Trail head at Carver's Gap, TN and Roan High Knob

[atsent]

Howdy,

Planning to be out for a few weeks, going SOBO and ending near Carver's Gap, TN close to Roan Mountain State Park. As far as I can see in the companion, there is a parking area around Roan High Bluff near the Rhododendron Gardens (about a mile or so south of Roan High Knob Shelter)? Does anyone know how to get to this parking area? Can't find it anywhere online. This is where I would like to be picked up ideally.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Happy hiking!

[dmax]

Take 19E to Tn Rte 143. Follow it to Carvers Gap.

[dmax]

I forgot to mention...The road from Carvers Gap to the Gardens will be closed some this year for repaving. It will be open during the Rhodo Festival in June. But I'm not sure of all the closer dates for the road.

[Tennessee Viking]

The road up to the gardens and Cloudland will be open from June 6th to July7th for the Rodo Festival. Carvers Gap will remain open. The AT will not be affected.

[atsent]

Thanks, all!

[schmuttis]

You might want to check here too: http://rohland.homedns.org/AT/State/...enu.aspx?id=10

[bus]

From the NC side the road is 261 it splits from 226 in Bakersville. at the TN line it becomes 143. There is a parking area on the 'south' side of the road. You, or your ride, will see the Carvers Gap sign.

We will be up there June 12th heading north....

[wannahike]

I want to hike south to Hot Springs from whichever place is easier for my brother to drop me off, we would be coming up from the Asheville area. He would much rather be fishing then driving me all over east TN so I need good directions. I do have a map but sometimes directions are better from someone who has been there.
And any info on water availability would be appreciated too.

Thanks

[Kerosene]

Here are directions from Google Maps. Drive time from Ashville is about 90 minutes. Click on the link for a map of the route.


I-26 W/US-19 N/US-23 N/US-70 W toward Weaverville/Woodfin
Continue to follow I-26 W/US-19 N/US-23 N for 18.2 mi

Take the exit toward US-19 N/US-23 Alt N then turn right at US-19 N/US-23 Alt N
Continue to follow US-19 N for 10.8 mi

Continue onto US-19E N for 6.9 mi

Turn left at N Carolina 197 N/Mine Fork Rd/State Hwy 197 for 6.7 mi

Turn right at N Carolina 197 N for 3.7 mi

Turn right to stay on N Carolina 197 N for another 0.5 mi

Turn right to stay on N Carolina 197 N for 0.2 mi

Turn left at N Carolina 197 N/N Carolina 226 N and follow for 3.0 mi

Turn right at Fork Mountain Rd for 4.2 mi

Slight left at N Carolina 261 N for another 9.2 mi to Carvers Gap


http://maps.google.com/maps/api/stat...QaKQWTn4J6qVY=

[wannahike]

Ok, thank you
but is that taking me to Carvers Gap or Roan Mt, or are they one and the same and my confusion is with 19E and Roan Mt. the town which is farther north?
Boy I even sound dumb to me

[Kerosene]

That's taking you to the AT crossing in Carvers Gap, waaay up the mountain from the town of Roan Mtn.

[wannahike]

Ok, way up the mountain is good cause I will be huffing and puffing getting up the mountains but it is so much fun walking in the woods and will be so much cooler
Thanks

[Marta]

Indeed it is cooler. Last weekend I was wearing a jacket, either rain or fleece, pretty much the whole time I was at Carvers/Roan. Sunday when I got back to Charlotte it was 90 degrees here.

[wannahike]

I can't wait, and so, how was the water flowing?

[karo]

I can't wait, and so, how was the water flowing?

There should be water around behind the latrine at the back of the parking lot. There has been much discussion about this being behind a latrine, but is far around from the latrine and a piped spring coming out of the mt. I would still treat it just to be sure. There is a piped spring around behind Roan High Shelter, follow the blue blaze beside the cabin, but it is often slow, maybe someone who has been there recently will post an update on this spring. There are usually restrooms at Cloudland parking area but this may be closed due to the repaving/construction going on up there. After you drop off the mountain, which is pretty steep from what I have been told, I do not know cause I have yet to do that section.

[Marta]

Last weekend water was flowing at the piped spring in Carvers Gap and at the piped spring down the blue-blazed trail near Overmountain Shelter. I did not check other sources.

[MedicineMan]

This past weekend the spring/pipe immediately adjacent to the trail at Bradley Gap was dry, I didn't go any further than that down the slope.

[karo]

Does anyone know if the road from Carver's Gap to the Rhododendron Gardens/Cloudland hotel site is open? I knew that they were paving the road and building or renovating the restrooms there this summer. I just wondered if this work got finished.

[Tennessee Viking]

Does anyone know if the road from Carver's Gap to the Rhododendron Gardens/Cloudland hotel site is open? I knew that they were paving the road and building or renovating the restrooms there this summer. I just wondered if this work got finished.

It was only open during June to July this year. It will not re-open until next year.

As far as I have heard, the spring at Carvers Gap has always been approved, and it is supposedly out of the way from the drainage flow from the toilets. But I understand your concern. There are also springs at the shelter and over at Grassy Ridge.

[karo]

Thanks T.V.