Roan Mountain State Park: Moonshiners Run Trail (Blog Hike #1066)

Trail: Moonshiners Run Trail
Hike Location: Roan Mountain State Park
Geographic Location: south of Roan Mountain, TN (36.16661, -82.09411)
Length: 2 miles
Difficulty: 3/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Date Hiked: March 2025
Overview: An out-and-back along the Doe River.
Park Information: https://tnstateparks.com/parks/roan-mountain
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=981643
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming June 19, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: From the town of Roan Mountain, drive SR 143 south 4 miles to the entrance for Roan Mountain State Park's cabin area on the left.  Turn left to enter the cabin area, then turn left again to reach the overflow parking lot for the cabin area.  Park in the overflow lot.

The hike: For my general comments on Roan Mountain State Park, see the previous hike.  While the previous hike led to an old ridgetop iron mine, this hike explores the rhododendron-filled riverside corridor along the Doe River.  The riverside area is nice any time of year, but it is especially nice in June when the rhododendron blooms, thus immersing you in a sea of pink flowers.

Cabin area trailhead

            From the overflow parking lot, walk a few feet back out to the cabin area access road and then look uphill to the right for the start of the Turkey Trot and Moonshiners Run Trails.  A wooden sign marks this trailhead.  The single-track dirt trail treads around a small ravine before it forks.  As indicated by a sign, the Turkey Trot Trail, which was closed due to storm damage from the remnants of Hurricane Helene on my visit, exits right.  Thus, you want to angle left to stay on the Moonshiners Run Trail.

Doe River

            Marked with yellow shield-shaped plastic markers, the Moonshiners Run Trail descends gradually to reach the bank of the Doe River for the first time.  The forest is dominated by sycamore, beech, and maple trees with some birch, and the riverside areas have a dense thicket of rhododendron in the understory.  Some debris from recent flash flooding needs to be negotiated, but overall the going is pretty easy.  Only traffic noise from SR 143 across the river detracts from the setting.

Approaching old concrete block foundation

            Near 0.4 miles, you pass an old concrete block foundation of unknown origin.  Next the trail undulates somewhat as it goes toward and away from the river, but the fact that you are heading downstream guarantees more down than up.  The rhododendron in this part of the hike is especially thick, and I wished I was hiking here in June when it blooms.

Rhododendron thicket

Destroyed footbridge

            1 mile into the hike, you reach the lower end of the Moonshiners Run Trail where it intersects the Forest Road Trail.  The Forest Road Trail was closed on my visit, and the reason why was obvious: the trail's wooden footbridge over the Doe River had been destroyed by the remnants of Hurricane Helene.  Normally you can continue straight to form a loop with the Turkey Trot Trail or turn left to head for the Visitor Center and the Peg Leg Mine Trail, but my only option due to the trail closures was to turn around and retrace my steps on the Moonshiners Run Trail.  1 mile of heading back upstream returned me to the park's cabin area to complete the hike.

Roan Mountain State Park: Peg Leg Mine Trail (Blog Hike #1065)

Trail: Peg Leg Mine Trail
Hike Location: Roan Mountain State Park
Geographic Location: south of Roan Mountain, TN (36.17622, -82.07905)
Length: 1.1 miles
Difficulty: 6/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: March 2025
Overview: A loop hike to the old Peg Leg Iron Mine.
Park Information: https://tnstateparks.com/parks/roan-mountain
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=981642
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming June 19, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: From the town of Roan Mountain, drive SR 143 south 2 miles to the Roan Mountain State Park Visitor Center on the left.  Park in the lot in front of the Visitor Center.

The hike: Tucked in the Doe River valley deep in the rugged mountains of east Tennessee, Roan Mountain State Park protects 2006 acres on the north side of its namesake mountain.  The park is most famous as a gateway to the Roan Highlands, a series of mountaintop balds that stand on the Tennessee/North Carolina border.  In fact, this area's famous balds are located in adjacent Pisgah National Forest, not in the state park.  The origins of the mountain's name and hence the park's name are uncertain, but one unsubstantiated story links the name to a horse with a roan coat pattern that was owned by Daniel Boone.

            Roan Mountain State Park offers many amenities including a 107-site developed campground, 30 cabins, a modern conference center, and 3 picnic pavilions.  The park also features the Miller Farmstead, where 3 generations of Millers lived and farmed for over 90 years.  Yet most of the park remains in its natural state, and the rhododendron that carpets the understory seems to turn the forest pink when it blooms in June.

            For hikers, the park offers 10 trails totaling over 12.5 miles, and difficulty ranges from easy streamside strolls to rugged mountain treks.  When I came here in mid-March 2025, some of the park's trails were still closed due to damage from the remnants of Hurricane Helene the previous fall.  Normally the 2 trails I hiked at this park, the Peg Leg Mine Trail and the Moonshiners Run Trail, can be connected into a single hike by hiking the Forest Road Trail, but the Forest Road Trail was closed on my visit.  Thus, I did 2 separate hikes on 2 separate trails at this park.  The Peg Leg Mine Trail is featured in this hike, while the Moonshiners Run Trail is the subject of the next hike.

