Forest Road

Trail Name Forest Road Park Roan Mountain State Park Nearest City Roan Mountain State Tennessee Trail Marking Purple Trail Use/Features Difficulty Rating Medium Hiking Time 2 Hours0.125 Days <br />120 Min <br /> Distance: round-trip/trail only 6.58 Mi10.589 km <br /> / 3.29 Mi5.295 km <br /> Trail Type In-and-Out Climb/Descent Elevation 1,520 Ft463.296 Meters <br /> / -1,260 Ft-384.048 Meters <br /> High Point 3,133 Ft1,044.333 Yards <br />954.938 Meters <br /> Parking 36° 10' 35.55" N, 82° 4' 45.85" W Trailhead 36° 10' 35.55" N, 82° 4' 45.85" W Nearest Medical Elizabethton, TN Trip Reports Click Here Loading map... {"type":"ROADMAP","minzoom":false,"maxzoom":false,"types":["ROADMAP","SATELLITE","HYBRID","TERRAIN"],"mappingservice":"googlemaps3","width":"270px","height":"180px","centre":false,"title":"","label":"","icon":"","lines":[],"polygons":[],"circles":[],"rectangles":[],"copycoords":false,"static":false,"visitedicon":"","wmsoverlay":false,"zoom":8,"layers":[],"controls":["zoom"],"zoomstyle":"DEFAULT","typestyle":"DEFAULT","autoinfowindows":false,"resizable":false,"kmlrezoom":false,"poi":true,"cluster":false,"clustergridsize":60,"clustermaxzoom":20,"clusterzoomonclick":true,"clusteraveragecenter":true,"clusterminsize":2,"imageoverlays":[],"kml":[],"gkml":[],"searchmarkers":"","fullscreen":false,"scrollwheelzoom":false,"locations":[{"text":"","title":"","link":"","lat":36.1765410000000002810338628478348255157470703125,"lon":-82.0794020000000017489583115093410015106201171875,"icon":""}]} Show Large Map

Trail Overview

The longest trail within the Roan Mountain State Park trail system. It largely follows 143 (including all of its road noise) connecting the Visitor Center with the Conference Center, Cabins, and Campground. The 1.65 mi2.655 km <br /> hike of Raven Rock is accessed from this trail.

How to get there

The northern trail head begins across the street from the Visitor Center marked as part of the Boundary Trail System.

Route Description

Trail begins at the Visitor Center and heads south then west until turning south again to cross 143. Afterwards it continues south behind the cabins, and ranger residence until it terminates at the Campground entrance on 143.

Miles Out	Forest Road	Miles Back	Elevation (ft)
0.0	Trail head at Visitor's Center	3.27	2,677
0.3	Difficult to pass blow down	2.97	2,806
1.17	Intersection with Chestnut Ridge Trail	2.1	2,902
1.32	Cross TN 143 and Doe River	1.95	2,818
1.8	Intersection with Turkey Trot Trail Trail high point	1.47	3,133
2.14	Cabin area access Mystery Mountain Trail Monster	1.13	2,978
2.36	Tom Birchfield Rd access	0.91	2,839
2.47	Large boulders	0.8	2,946
2.68	Conference Center access	0.59	3,055
2.76	Raven Rock Trail access	0.51	3,039
2.92	Park offices access	0.35	3,055
3.15	Raven Rock Trail Access	0.12	2,677
3.27	Trail head at TN143 near campground	0.0	2,940

Accessible from this trail is Chestnut Ridge, Turkey Trot, and Raven Rock.

Typical Conditions

The northern section can be very rocky and rugged at parts. Trail is well blazed and most trail splits are clearly marked or a trail blaze can be seen down the proper trail to take.

Maps

Forest Road Trail is shown below in its blaze color purple.

Loading map...

