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May 1–31
Support Our Wildlife Ambassadors
Roan Mountain State Park
All month

Price:
$10 – Feeds one bird a day
$20 – Feeds two birds a day
$30 – Feeds three birds a day
$40 – Feeds four birds a day
$50 – Feeds five birds a day

At Roan Mountain, we house, care for and educate the public on a variety of native animals. We work under an educational permit from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Currently, we care for three birds of prey and several snakes. As you can imagine, caring for these animals is costly, as their food and health care are specialties.

All of our animals are nonreleasable for a variety of reasons. We frequently program with these animals and never charge for educational programs when using them. Here is your opportunity to support our educational wildlife program and help us care for these animals.

All donations will go to purchase food, pay veterinary bills, buy gloves, tethers, falconry equipment and aquarium bedding, and improve and build more housing facilities for our nonreleasable birds of prey.

To donate, click the green “Register for Event” button at the right. Your donation is a one-time payment. If you wish to cover more than one day, update the quantity you wish to donate or simply return to this page in future months.

Thank you for supporting our wildlife ambassadors at Roan Mountain State Park!

May 23
Salamanders of Appalachia Hike – 8–9:30 p.m.
Meet at Roan Mountain State Park Visitor Center. The price is $10, and you can register for the event. The Southern Appalachian Mountain range happens to be the salamander capital of the world. Roan Mountain State Park Ranger Phil Hylen will offer an evening salamander hike from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, May 23, to give a small peek into the diverse world of salamanders.

Participants on this hike will meet at the Roan Mountain State Park Visitor Center before taking part in a 1-mile night hike observing various species of salamanders in different environments.

This hike will be led along the Peg Leg Mine Loop Trail, which offers a moderate-difficulty natural terrain hike with a maximum grade of approximately 18%. Along the hike, Ranger Hylen will impart knowledge of observation techniques for salamanders and other small terrestrial life in the forest and along the river. This hike is limited to 15 participants with a ticket cost of $10 per person. Be sure to bring good hiking shoes, water bottles and a good flashlight.

May 24
Peg Leg Mine Geoventure – 1–3 p.m.
Meet at Roan Mountain State Park Visitor Center. The price is $12, and you can register for the event. Your host, Ranger Phil Hylen, will take you back into the late 1800s as you take on the role of iron miners exploring the ridges of the mountains for traces of iron ore. Along the way, we will learn the geology of Roan Mountain and why it is so unique. After exploring the Peg Leg Mine on a 1.2-mile hike (moderate-difficulty natural terrain trail), participants will get to crack open geodes and iron ore to keep.

This program will begin and end at the Visitor Center. This time of the year is historically cold, so be sure to dress in layers appropriate for the temperatures and wear good hiking shoes. Bring plenty of water and any snacks you may need. This program is limited to 20 participants and has a $12 fee per head.

May 30
Raptors of the Roan – 3–4 p.m.
Meet at the Roan Mountain State Park Office Aviary. A live birds of prey ambassador program will be held from 3 to 4 p.m. Friday, May 30.

Join Roan Mountain State Park at the aviary (located at the park headquarters building) to meet our owl ambassadors and aviary staff. Participants will become familiar with the rich and unique diversity of birds of prey (raptors) found in the park and surrounding area of Roan Mountain. This is a great way to learn of many local raptor birding destinations and events. Of course, meeting our live education owls is an experience all its own!

June 7
National Trails Day Hike of Raven Rock – 2–4 p.m.
Meet at Park Headquarters. Register for the event.

Price:
$10 – Attendee + Donation
$20 – Attendee + Donation
$10 – No Attendance + Donation
$20 – No Attendance + Donation
$0 – Attendee

What better way to spend American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day than on a ranger-led hike to the Raven Rock Overlook! Join Ranger Rodriguez on this 1.3-mile hike along the Raven Rock Trail, where we will have the opportunity to see mountain laurels in bloom, get a glimpse at the flame azaleas and maybe be visited by some of our park wildlife!

This trail consists of a gradual 0.5-mile incline in elevation on the ascent to the overlook, as we hike over some uneven terrain at times. Meet at the Park Headquarters next to the Conference Center and Aviary.

Celebrating American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day® provides the perfect opportunity to set off on a local trail with others in your community. Join the nationwide movement to give back to trails and build a world where everyone feels welcome and has access to enjoy the great outdoors.

Registration is required, as spaces are limited.

June 21
2025 Rhododendron Festival – 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Meet at the Roan Mountain State Park Amphitheater.

June 1947 saw the first of the Rhododendron Festivals, conceived and carried out by the Roan Mountain Citizens Club as a two-day celebration to memorialize and perpetuate the most gorgeous display of natural beauty on the North American continent.

In recent years the festival is held in Roan Mountain State Park, located at the foot of Roan Mountain, and features handmade crafts, food and a variety of traditional music, plus an array of old-time folkway demonstrations.

Location: Roan Mountain State Park amphitheater, 1015 Highway 143, Roan Mountain, TN 37687.
Time: 10 a.m.–5 p.m., June 21–22, 2025.

Parking is by donation to a local civic group. Admission, demonstrations and entertainment are free all day both days. Over 100 arts and crafts vendors. A variety of food is available. Visit the world’s largest natural rhododendron gardens atop 6,000-ft Roan Mountain. Hike the Appalachian Trail as it runs along the border of Tennessee and North Carolina. Learn about our nation’s history as you relax beside cool streams. Camp or stay in a rustic cabin.

The Citizens Club will have Roan Mountain cookbooks, auto tags and T-shirts available for purchase at the festival. See them at our tent under the big oak tree. We’ll also be selling ice-cold canned drinks and bottled water. All proceeds go to Roan Mountain community projects at schools, fire departments, etc.

A mini-auction for scholarships for Cloudland High School graduates will be conducted between performances. Festival vendors and local businesses have donated items.

For more information, visit www.roanmountain.com/rhododendron-festival.

June 23, 2025
Junior Ranger Camp (Ages 8–12) – 8:30 a.m.–noon

Price:
$75 per participant
$55 for Cloudland Elementary students

Registration is now open!

Learn about safety, plants, animals, bugs, astronomy, environmental stewardship, history and more. At the conclusion of the week, each participant will be sworn in as an official Junior Ranger for Tennessee State Parks during the graduation ceremony and banquet.

Camp runs Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The graduation ceremony and party will take place Friday night from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the park Conference Center.

The $75 registration fee includes a T-shirt, daily snacks and a fun awards celebration Friday night.