As avid backpackers, my father and I like to explore lesser traveled hiking trails in hopes of finding a new, wild adventure. A couple weeks before it was time to begin planning our next destination, a friend told us about a small town called Roan Mountain. It was a state park in the northeast corner of Tennessee; only a six hour drive from Nashville.
The third weekend in June was when we arranged to go. It was almost as if fate led us here, because the world-famous Rhododendron Festival was occurring at this same time. Rhododendrons are flowers known for inhabiting almost every inch of Roan Mountain. They thrive in the cool air of the higher atmospheres illuminating the peaks with bright pink. The flora bloom the second week in June and don’t flourish much longer than three weeks—hence the extensive festival!
When we arrived, we did one last sweep of our backpacks to ensure that we had everything we would need on the trail. We said goodbye to much needed showers and hot meals for several days. We began on the Tennessee portion of the Appalachian Trail, and after a couple of miles, we had trekked over the border into North Carolina! When we reached the top of Roan Mountain—an elevation of almost 7,000 feet—we stopped to breathe in our surroundings. The Rhododendrons decorated the greenery so perfectly; it was almost as if someone had aesthetically arranged them.
After we had spent the time we needed in nature to rejuvenate, we decided to hike down and partake in the activities of the festival. We learned that the celebration was established in 1947 to “memorialize and perpetuate the most gorgeous display of natural beauty on the North American continent.” With a variety of handmade crafts, food, music, and vendors, the money raised is donated towards the schools and safety departments of the remote town at the base of Roan Mountain. Not only is the magnificence of the mountain breath-taking, but helps contribute toward a good cause!
