AT Roan Highlands Backpacking – May 2016
Roan Mountain, Tennessee – May 2016
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MAY, 2016
August 1969 is known for an outdoor music festival that took place in upstate New York. The Woodstock Music and Art Fair took place in Bethel and it changed the world. A bit further south that same month my 8-year-old world was changed in a much different way. Our family was visiting my grandparents in Monroe, New York, and my Dad took us all out on a hike near there on something called the Appalachian Trail. I had only a vague notion of what the trail was. While hiking on the AT near Bear Mountain State Park we met a hiker with an overloaded metal-framed backpack. I remember he looked ‘rough’, with a ratty unkept beard, but he had an ‘aura’ of peace and kindness about him. He was an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker. His stories of walking to New York from Georgia astounded me, and planted a seed.
My Dad and Grandpa at Bear Mountain State Park, 1987
“Now I see the secret of making the best person, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth.“ – Walt Whitman
Where is Roan Mountain, Tennessee?
Lifelong thoughts of hiking the Appalachian Trail
That 1969 Appalachian Trail encounter planted a seed that took over 40 years to sprout. Somewhere deep inside myself a backpacker was born that day. But it wasn’t until 2010 that I would take my first backpacking trip. I had car camped my entire life, with a few summers living out of a tent exclusively for two months at a time. My Dad was a college professor and though we never had a surplus of money he did have three months of time off each summer. He took full advantage of it. Each summer we would take extended car camping trips throughout the United States and Canada, and in both 1972 and 1983 we spent nine weeks camping throughout Europe. Camping was in my blood. Backpacking… not so much. But the memory of that 1969 encounter never left me. In 2010 I finally decided to give backpacking a shot.
Traveling from Indiana to Mountain Harbour B&B
Drive to Johnson City, Tennessee
I got a relatively late start on the first day of driving. Pesky day job! It was close to eight hours to get to my ultimate destination of the Mountain Harbour Bed and Breakfast in Roan Mountain, Tennessee, so I decided to spend the first night in Johnson City. It was only a 30 minute drive from there to Roan Mountain which would leave me plenty of time to acclimate before starting my hike. I recall going to bed that night with a mixture of emotions. Excitement to finally be backpacking on the Appalachian Trail, and eager to get the 2016 hiking season started. Tempering that were the unknowns… would everything go ok…? how do you handle the shelters…? would the weather be bad the whole hike…? Typical pre-hike jitters.
Pre-hike breakfast ritual at Waffle House – Reflecting on the hike
My contemplative mood carried over to the following day. But first things first… breakfast! Before any hike, one of my favorite rituals is a nice diner-style breakfast before getting started. Preferably, I’ll find a local Mom-and-Pop restaurant, but failing that, Waffle House is always an excellent chain-restaurant choice. Fortunately, there was a Waffle House right next to the hotel. I’m pretty simple regarding my breakfast choices – bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and toast. Of those, hash browns are my favorite – especially perfectly cooked hash browns. Waffle House is known for its ‘taters.’ They didn’t disappoint that morning. With a comfortably full tummy, I took a few moments to reflect on what lay ahead.
YouTube Video – Waffle House Breakfast
Beautiful morning drive to Mountain Harbour B&B
It was one of those beautiful mornings that got you excited to hike. I drove into the rising sun through a thin morning cloud layer. The pastel colors in the clouds looked like a painting from the heavens. It felt like an invitation into the mountains. I wasn’t sure what to expect as I approached Mountain Harbour. The Bed and Breakfast was a famous Appalachian Trail stop. Their claim to ‘The Best Breakfast on the AT’ initially attracted me to them as a part of my hike. Being a breakfast sort of guy, I looked forward to discovering their claim’s accuracy. That would have to wait a few days. But as I pulled into the large field that serves as their parking lot, I did see many satisfied-looking hikers just leaving the breakfast.
“What a jewel right off the AT.
