Cloudland (Carvers Gap)

Trail Name Cloudland (Carvers Gap) Trail Number 1000 Nearest City Roan Mountain State Tennessee Trail Marking Yellow Trail Use/Features Difficulty Rating Easy Hiking Time 1.25 Hours0.0781 Days <br />75 Min <br /> Distance: round-trip/trail only 2.4 mi3.862 km <br /> / 1.2 mi1.931 km <br /> Trail Type Segment Climb/Descent Elevation 110 ft33.528 Meters <br /> / -110 ft-33.528 Meters <br /> Low / Diff / High Point 6150 ft2,050 Yards <br />1,874.52 Meters <br /> / 110 ft / 6,260 ft2,086.667 Yards <br />1,908.048 Meters <br /> Parking 36° 6' 15.43" N, 82° 7' 59.50" W Trailhead 36° 6' 15.43" N, 82° 7' 59.50" W Nearest Medical Bakersville, NC 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":36.10428499999999729652699897997081279754638671875,"lon":-82.1331950000000006184563972055912017822265625,"icon":""}]} Show Large Map

Trail Overview

Hike in mid-June to enjoy the large Catawba rhododendrons, and then head up to overlook platform for spectacular views – or none at all if foggy.

How to get there

1. Take Route 19E to the town of Roan Mountain.
2. Turn south onto Route 143 and travel 13 miles to Carver's Gap at the TN/NC state line.
3. At Carver's Gap, if the gate is open, turn right and head up two miles to the Rhododendron Gardens. A $3 entrance fee is either collected or by honor system.
4. Park at the far end of the gravel parking lot, where there is a sign for the Roan High Bluff Trail.

Route Description

The yellow-blazed Cloudland Trail (Forest Service Trail 1000) starts at the western end of the parking lot. Head north to enter the evergreen forest. At 0.1 mile, a short side trail veers to the east to a stone-rimmed overlook. (Encountered a wedding here on a hike.) Return to main trail to continue north. Cross gravel loop road at 0.5 mile and again at 0.7 miles. The latter has a a picnic area. (Parking here cuts the hike to the overlook to 0.7 mile.) After 0.9 miles, the trail begins to climb up Roan High Bluff to reach a wooden overlook platform with half circle views. Head back to return to your vehicle.

Typical Conditions

Trail in good condition with a few muddy spots. Weather in the Roans is quite unpredictable. Cooler in the summer, so can be wonderfully clear to being fully enveloped in fog. Temperature was 20°F lower on top than down in town, so might want to bring a light jacket.

Look for Gray’s lilies plus the endangered spreading avens and Roan bluets near the rhododendron gardens.

Fees, Permits, etc.

Access to the Rhododendron Gardens is typically limited to mid-May through September with a $3 day use fee per car.

Per the ranger district, the gate to the Rhododendron Gardens parking area will be closed on Monday, September 30, 2019. Reopens Memorial Day weekend in 2020.

After the Hike

Check out the Rhododendron Gardens. Or hike up to Round Bald on the AT for more views.

Misc. Information

The northern end of the first parking lot was where the Cloudland Hotel, first built in 1877, sat – offering a summer destination to escape the lowland heat. It was closed in 1914.

Forest Service website for Cloudland Trail [1]

Maps

Loading map...

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Photos

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  View from spur overlook