Roan Mountain State Park

6/22/19

Mike, the dogs and I

After our exciting night on Grassy Ridge Bald we headed over to Roan Mountain State Park. Check in is not until 4 so we went into the town of Roan Mountain and found a BBQ place open at 10:30 called Bob’s Dairyland. Turns out they serve breakfast yay! I got 2 eggs, bacon , biscuits and gravy. They didn’t have grits? Hmmm

It came with 2 giant biscuits and awesome gravy. They were called Cathead biscuits cause they are as big as a cats head! Now who needs 2? I shared with Mike and the dogs.

Well it’s still early so we went to the state park found our site and Checked to see if it was empty and it was. So I went to Check in and told them it was empty and she let us Check in!!!

We went to work setting up our tents and the rain tarp! No getting wet today!!

After setting up I went to the Rhododendron festival which was just down the end of our road to get us some food a philly Cheesesteak and potatoes for him and a blackened shrimp po boy for me.

The band stage was right at the end of the road so we could hear bluegrass music at our site.

Then we got a shower and proceeded to take a nap. ❤️ I was so tired from no sleep during yesterday’s storm!

We went back to the town to find a little grocery store to get something to cook for dinner. Absolutely no chain stores for miles. On the way back we stopped here to get some wood. It had a box to leave the money in.

We went back and fired up the grill and tried to start a fire. No matter what it would not burn. Wet wood? We put the wood in the charcoal to light it and used lighter fluid. Finally after dinner I put the hot coals in and finally fire!

The dogs were pooped too!

Then off to bed. The dogs slept with me and none of us moved till almost 9. Mike was already up sitting by the river. I didn’t hear anything I was dead to the world.

He wanted to do more hiking but I was still beat. We packed up got showers and headed to Roan Bluffs. It was s short hike to a great view. It was only a half mile each way. It’s the Cloudland trail.

It was foggy on the trail. At the end is an observation deck. It was clear for a few minutes and clouded up fast!

Then it cleared just as fast. We drove to the old Cloudland hotel site. Very interesting. They build a high end hotel up here for the wealthy in 1885. It was reached by horseback or a horse and buggy shuttle. Complete with a bowling alley and alcohol. It closed in 1914. All that remains is part of a brick wall. It was taken down shortly after. Very interesting. It was built on the boarder of NC and Tennessee. Drinking was legal in Tennessee but not NC.

Well time to head home. That was a fun filled weekend. All 4 of us are worn out!