They have a hostel for hikers that is a charm and their bedrooms in the main house are wonderful. Their shuttle service and all around accommodation are excellent. Best breakfast on the Appalachian Trail!“ – Guest Review
Mountain Harbour Bed and Breakfast – Roan Mountain, Tennessee
Appalachian Trail Roan Highlands Hike Plan
Deciding where on the Appalachian Trail to Hike
When I first contemplated a backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail, some famous sections immediately came to mind. Springer Mountain to Mountain Crossings in Georgia, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Roan Highlands, the Grayson Highlands, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and the 100-Mile Wilderness in Maine. I wanted to do something as close to Indiana as possible, so I ruled out hikes way up north and down south. The Roan Highlands always seemed to top the list. In the days before YouTube, I would get my Appalachian Trail ‘fix’ by hiking vicariously through DVDs published by Thru-Hikers. ‘Appalachian Impressions’, ‘Trek’, ‘2000 Miles to Maine’, and ‘Flip Flop Flippin’ are just a few of the AT movies I bought and watched (and still watch). The Roan Highlands section featured prominently in all of them.
Roan Highlands Hike Plan
I planned a 4-day, 50-mile hike that matched the Roan Highlands perfectly. Mountain Harbour is ideally located at the northern end on the US-19E road crossing. I would get a shuttle back to Erwin, Tennessee, at the beginning of the Roan Highlands section. On the first day, I would hike from Indian Grave Gap, over Beauty Spot and Unaka Mountain to the Cherry Gap Shelter. The 2nd day would be a long one – 14 miles to Ash Gap, halfway up the climb of Roan Mountain. Overmountain Shelter would be my destination for the 3rd night. Its one of the most famous shelters on the AT. The last day I’d go over the famous balds on Little Hump Mountain and Hump Mountain before tackling the final long and steep descent to Mountain Harbour Bed-and-Breakfast. Ideally, I’d capture numerous conversations with the 2016 Thru Hiker class along the way.
Day #1 – Appalachian Trail Roan Highlands hike
Waiting for my shuttle – Exploring Mountain Harbour B&B
After arriving at Mountain Harbour and getting my gear in order, I had about an hour before my shuttle ride to Erwin was scheduled to head out. I used the time to explore Mountain Harbour. There are two main buildings. A large barn that is used as the hiker hostel, shower facility, and store. The store is located on the lower level and has a selection of essential items that hikers need – food, groceries, snacks, canister fuel, and a few camping-type necessities. Outside the store, there was a picnic table and wastebaskets. That area became the ‘hub’ for hikers. After my hike, I planned to stay in the barn/hiker hostel the last night. The sleeping area was upstairs in the barn. It had a common room with couches for relaxing, two private rooms, a bathroom, and a bunk bed room.
Conversations with Roan Highlands AT Thru-Hikers
My plan for the YouTube video of the hike was ambitious. I wanted the video to be a documentary, of sorts, of the AT thru-hiker class of 2016. To that end, my plan was to capture interviews with as many thru-hikers as possible. I had arranged my arrival at Mountain Harbour to leave me enough time to talk with any hikers that might be around. It immediately became clear that it wouldn’t be so easy to stroll up and start a conversation with thru-hikers. They’re a close-knit bunch, a ‘family’ of sorts, and I wasn’t part of the family! (Yet). They looked at day hikers with disdain and not-so-veiled contempt. A few talked to me – Scarecrow, Muffin Man, and Long Stride – which gave me hope. Ultimately, I earned my way into enough hiker groups and conversations to make the video work.
YouTube Video – Thru Hiker Conversations
Shuttle ride to Indian Grave Gap – start of the Roan Highlands
When the time came for my shuttle ride to take off I was surprised to learn that Mary, the owner of Mountain Harbour, was my driver. It had the feel of the staff at the B&B wanting to get the owner out of their way! But I never told Mary that. I thoroughly enjoyed my brief time with Mary. She told me a little bit about operating Mountain Harbour and informed me that her husband had just recently passed away. Given all that must have been on her ‘platter,’ with the hiking season just getting into full speed, I was pleasantly stunned she could maintain such a positive attitude. It was a lesson in ‘life goes on.’ When she dropped me off at Indian Grave Gap I got my first taste of AT ‘trail magic.’ It wouldn’t be the last.
Trail Magic at Indian Grave Gap AT road crossing
Finally hiking on the Appalachian Trail – to Beauty Spot
I had seen the iconic 2″-by-6″ white blaze of the Appalachian Trail before, but passing the first blaze on the trail with a pack on my back was a bit emotional. The moment had been a long time coming. It felt wonderful to be backpacking on the Appalachian Trail. The pack was stupid heavy with all my camera gear and more water than I needed. Nonetheless, I had a bounce in my step and tons of energy. Even with a 35-pound pack, I felt like I was floating down the trail. The weather was perfect to start the hike – sunny with temperatures in the 60s. But as I reached the base of the first climb, up to Beauty Spot, the clouds had begun to roll in. It would only be a six-mile day to the Cherry Gap Shelter, so I wasn’t concerned.
