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.
Famous for its spectacular natural gardens of Catawba rhododendrons, Roan Mountain shelters a rich diversity of life, from spruce-fir forests to vast grassy balds.
Roan Mountain is actually not one mountain, but a high ridge about 5 miles long. It ranges from a height of 6,286 feet at Roan High Knob to a low of 5,500 feet at Carver's Gap. No one knows the origin of the mountain's name. Some claim the name refers to the roan or reddish color of the mountain when rhododendrons bloom in June or the mountain ash berries appear in September. Others say the name comes from Daniel Boone's roan horse, because he and his horse were frequent visitors.