Trailhead at Visitor Center

            The Visitor Center contains some interesting exhibits about the area's mining history that are worth browsing before or after your hike.  The Peg Leg Mine was an iron mine, and the Visitor Center area features a reconstructed water flume.  Water was used to power a 500-pound hammer, which was used to crush the raw iron ore into smaller pieces, thus preparing it for rail transport to North Carolina.  Head north out of the Visitor Center area with the Doe River to your left to begin a clockwise journey around the Peg Leg Mine Trail.  This trail is marked with blue shield-shaped plastic markers.

Trail along Doe River

            The initial segment of trail had recently been re-routed on my visit due to damage from the remnants of Hurricane Helene.  The forest features a nice mixture of pine, beech, and maple trees, and rhododendron crowds the understory along the river.  Soon the trail curves right to begin its climb to the old Peg Leg Mine.  The single-track dirt trail gains about 250 feet of elevation over 0.3 miles, so the climb is short but somewhat steep.  Just before reaching the top of the finger ridge, the trail levels out to embark on a sidehill course.

Spur trail to old mine

            At 0.5 miles, you reach the signed spur trail to the old mine, which exits right.  Turn right and descend the narrow, winding path down some wooden stairs to reach the old mine entrance.  Opening around 1870, the Peg Leg Mine is the oldest of several old iron mines in the area.  The mine was owned by General John T. Wilder, a Union Civil War general who came here via New York and Indiana.  Today the mine opening remains, but so do some pits miners dug as test holes and some boulders discarded by miners.  Entering the mine is a stupid proposition, but taking some time to think about the work here and the people who did it is not.

Peg Leg iron mine

            Back on the main trail, you cross a small finger ridge before beginning a steep descent that marks the hardest part of this hike.  The rockiness and steepness of the descent make for tricky footing and confirm that you are in the Tennessee mountains.  At 0.9 miles, the trail switches back to the right as you reach the bottom of the hill.  The balance of the hike is a flat riverside course as you head downstream on a narrow trail with the river to your left and the steep hillside to your right.  At 1.1 miles, you return to the Visitor Center, thus finishing the hike.

Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park: Patriots Path (Blog Hike #1064)

Trail: Patriots Path
Hike Location: Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park
Geographic Location: Elizabethton, TN (36.34391, -82.25286)
Length: 1.4 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: March 2025
Overview: An out-and-back past reconstructed Fort Watauga to where the Overmountain Men crossed the Watauga River.
Park Information: https://tnstateparks.com/parks/sycamore-shoals
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=981565
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming July 3, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: In Johnson City, take I-26 to US 321 (exit 24).  Exit and go north on US 321.  Drive US 321 north 5.9 miles to the signed park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, and park in the large blacktop lot in front of the Visitor Center.

The hike: It was September 25, 1780 when the hardscrabble Overmountain Men gathered at the Sycamore Shoals of the Watauga River in present-day eastern Tennessee.  The Overmountain Men had helped the American Patriots in earlier Revolutionary War battles, and consequently British military leaders had threatened them with loss of land and life if they failed to lay down arms.  Given the campaign the British were waging in the upstate Carolinas at that time, the threat was not an idle threat.  Rather than lay down arms, the Overmountain Men marched over the mountains to Kings Mountain, South Carolina where they joined the Patriots in the Battle of Kings Mountain.  A victory for the Patriots, that battle proved to be the turning point in the Revolutionary War.

            Today the site in eastern Tennessee where the Overmountain Men gathered to begin their over-mountain march is preserved as Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park.  Established in 1975, this rather young park offers a fascinating mix of scenery and history.  The park features reconstructed Fort Watauga, the grounds of which constituted the Overmountain Men's basecamp.  The park also offers a nice Visitor Center and Museum that tells the story of the Overmountain Men and of the Cherokee and settlers that lived here.

            Hikers can explore the reconstructed fort and the natural areas on the park's 2 hiking trails, one of which was closed on my visit.  This hike uses the one trail that was open on my visit: the short and easy out-and-back Patriots Path.  The Patriots Path passes both the reconstructed fort and the scenic and historic Sycamore Shoals of the Watauga River.  I came here on a damp chilly morning in early March, but I had a fantastic and inspiring hike.

Trailhead for the Patriots Path

            There are a couple of ways you could do this hike, but I chose to hike to Sycamore Shoals first and then see reconstructed Fort Watauga on my return route.  To execute such a plan, walk right/northeast of the Visitor Center and Museum, then turn left to parallel the park road and find the signed start of the Patriots Path.  A simple wooden sign and a white shield-shaped plastic trail marker mark the trailhead.  Numbered posts indicate the existence of an interpretive guide for this trail, but I did not see one at the Visitor Center.