Beauty Spot
Unaka Mountain – 5200-foot peak in the Roan Highlands
After the effort to make my way to Beauty Spot, I was chagrined to look to my left and see a car pulling into a parking lot on the summit. Sigh… so much for the backcountry! The trail immediately started a pleasant descent. I crossed an open field with the first (of many) ‘AB-on-the-AT’ graffiti-marred blazes. Thru-hikers at the shelter complained that whoever defaced the blazes should be arrested. They protected their ‘home,’ which the AT had become. Unaka Mountain came into view long before the trail started steeply up its slope. It is an intimidating sight – the grade up Unaka is 1000 feet per mile. A couple of kids passed me playing Stephen King’s ‘It’ audiobook on a speaker. A dense spruce forest marked the summit.
First night in the Roan Highlands at Cherry Gap Shelter
Shelters are the center of life on the Appalachian Trail. They are primitive and basically the same up and down the AT. Three-sided wooden or cinder-block construction with a corrugated aluminum roof and a plywood sleeping platform. Shelters also generally have a privy (pit toilet), picnic table, fire ring, and nearby water. Depending on the terrain, they also have tenting sites close by. Shelters would never be considered ‘luxurious’ by the general population, but they are the essence of luxury to thru-hikers. Each shelter also has a spiral-bound notebook journal which serves as a primary mode of communication for hikers. When I arrived at the Cherry Gap Shelter in the early afternoon, it was packed with hikers. I assumed they were all staying there for the night. Not one hiker did! They were simply eating lunch and then moving on. The night crowd arrived much later – after 6 PM.
Meeting Appalachian Trail thru-hikers at the Cherry Gap Shelter
If I were to do it again, creating a video of thru-hiker interviews, I would save myself a lot of trouble and just squat at a shelter. I met more thru-hikers by simply hanging around the Cherry Gap Shelter than I did during all 50 miles of hiking. The first group I met was from Indianapolis. Sticks and Stones. They kept a blog which you can still read here. Then Apple Cheeks (because of constant red cheeks), Bug Juice (carried a ‘Bug juice’ stamp for shelter journals), and Jersey (from New Jersey). Everyone had a trail name with a story attached to it. Finally, a potty-mouthed girl was carrying a plastic lightsaber with a backpack bigger than she was! (Sadly, I didn’t get her name). I would meet many of them again during the hike.
Day #2 – Appalachian Trail Roan Highlands hike
Morning rituals at the Cherry Gap Shelter
Storms rolled in just in time to greet the late-arriving hikers to the shelter. I was glad that my Zpacks shelter was already set up. Thunder and lightning continued for much of the night, but I felt relatively safe nestled deep in the woods and dry in my cuben fiber abode. Despite the rough night, skies were clear that first morning on the Appalachian Trail. Birds were singing, flowers were blooming, and the early Spring scene made you smile. It felt, sounded, and looked like the earth emerging from a long sleep. Everyone was still asleep when I made my way over to the shelter’s water source to camel up for the day. After a quick breakfast of Dunkin Donuts coffee and cereal, I packed up the gear and started hiking.
Beautiful morning hike in the Unaka Range of the Roan Highlands
Oh, what a gorgeous morning for hiking. The early spring foliage was just starting to emerge, and the vibrant light green colors had the look of new forest life. I was bounding down the trail at a rapid clip when, after 1/2 mile or so, I realized I didn’t have my trekking poles in my hand. Yikes. I remembered they were still leaning against a tree in my camp. Bummer, but oh well… Back I went. It was such a perfect morning for hiking that even the ‘bonus’ 1.5 miles didn’t alter my good mood. The trail wound its way along a high ridge top with occasional fantastic views of the towns far below. About two miles from Cherry Gap Shelter the trail started gradually downhill towards the SR107 crossing at Iron Mountain Gap.
Trail magic at Iron Mountain Gap
An hour after starting my hike, something shiny ahead caught my attention. As I got closer, I realized it was the glass window of a pickup truck reflecting the sun. I hadn’t realized it, but the Appalachian Trail was crossing highway SR107 at Iron Mountain Gap. Dirt Man, a trail angel, was passing out coffee, muffins, and fruit to passing hikers. Unlike the trail magic at the well-traveled Indian Grave Gap, this spot was in the middle of nowhere. But I wasn’t complaining. A second cup of hot coffee was most welcome. Dirt Man’s dog took quite a liking to the ‘dead kitty’ furry sound suppressor on my microphone. While I enjoyed second breakfast Tough Love, an AT thru-hiker, emerged from the woods and joined us.