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class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETrail head\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/File:Roan_Forest_Road_Trail_Head_at_Visitors_Center.jpg\" class=\"image\" title=\"Trail head at Visitor\u0026#39;s Center\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"Trail head at Visitor\u0026#39;s Center\" src=\"/clubwiki/images/thumb/Roan_Forest_Road_Trail_Head_at_Visitors_Center.jpg/150px-Roan_Forest_Road_Trail_Head_at_Visitors_Center.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"113\" srcset=\"/clubwiki/images/thumb/Roan_Forest_Road_Trail_Head_at_Visitors_Center.jpg/225px-Roan_Forest_Road_Trail_Head_at_Visitors_Center.jpg 1.5x, /clubwiki/images/thumb/Roan_Forest_Road_Trail_Head_at_Visitors_Center.jpg/300px-Roan_Forest_Road_Trail_Head_at_Visitors_Center.jpg 2x\" data-file-width=\"2816\" data-file-height=\"2112\" /\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Trail head\n","link":"","lat":36.1760450000000020054358174093067646026611328125,"lon":-82.079734000000001969965524040162563323974609375,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerG.png"},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDifficult to pass blow down\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Difficult to pass blow down\n","link":"","lat":36.1730409999999977799234329722821712493896484375,"lon":-82.0816109999999952151483739726245403289794921875,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerG.png"},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIntersection with Chestnut Ridge\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Intersection with Chestnut Ridge\n","link":"","lat":36.17318499999999659166860510595142841339111328125,"lon":-82.0906580000000047903085942380130290985107421875,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerT.png"},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETN143 Crossing\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"TN143 Crossing\n","link":"","lat":36.172866999999996551196090877056121826171875,"lon":-82.092025000000006684786058031022548675537109375,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerU.png"},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERiver swim spot\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETrail splits, trail continues left/north, unknown other direction\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"River swim spot\n","link":"","lat":36.1724099999999992860466591082513332366943359375,"lon":-82.0920430000000038717189454473555088043212890625,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerL.png"},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETrail split\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003Eunknown white left, Forest Road right\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Trail split\n","link":"","lat":36.1722409999999996443875716067850589752197265625,"lon":-82.0916289999999975179889588616788387298583984375,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerT.png"},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELarge rock along trail\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Large rock along trail\n","link":"","lat":36.17062899999999814326656633056700229644775390625,"lon":-82.0925330000000030850060284137725830078125,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerG.png"},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EConnect with Turkey Trot\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Connect with Turkey Trot\n","link":"","lat":36.16992400000000174031811184249818325042724609375,"lon":-82.092524999999994861354934982955455780029296875,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerT.png"},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EConnector to rear of cabins\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\"/wiki/File:Roan_Mystery_Mountain_Trail_Monster.jpg\" class=\"image\" title=\"Mystery Mountain Trail Monster\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"Mystery Mountain Trail Monster\" src=\"/clubwiki/images/thumb/Roan_Mystery_Mountain_Trail_Monster.jpg/150px-Roan_Mystery_Mountain_Trail_Monster.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"/clubwiki/images/thumb/Roan_Mystery_Mountain_Trail_Monster.jpg/225px-Roan_Mystery_Mountain_Trail_Monster.jpg 1.5x, /clubwiki/images/thumb/Roan_Mystery_Mountain_Trail_Monster.jpg/300px-Roan_Mystery_Mountain_Trail_Monster.jpg 2x\" data-file-width=\"576\" data-file-height=\"1024\" /\u003E\u003C/a\u003E\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Connector to rear of cabins\n","link":"","lat":36.1666450000000025966073735617101192474365234375,"lon":-82.0909589999999980136635713279247283935546875,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerG.png"},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETrail split\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETurn right/east to continue, street access to left\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Trail split\n","link":"","lat":36.16578200000000009595169103704392910003662109375,"lon":-82.0875840000000067675500758923590183258056640625,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerT.png"},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELarge rock\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Large rock\n","link":"","lat":36.16498399999999691090124542824923992156982421875,"lon":-82.088515000000001009539118967950344085693359375,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerG.png"},{"text":"\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccess to conference center\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E\u003C/b\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStay on blazed trail\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Access to conference center\n","link":"","lat":36.16362600000000071531758294440805912017822265625,"lon":-82.0914020000000022037056623958051204681396484375,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerG.png"},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIntersection with Raven Rock Trail\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Intersection with Raven Rock Trail\n","link":"","lat":36.16292800000000084992279880680143833160400390625,"lon":-82.0921309999999948558979667723178863525390625,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerT.png"},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAccess to park ranger office\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Access to park ranger office\n","link":"","lat":36.16171299999999888541424297727644443511962890625,"lon":-82.0935869999999994206518749706447124481201171875,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerT.png"},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIntersection with Raven Rock Trail\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Intersection with Raven Rock Trail\n","link":"","lat":36.1598019999999991114236763678491115570068359375,"lon":-82.0960659999999933233993942849338054656982421875,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerT.png"},{"text":"\u003Cdiv class=\"mw-parser-output\"\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETrail head\n\u003C/p\u003E\u003C/div\u003E","title":"Trail head\n","link":"","lat":36.16040000000000276259015663526952266693115234375,"lon":-82.09737599999999702049535699188709259033203125,"icon":"/clubwiki/images/MarkerG.png"}]}

Photos

• 

  Trail head at Visitor's Center

• 

  Water wheel at trail head

• 

  Mystery Mountain Trail Monster