Hiking the Patriots Path

            The Patriots Path is paved with finely crushed gravel.  At first it continues to parallel the park road, but soon the road curves right and the trail continues straight to enter the woods.  At 0.2 miles, the trail forks.  The Patriots Path continues straight, but to add a little more distance I turned right to leave the gravel and hike a short dirt trail.  This dirt trail forms a short loop through young forest, and it provides your first look at the Watauga River, which is wide and calm at this point.

Watauga River

            At 0.35 miles, you rejoin the gravel Patriots Path, now heading south through a narrow strip of woods with the river on your right.  Near 0.5 miles, you pass the historic point where the Overmountain Men crossed the river to reach their gathering point for their march over the mountains to South Carolina.  Imagine wading across this river with your rifle and provisions, anxious about the forthcoming march through the wilderness and the British troops you will fight in South Carolina.

Historic river crossing

            Just south of the historic river crossing, the trail forks to form a loop.  To save the riverside section for last, I turned left and used the trail going right as my return route, thus hiking the short loop clockwise.  The first/south arm of the loop is the worst part of this hike: it stays close to noisy US 321 and an industrial area.

Sycamore Shoals

            0.9 miles into the hike, you return to the Watauga River and reach Sycamore Shoals.  While not really a cascade, an island in the river forces the water over some rocks, and the shoals produce pleasant visual and audio scenery.  Continuing upstream from the shoals, the riverside scenery continues, and I did some nice wildlife viewing that included some Canada geese, mallards, and bufflehead in the river.  

Reconstructed Fort Watauga

            Just shy of 1 mile, you close the loop.  Retrace your steps along the gravel trail, then turn right at 1.25 miles to enter reconstructed Fort Watauga.  The reconstructed wooden fort features buildings that have been furnished to demonstrate frontier life in the 1700's, and walking around the fort is a wonderfully inspiring educational experience.  After touring the fort, head east to climb the stairs to the back door of the Visitor Center and complete the hike.

Frozen Head State Park: Debord Falls and Emory Gap Falls (Blog Hike #1063)

Trails: Panther Branch and Emory Gap Trails
Hike Location: Frozen Head State Park
Geographic Location: east of Wartburg, TN (36.13641, -84.48775)
Length: 2.6 miles
Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: March 2025
Overview: An out-and-back past 2 nice waterfalls.
Park Information: https://tnstateparks.com/parks/frozen-head
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=981425
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming June 5, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of SR 62 and US 27 in Wartburg, take SR 62 east 1.5 miles to Flat Fork Road and a brown sign for Frozen Head State Park.  Turn left on Flat Fork Rd.  Flat Fork Rd. becomes the park road at the park entrance.  Continue to follow the main park road past the Visitor Center and over a one lane bridge to its end at the Panther Branch Trailhead, which has a large blacktop parking lot that will hold about 25 cars.  Park in this lot.

The hike: For my general comments on Frozen Head State Park, see my previous hike on the park's Judge Branch Trail, which is described elsewhere in this Trail Journal.  The hike described here heads up Panther Branch, and it is the most popular short hike in this large park because it leads to 2 scenic waterfalls: Debord Falls and Emory Gap Falls.  Even better, the trail stays near Panther Branch or its tributary Emory Gap Branch most of the time.  Thus, although this hike gains about 450 feet of elevation, it does so on easy and moderate grades.

Panther Branch Trailhead

            At the rear of the parking lot, pick up the Panther Branch Trail as it heads up through the ravine of its namesake creek.  A large sign with a park closing time marks this trailhead, and the Panther Branch Trail is marked with blue trail markers.  Broadleaf trees including some sweetgums dominate this forest, but a few pine trees grow along the trail.

Panther Branch

            The wide two-track dirt trail climbs gradually with the creek 20-30 feet downhill to the right.  Careful observation will lead you to conclude that this trail is an old road: the stone walls used for footbridge supports today are much larger than would be required for a footbridge and hence are probably from a former road bridge.  Just past 0.5 miles, you reach the signed spur trail for Debord Falls, which exits right.  Only a couple hundred feet later, you descend some steps and arrive at the base of Debord Falls, where a viewing area gives a great view of the waterfall.  Debord Falls is a common 10-foot ledge-type waterfall with a large plunge pool, and it adds some extra scenery to this creekside hike.

Debord Falls

            Back on the main trail, continue upstream to reach a trail intersection at 0.9 miles.  The Panther Branch Trail exits right and leads to some backcountry campsites and eventually to the trail that leads to the top of Frozen Head Mountain.  This hike angles left to leave the Panther Branch Trail and begin the Emory Gap Trail, still following the old dirt road but now with white trail markers.