Iron Mountain Gap on the Appalachian Trail
Iron Mountain Gap to Cylde Smith Shelter – 6 miles
When I was putting the hike plan together at my kitchen table in Indiana, I originally planned to stop at the Clyde Smith Shelter for the night. It made sense. Cherry Gap Shelter to the Clyde Smith Shelter was 10 miles. That’s what I typically planned on for a full day of hiking. But stopping at Clyde Smith would make my last two days very long. If I arrived early and still felt good I had left open the possibility of pressing on to Roan Mountain. Well, I arrived early and felt good, so… More miles it would be! There was a fairly brutal climb right after Iron Mountain Gap, which is often the case after a gap. But after that, the trail progressed along a relatively flat ridge top. Not only was it fast hiking, but it was also easy and pleasant.
Lunch at the Clyde Smith Shelter
Clyde Smith Shelter sits 1/4 mile north of the Appalachian Trail. I was stopping there for a lunch break but was still undecided about whether to press on afterward. Bug Juice and two other thru-hikers were at the shelter when I arrived. They discussed where they would stop for the night and mentioned Ash Gap as a possibility. Ash Gap is a small camping area halfway up the Roan Mountain ascent. It was six additional miles, uphill, past Clyde Smith Shelter. I had seen Ash Gap, but the water was listed as marginal. ‘Marginal’ meant non-existent based on my experience on the hike thus far. The shelter journal informed us that water was present at Ash Gap but tough to get to. We all decided to head to Ash Gap for the night.
YouTube Video – Lunch at the Clyde Smith Shelter
Clyde Smith Shelter to Ash Gap camping area – 6 miles
Once I decided to continue to Ash Gap, I never gave the decision a second thought. It meant six more miles of hiking, and the last three were steeply uphill on Roan Mountain. But it would make the next day of hiking to Overmountain Shelter shorter and more enjoyable. Outstanding views along the way made the miles go more quickly. The big issue was water. I had filled up a mile before the Clyde Smith Shelter and was planning on a water source at the base of Roan Mountain. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find it! That was a big problem since I wasn’t 100% confident in the water source at Ash Gap. One more ‘unreliable’ water source was listed partway up the climb. Much to my relief, I found the water source and it was flowing – very slowly!
Ash Gap Campsite
I filled up every water container, not knowing what to expect for water at Ash Gap. After 14 miles of hiking, I still had two more steeply uphill miles to Ash Gap. And I would now be doing it with ten extra pounds of water. That last hour to Ash Gap was quite unpleasant! The climb leveled off just before the camping area, and it felt heavenly. But all the spots were taken when I finally arrived at the relatively small camping area. It was just about too much to handle. But when I wanted to sit down and cry, I found Jersey, Tree, and another thru-hiker already set up. I asked them if there were open spots around, and they invited me to set up with them. Hallelujah! They also had a fire going. It was an epic emotional low-to-high moment!
Enjoying the campfire and sunset at Ash Gap Campsite – on the climb up Roan Mountain
Day #3 – Appalachian Trail Roan Highlands hike
Morning at Ash Gap Campsite
I felt great when I woke up early at Ash Gap. After the gnarly weather the first night and resulting poor sleep, I had slept well at Ash Gap. 17 miles of hiking on rugged terrain the day before helped with a good night’s sleep. The skies were clear, and it was cold – probably mid-30s. Thanks to the extra miles the day before, I only had a few miles to reach my destination at Overmountain Shelter, but I wanted to get there early. I knew Overmountain was a popular stop for the night, not just amongst AT hikers but also people hiking in from the nearby road. It was a spacious shelter so I wasn’t expecting problems, but I just felt compelled to get going. The first order of business was finishing the climb up Roan Mountain.
