To the south are the Black Mountains, including Mt. Mitchell, and to the north are the Smokies of Tennessee and Roan Mountain State Park.

The summit of Jane Bald is where the goats were penned for now. They are herded by a gorgeous Great Pyrenees. I happened to catch one of the principals of the Baatany Project and asked how often they come up to relocate the portable fences from bald to bald. About every 10 days he said. This particular breed of goat loves the Canadian blackberry, an invasive species to the Roan Highlands. Clearing that, and keeping the natural grasses “mown” are the primary jobs of the goats.

The southeastern slope of Jane Bald has a large rocky outcropping that is ideal for camera work, and nearly the entire eastern side is literally covered with blooming rhododendron and azalea. Later, from almost a mile away, this eastern face of Jane Bald appeared lit up with pink and orange. Stunning.

The gap between Jane and Grassy Ridge Balds dips a couple hundred feet, much like Engine Gap did. At the base of the gap is a trail junction. The Appalachian Trail continues around the next bald to the left, and a spur trail heads southeasterly up the side of Grassy Ridge Bald. I wanted to check out both, so I chose the AT first. I went about a half mile through thick rhodo thickets, passing the northern flank of Grassy Ridge, with views deep into the Smokies of Tennessee.

I passed a spring on the right, learning later that this is where the goat keepers collect water for the dog, and also hopped over a small queen snake sunning on the trail. When the AT began heading steeply down, I decided it was time to turn around and do my additional climbing on Grassy Ridge.

The spur trail up Grassy Ridge Bald is the most difficult section of this hike. It is a very narrow, rocky trenched channel that climbs 500 feet through thick rhododendron and alder scrub. The end result is definitely worth the effort, however, as Grassy Ridge Bald is unbelievably even more beautiful that Round and Jane Balds were. This trip just kept getting better and better.

Cronk. Cronk. Cronk. The tell-tale sound of ravens hovering above me was a warm welcome to the next bald on the menu. I paused to watch them floating on the breeze, swooping below the horizon then drifting back up to silhouette the clouds.

Grassy Ridge Bald is several hundred acres of green, green grassland, surrounded by spruce and rhododendron, simply stunning. Far to the east is the Grandfather Mountain massif, and the peaks of Linville Gorge, Hawksbill and Tablerock. There is a large rock outcropping near the 6,189′ summit with an imbedded plaque honoring Cornelius Rex Peake, operater of the highest cultivated farm in the U.S. east of the Rocky Mountains, and very instrumental in bringing the conservation movement to Roan Mountain.

This looked like a perfect spot for lunch. Since I left Jane Bald, I had separated myself from most of the other folks who only came to help with the Baatany Project. It became apparent who the other day hikers were as a few stopped by to break bread with me at the outcropping. One couple was from Boone, and I also met a professional photographer from Nashville who gave me several tips about when and where for Roan Highlands pictures.

He told me about the next ridge over, what he described as a “purple mountain.” I certainly wanted to see that, so after wrapping up lunch I continued southeast across the acres of grass toward another series of outcrops on the other side. Then, peaking out through a few spruce and fir, there is was. The entire face of Bear Ridge was awash in the violet/purple of catawba rhododendron. It totally beat anything I had ever seen at Craggy Gardens or elsewhere in the Blue Ridge or Smokies.

The entire length of the Roan Mountain grassy balds covers seven miles and crosses five different summits. Perhaps some other time I will continue on the AT over Yellow Mountain and Hump Mountain. But on this day, I was totally content to conclude my exploration at the end of Grassy Ridge. What a treat I’d had, and I still would get to see it all over again on the way back.

By now, the morning valley fog had lifted on both sides of the ridge, presenting higher clouds and a horizon level haze. Even more of the bicolored azalea had popped out from the afternoon sunshine, and I could see lines of hikers marching like ants two miles away on Round Bald. Yes, Grassy Ridge is a popular and special place, but it is roomy enough to not seem crowded. There is plenty of space for everyone to enjoy their own little mellow haven.

By the time I got back to my car, I had traveled six miles and taken nearly five hours to do it. That should be an indicator of just how much there is to enjoy on Grassy Ridge. You could certainly do this round trip hike in less than three hours, but why would you. There is so much to see, so much to ponder, so much to breathe, so much essence.

While there, I figured I might as well visit the Rhododendron Gardens located in the gap between Roan High Knob and Roan High Bluff. This is a $3.00 fee area that includes the Cloudland Trailhead, which crosses the Gardens and ascends the western slope of Roan High Bluff to an observation platform just below the summit. This is also the former site of the Cloudland Hotel (c. 1885-1910) at Tollhouse Gap, billed as a very ritzy health resort, especially for those suffering from hay fever. There are numerous camping sites if you want to make a mini-vacation of your visit to Roan Mountain.

Best Hike When I was standing on Grassy Ridge Bald surveying the flowers in full bloom, the large expanse of verdant grassland, 6,000 foot mountains in all directions … I came to the conclusion this is the most beautiful place I have been in all of Southern Appalachia. I’ve seen stunning scenes in West Virginia and Shenandoah, in Eastern Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains, in Western North Carolina and along the Blue Ridge, but they all stand a step behind the Roan Highlands. I simply can’t wait to go back — I’m already researching when the peak autumn leaf season is. Label this one the best hike I have done so far in WNC, and definitely the most beautiful among many delightful sections along the Appalachian Trail. So treat yourself, and make an entire day of it. You will be amazed, and thrilled.

I’ve posted more pictures than usual below. It was such a perfect day that I had a lot to choose from. They are sorted sequentially from the start of the day, to the end. Just click on any of the thumbnails for a slideshow that is scroll-able forward or back. I hope the photos leave you with a sense of what a remarkable place the Roan Highlands truly is.

Updated October 15, 2013 — I mentioned above that I planned on returning to Grassy Ridge and the Roan Highlands in October to enjoy the autumnal coloring. And so I did. While I did find some color, as you will see in the pictures below, it’s hard to predict that perfect peak time when the hills are a total chromatic sensation.

It seemed the North Carolina side of the ridge was past peak with its browns and other earth tones. Conversely, the Tennessee side of the ridge was probably still 4-7 days away from the brightest colors. Go figure. I suppose the difference lies in being on the southern or northern side of Roan Mountain.

Regardless, I again had an absolutely splendid day. The weather was ideal for hiking — temps in the high 50s with a light breeze — and those of us who traversed the Appalachian Trail that day weren’t hassled by any law enforcement for being on the trail during the government shutdown.

Enjoy the photos. Compare the scenery to the ones above from mid-June. What a difference the season makes.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.