The Roan Highlands are a rich and diverse cluster of high elevation mountains stretching along the North Carolina and Tennessee border.

Note: Roan Mountain Recreation Area will be closed during repairs for the 2024 season. The area to be closed includes the rhododendron gardens, Roan High Bluff, Cloudland parking area, and Cloudland Trail. Carver’s Gap and the Appalachian Trail will remain open, but there is limited parking at Carver’s Gap. We ask that visitors plan accordingly. For a list of alternative hikes, click here.

The Roan Highlands are an exceptionally unique ecological region home to dozens of rare, threatened, and endangered species - along with some of the most stunning vistas along the entire Appalachian Trail.

Our vision for the future of the Roan Highlands is to safeguard the biodiversity and exemplary wildlife and plant communities of this outstanding natural heritage area through thoughtful restoration, maintenance, and management. Partnerships, scientific research, and management actions focus on increasing the resiliency of the area to climate change, addressing recreational impacts, minimizing invasive species, and addressing other threats. In our vision, the Roan Highlands remain a premier destination for high quality, low impact recreational opportunities while preserving the ecological integrity of this unique place, now and in perpetuity.

This website is managed by the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy in collaboration with the Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and United States Forest Service.

 

The Roan Highlands are located in the Pisgah and Cherokee National Forests.