Roan Mountain and Roan High Knob Shelter
The climb from Ash Gap to the summit of Roan Mountain was the steepest of the entire hike. Most of it was through hobbity woods with moss-covered trees, thick vegetation, and a misty fog hanging in the air. ‘Spooky’ was a good description of conditions. Despite the steep grade and my energy level was high, and my legs felt great despite the high mileage the day before. The climb leveled off, and I realized I had reached the summit. I expected a typical summit rock cairn but found a huge parking lot instead! Yep, another road to a mountain summit. There was a modern bathroom too, and I looked forward to using it. But a sign on the door warned ‘don’t go in there.’ Of course, I did. Big mistake. The sign was spot on! Gross.
Roan High Knob Shelter – 6,285 feet – Highest shelter on the Appalachian Trail
Descent from Roan Mountain to Carvers Gap
Surprisingly, the parking lot wasn’t on the summit. Roan High Knob Shelter was a half-mile further down the trail and near the actual summit 100 vertical feet higher. Roan High Knob Shelter is the highest shelter on the Appalachian Trail at 6,285 feet. It was in the same hobbity woods I hiked through on the climb. It was like hiking in Maine, not Tennessee. The trail was on boardwalks in places. The descent to Carvers Gap was 750 vertical feet over 1.5 miles. At one point, I missed a turn and was surprised to look up and see a road. It wasn’t the road at Carvers Gap, and I was disoriented. Retracing my steps steeply uphill was unwelcome but prudent. I found the trail again and emerged from the woods at Carvers Gap.
Carvers Gap – at the base of Roan Mountain
A beautiful stretch of scenic Balds
Round Bald
After I left Carvers Gap, the AT entered the most beautiful and enjoyable section of the Roan Highlands. The trail was routed up and over one bald after another. There wasn’t a tree for miles. Having just hiked in the dense Maine-like woods on the descent from Roan, it was an abrupt and surreal change. Blue, cloudless skies and unlimited visibility created terrific views in all directions. The sight back toward Carvers Gap and Roan Mountain beyond was glorious from Round Bald. I recalled the steep trail up and down its sides as I viewed what looked like a model of mighty Roan in miniature. There were no trees to place blazes on for miles, so the Appalachian Trail was marked with wooden posts. Hiking that stretch was wonderful.
View from Round Bald
Jane Bald
Hiking in the woods can cause you to focus just a few feet ahead of you. Your ‘world’ gets small, and your thoughts go inward in a meditative fashion. Traversing those Balds made the world SO much broader. Instead of seeing the trail a few feet in front of you, it was possible to see what lay ahead for miles. My pace was slowed by constantly stopping to check out the surroundings. The perfect weather certainly contributed. It crossed my mind that the Bald section would have been significantly less pleasant in rain, wind, and lightning storms. Everyone was in a good mood. I frequently stopped to talk with other hikers. After Jane Bald, the trail climbed to Grassy Ridge Bald and then began the final descent from the open ridgetops.
Jane Bald
YouTube Video – Carvers Gap and the Balds
Stan Murray Shelter
The trail entered the woods again shortly after coming down from the Balds. Strangely, the trees here were deciduous and as far from the dense evergreens on Roan Mountain as possible. It reminded me very much of the rapidly changing forest habitat in the Dolly Sods Wilderness. The trail proceeded along a relatively smooth and gently graded high ridgetop area. Excitement was building because I was within an hour’s hike of Overmountain Shelter, my home for night #3. I came to the Stan Murray Shelter two miles after leaving the Balds section. Its location is a little strange because it sits on an exposed, windy ridge only two miles from the famed Overmountain Shelter. Push on to Overmountain if thinking of staying there.
Overmountain Shelter
First impressions and Overmountain Shelter experience
Overmountain Shelter is considered by many the best shelter experience on the entire Appalachian Trail. I don’t have nearly as many shelter ‘data points’ as a thru-hiker but I would agree with that assessment. A relaxing party atmosphere prevailed during my overnight stay at Overmountain. A pair of prior thru-hikers had brought beer and hot dogs up from their car at the nearby road. Also, more thru-hiker stayed the night at Overmountain than any other place I camped. The adjacent tenting area is huge and provides a great camping experience. Looking down the valley from the tenting area the view is incredible. It does take some commitment to stay at the Overmountain Shelter because it’s a good half mile downhill off the main AT. The steep climb back up to the Appalachian Trail in the morning is not pleasant!
Overmountain Shelter is now closed!