Hiking on the old road

            Just past 1 mile, the old dirt road seems to end, and a pair of switchbacks lifts you higher up the hillside.  The switchbacks are steeper and rockier than the old road, but taking your time with careful stepping will get you up the switchbacks.  At 1.35 miles, you reach the base of Emory Gap Falls.

Emory Gap Falls

            Emory Gap Falls is taller and much less standard than Debord Falls: a single drop of about 10 feet is followed by a myriad of cascades through a boulder field.  Also, finding a good spot to view and photograph this waterfall can be a challenge due to the boulders.  The Emory Gap Trail ends at Emory Gap Falls, so after enjoying the waterfall your only option is to turn around and retrace your steps to the parking lot to complete the hike.

Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park: Gee Creek Campground Loop (Blog Hike #1062)

Trail: Gee Creek Campground Loop
Hike Location: Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park
Geographic Location: south of Etowah, TN (35.23775, -84.55063)
Length: 1.3 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: March 2025
Overview: A lollipop loop around Gee Creek Campground and along the Hiwassee River.
Park Information: https://tnstateparks.com/parks/hiwassee-ocoee
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=981312
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: (coming May 26, 2026)

Directions to the trailhead: From Etowah, take US 411 south 6.4 miles to Spring Creek Road and turn left on Spring Creek Rd.  Drive Spring Creek Rd. east 0.8 miles to the park office on the right.  Park in the large blacktop parking lot beside the park office.

The hike: Early European explorers wrote of 2 major rivers that flowed west out of the mountains and into the great valley in present-day southeast Tennessee.  The first river was a quaint river that can be crossed almost anywhere almost anytime.  The second river was a raging beast of a river that can be crossed almost nowhere and almost none of the time.  Today we call the quaint river the Ocoee River, and we call the beastly river the Hiwassee River.

            A few miles up the Hiwassee River from the confluence of these 2 rivers lies a park named for both rivers: Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park.  At present the park is located only on the Hiwassee River, but future plans call for adding acreage and splitting this park into 2 parks, one along each river.  The present site is surrounded on 3 sides by Cherokee National Forest, and it features only the Gee Creek Campground with 47 developed sites, Hiwassee River access, and the short hiking trail described here.  While definitely not the best trail in this area, the Gee Creek Campground Loop offers good Hiwassee River views, and it makes a nice add-on if you are camping here or hiking in nearby Cherokee National Forest.

Fort Marr blockhouse

            You can start the trail from either the campground or the park office.  I was not camping here, so I started at the park office.  Beside the park office stands an interesting historical landmark: the Fort Marr Blockhouse.  Fort Marr was built in 1814 to protect the area from the British during the War of 1812, but it soon became the center for military operations to remove Cherokee people from Tennessee to Oklahoma.  The fort was abandoned in 1838, and the blockhouse was moved twice to reach this location, which is about 15 miles from the original fort.  This blockhouse is this region's only remnant of any fort from that era.

Trailhead at park office

            After viewing the blockhouse, walk east across the parking lot to find where the single-track dirt trail enters the woods.  A small wooden sign that says "Loop Trail" marks this trailhead.  The trail heads east through young forest with a dense shrubby understory.  Plenty of sweet gum trees live in this forest, as do some old dying red cedars.  This land is persistently flat, and the total elevation gain on this hike is less than 100 feet.

Trail splits to form loop

            At only 0.1 miles, the trail forks to form its loop around Gee Creek Campground.  I angled left and used the trail going right as my return route, thus hiking the loop clockwise.  The trail continues its southeast course, and just past 0.2 miles it crosses the campground entrance road.  The section of the trail north of the campground passes through a wetland area with a ditch, and a few minor wet areas will need to be negotiated if it has rained recently.  I did some good bird viewing here that included some cardinals and a woodpecker.

Hiking north of the campground

            Just shy of 0.5 miles, the trail crosses the ditch on a footbridge and heads around the east end of the campground.  Although the campground is fairly close on the right, dense woods keeps the campground out of your field of vision most of the time.  Just past 0.6 miles, the Hiwassee River comes into view on the left for the first time.  The river was high and raging on my visit due to recent rains, but the water was still remarkably clear.

Hiwassee River

            The riverside segment is the most scenic part of this hike.  At 0.9 miles, you cross over a riverside bluff and pass the park's boat ramp.  The southwest corner of the loop was somewhat overgrown on my visit, and I had to negotiate several blowdowns across the trail.  Look for the white plastic shield-like trail markers to make sure you are still on the trail.

Primitive campground

            Just past 1 mile, you come out at the park's primitive campground.  Angle right to walk along the gravel primitive campground road and then look to the left to find the continuation of the trail.  A few hundred feet later, you close the loop.  Angle left to return to the park office and complete the hike.