One of the thru-hikers had been making pencil drawings during her hike. She drew the view down the valley from the shelter. It was awesome! I wished I could have kept the drawing or otherwise obtained a drawing from her, but she told me they were very special to her as a lifelong reminder of her hike. I certainly understood and asked her if it was OK if I took a picture instead. She said ‘yes,’ and I captured the moment in a photo instead. Sadly, I’ve learned that the Overmountain Shelter is now closed permanently as of 2019. The barn, which serves as the shelter, was no longer safe. There are plans to build a replacement shelter on the same site, but as of January 2023, the new Overmountain Shelter is still in the planning stage.
View from Overmountain Shelter tenting area
Overmountain Shelter tenting area
YouTube Video – Overmountain Shelter
Day #4 – Appalachian Trail Roan Highlands hike
Last morning of the Roan Highlands hike at Overmountain Shelter
The last morning of the hike was beautiful. Aside from the storms the first night at Cherry Gap Shelter, the weather on the hike had been great. A little chilly but generally sunny, clear skies and no rain. Thru-hikers rose early to get their miles in for the day. What I learned from being immersed with Appalachian Trail thru-hikers for four days is that their hiking life is all about miles. They were anxious to get going again to crank some more miles whenever they stopped. I get it. Pauses must be brief when hiking 2198.4 miles (in 2023) in a single hiking season. After a quick breakfast, I said my goodbyes to a few of the thru-hikers I had met and started hiking. The first thing on the agenda was climbing the hill back to the AT.
Climb to Yellow Mountain Gap then Little Hump Mountain
When you stay at Overmountain Shelter, most of the entertainment comes from watching hikers struggle up to Yellow Mountain Gap and then Little Hump Mountain past that. The entire climb, in all its gnarly glory, is visible. Always on your mind, though, is that you’re going to have to make that climb yourself! My time came the last morning. The climb to Little Hump Mountain is 1000 vertical feet over two miles. Not stupid steep, but enough to get your heart seriously beating first thing in the morning. Cloudy skies had rolled in and gave hints of possible rain. I stopped to capture the iconic view of Overmountain Shelter from Yellow Mountain Gap. The terrain was reminiscent of the Balds after Carvers Gap.
Overmountain Shelter from Yellow Mountain Gap
Little Hump Mountain
Once I got ‘up top’ it was a land of Balds and no trees. Exactly like hiking the balds after Carvers Gap, only the names were different. Today I would go over Little Hump Mountain first, then descend to Bradley Gap. Finally, I would make the steep, exposed climb to the summit of Hump Mountain. By the time I reached Little Hump Mountain the clouds had cleared out and it was yet another perfect weather day. Except for the wind, that is. A relentless 30-MPH+ wind blew constantly. With temperatures in the low 50s the wind made it uncomfortably chilly. But a stiff breeze couldn’t take away from the magnificent views in all directions. From the summit of Little Hump Mountain the view of Hump Mountain was impressive.
View of Hump Mountain from the summit of Little Hump Mountain
Hump Mountain
The descent from Little Hump Mountain to Bradley Gap was gradual and pleasant. Little Hump Mountain seemed to provide shelter from the wind for a short time. But by the time I started up the steep slope of Hump Mountain, it was blowing at full force. Despite the chill, sweat formed like I’d been soaked in a shower. I decided to put on my Patagonia Houdini wind jacket. In the wind, that proved easier said than done. Regrettably, I didn’t catch the comical scene on video. The jacket whipped around wildly in the wind, making getting my arms in the holes impossible. I finally found some shelter behind a rock and finished the job. The climb to the summit of Hump Mountain was likely the steepest grade of the entire trip.
Hump Mountain
Relaxing on the summit of very windy Hump Mountain
Steep descent from Hump Mountain to Mountain Harbour B&B
Houston Ridge and the Stan Murray Memorial
Hump Mountain is the last major milestone of the Roan Highlands section of the Appalachian Trail. From its summit it is steeply downhill all the way to Mountain Harbour B&B. The trail descends nearly 3000 vertical feet over those five downhill miles. After taking in the views I turned to my left and had a perfect view of the fishhook curve of the trail on the descent. It forms a 180-degree huge ‘switchback’ after Hump Mountain. Immediately after starting down I came to the Stan Murray Memorial. Stan Murray, along with Benton McKaye and Myron Avery, was one of the most important individuals in the early history of the Appalachian Trail. He was instrumental in getting the AT Federal protection.
Hiking downhill along the Tennessee-North Carolina border
I didn’t realize it until later, but much of the hiking along the balds from Yellow Mountain Gap to Hump Mountain had been right on the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. The Stan Murray Memorial is in North Carolina! But after the fishhook bend in the trail, I passed back into Tennessee on a beautiful stretch of trail through open fields. The tread was smooth and gradually downhill, so my pace was maxed out (about 4 MPH). All too soon, though, the trail entered a very steep rock cliff section where the descent was on widely-spaced rock ‘stairs.’ It was hell on already sore knees. A couple of thru-hikers were sitting on the trail nursing bad knees. Mercifully, shortly after the worst of it, I emerged at the US-19E crossing.
Back at Mountain Harbour B&B – staying the night in the Hiker Hostel
Jubilant. The feeling coursed through me as I mingled with thru-hikers gathered at the US-19E crossing. The profane girl from Cherry Gap Shelter was there, as was Jersey, The Gatherer, Hatchet, the pencil-drawing girl, and a few others. The ‘random’ re-connections with so many hikers I met along the way emphasized what a migrating close-knit society the Appalachian Trail is. Many were staying at Mountain Harbour. They gathered at the Hiker Hostel Barn. There I met a hiker called ‘Hobo.’ He earned his trail name by hitching rides around the country on trains. I did some trail magic by shuttling hikers to the nearby town of Roan Mountain and picking up the tab at the famous Bob’s Dairyland. After a much-needed shower, I met up with everyone in the common room of the hostel barn. Tales from the trail were shared as hiker ‘warriors’ nursed their aches with bags of ice.
Day #5 – Appalachian Trail Roan Highlands hike
Rainy morning at Mountain Harbour
Everyone staying in the hiker barn went to bed early that night. Endless miles on the trail and sleeping on wooden platforms, or the ground, will coax one to sleep early when a ‘real’ bed awaits. Weather fortunes had been on my side for my AT hike. Within an hour of arriving at the B&B, the rain started. The forecast indicated it wouldn’t stop for five days! I would be staying dry, but the hikers would be getting wet. The sound of rain on the barn’s metal roof was soothing and made for a deep slumber. It was still raining in the morning. I wandered around the grounds taking pictures of a scene that looked like a throwback in time. Mountain Harbour had just built a ‘tree house.’ as a lodging option. It looked like an interesting place to spend the night!
Best Breakfast on the Appalachian Trail
The time finally arrived for breakfast in the ‘big house.’ It was the location of the Bed-and-Breakfast portion of Mountain Harbour’s name. The hiker trash stayed in the barn, and the well-groomed ‘paying guests’ stayed in the big house. On this trip, I was part of the ‘trash,’ and proud of it! Mountain Harbour is known for having the best breakfast on the Appalachian Trail. It is what attracted me there in the first place. I don’t know if their claim is valid, but I’m more than willing to have breakfast at all the title ‘competitors’ to find out for myself! The breakfast was everything it was advertised as, and then some. All the dishes were scratch-made that morning or the evening before. The serving protocol was interesting – the B&B guests went first, hiker trash after them. I didn’t mind a bit; there was plenty of great food for all.
There were egg casseroles, scrambled eggs, puff pastry dishes, bacon, sausage, croissants, pastries, cinnamon rolls, pies, grits, and many other dishes. All made from scratch. Oh, and endless cups of excellent fresh-brewed coffee. It was insanely delicious. How they manage to pull that off day in and day out is beyond comprehension. The amount of work that goes into pulling off each breakfast is staggering, and they do it every day during the hiking season. Whether you’re backpacking, car camping, or just visiting the area, do yourself a favor and experience that breakfast.
YouTube Video – Best Breakfast on the Appalachian Trail
Conclusion – AT Roan Highlands Backpacking 2016
My first backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail was a great success. It had been 47 years in the making, and it was worth the wait! The Roan Highlands section had been an excellent choice for my first AT hike. Interactions with other hikers on the trail had been as fulfilling as the iconic Roan Highland landmarks, fantastic scenery, and epic views. Immediately after the trip, I felt as if my plan to create a thru-hiker documentary of sorts had fallen short. But as the YouTube video of the trip came together in the weeks following my return home, I felt better about the interactions that I had captured. Appalachian Trail hikes are all about the people and interactions you have along the way. It only took five days and 50 trail miles, but I had fallen in love with the Appalachian Trail!
Author immediately after Appalachian Trail Roan Highlands hike
I am a ‘content creator’ with a passion for backpacking, creating videos, photography, and writing – with a healthy dose of all things outdoors on the side!
