Overmountain trail

[devoidapop]

Has anybody explored the Overmountain Victory Trail near Roan Mountain?

I might get to hike next weekend and I'm deciding between wandering around the Roan Highlands or wandering around Mt Mitchell and the Black Mountains

[FrogLevel]

I've hiked it a few times.

From Elizabethton to the town of Roan Mountain its virtually all road walking. Once you get to Hampton Creek Recreational Area in Roan Mountain its a steady climb though an active farm for a couple miles. Its neat. There are quite a few streams and a couple gates to go through and its marked with red blazes. You can walk straight through the fields or trend to the right and walk along the creek until you enter the woods. Once you do it turns into more traditional AT trail hiking. The blazes in the woods are white diamonds and the occasional overmountain trail blaze. There's a few creek crossings and the closer you get to Yellow Mountain Gap/AT the steeper it gets. The last half mile or so is walking on an old disused logging trail.

You'll cross the AT right at the barn shelter side-trail. Go straight ahead to continue the Overmountain trail into NC where its more traditional hiking in the woods for a while. I've not gone too far down that way.

Its a really beautiful hike with some amazing views of the valleys and farmland. From the parking area I'd say its about a 4.5~ mile trip to the Overmountain Shelter.

[devoidapop]

I've hiked it a few times.

From Elizabethton to the town of Roan Mountain its virtually all road walking. Once you get to Hampton Creek Recreational Area in Roan Mountain its a steady climb though an active farm for a couple miles. Its neat. There are quite a few streams and a couple gates to go through and its marked with red blazes. You can walk straight through the fields or trend to the right and walk along the creek until you enter the woods. Once you do it turns into more traditional AT trail hiking. The blazes in the woods are white diamonds and the occasional overmountain trail blaze. There's a few creek crossings and the closer you get to Yellow Mountain Gap/AT the steeper it gets. The last half mile or so is walking on an old disused logging trail.

You'll cross the AT right at the barn shelter side-trail. Go straight ahead to continue the Overmountain trail into NC where its more traditional hiking in the woods for a while. I've not gone too far down that way.

Its a really beautiful hike with some amazing views of the valleys and farmland. From the parking area I'd say its about a 4.5~ mile trip to the Overmountain Shelter.

Sounds great. Are there any established campsites between Hampton Creek and the red barn?

[FrogLevel]

Sounds great. Are there any established campsites between Hampton Creek and the red barn?

Officially there's no camping allowed in the Hampton Creek Rec area as its active pastureland. I did see a few rarely used sites on the old service road. You could easily get away with stealth camping if you didn't have a fire.

[devoidapop]

Officially there's no camping allowed in the Hampton Creek Rec area as its active pastureland. I did see a few rarely used sites on the old service road. You could easily get away with stealth camping if you didn't have a fire.

Perfect. Definitely no fire and I just want to know all of my options since I'll just be wandering with no real time table or destination. I figure I can start at Mountain Harbor, hike over the humps and explore the Overmountain trail with whatever's left of the day.

[Tennessee Viking]

I have walked just a little of it. The trail tread starts at Hampton Creek Cove near Roan Mtn and walks into a cow field. I turned back only because I encountered a large group of hunters and the trailtreas was ankle deep mud at the time. Blazing starts strong but gets a bit awkward. But climbs over the ridge near the Barn and takes an alternate path to Roaring Creek Rd trailhead.

During the late summer there is an re-enactment meetings and marches here and other OMVT sites.

Keep an eye on the weather forecast; ex. Rays Weather. Some weird Winter is Back forecasts are being rumored for the higher elevations.

[devoidapop]

Keep an eye on the weather forecast; ex. Rays Weather. Some weird Winter is Back forecasts are being rumored for the higher elevations.

Is the Roaring Creek Trailhead ok for overnight parking? Maybe I'll start there if it looks like rough weather

[Tennessee Viking]

I have never had any issues parking at Roaring Creek. The OVMT (Roaring Creek end) doesn't follow the road to the barn; it actually starts not too far after the pavement ends. But I would park at the gate if there are other cars present. There is a Carsonite marker for the trail.

[Night Train]

Cool thread, thanks for starting.

[PatmanTN]

Has anybody explored the Overmountain Victory Trail near Roan Mountain?

I might get to hike next weekend and I'm deciding between wandering around the Roan Highlands or wandering around Mt Mitchell and the Black Mountains

devoidapop,

Since you are in the exploration mode do this too: on the AT just south of Little Hump is a path that leads east (initially it crosses the field) and then it turns south briefly before joining an old tractor road that continues east on a relatively straight and wooded route (you can also pick up this tractor road a little further south on the AT if you miss the footpath connector but it may be a little overgrown from disuse) . Follow that old tractor road about a mile to a gate and go through it; in moments you are in a high grassy pasture with an outstanding view of Overmoutnain Shelter from a large grassy knob; I haven't been in a while but there used to be wooden bench with a scripture on it. I've always called it the Yellow Mountain Overlook but I'm not sure if anyone else does. I think it's well worth the one mile detour / two mile round trip. There are usually cattle out there but every time I've been they were grazing below the overlook and not a bother. This spot is one of the closest knobs you see when you look north from Overmountain shelter.

Also if you haven't been, follow Grassy Ridge all the way out to the saddle beyond the summit plaque. The path appears to end at the obvious wide grassy saddle, but if you follow on the right side (somewhat south) it continues through the Rhodo and has many outstanding rocky spots to explore and enjoy. From the saddle there is also a path on the left that descends to a pretty reliable spring ( i installed a pipe a few years ago but who knows if it remains).

[devoidapop]

Has anybody explored the Overmountain Victory Trail near Roan Mountain?

I might get to hike next weekend and I'm deciding between wandering around the Roan Highlands or wandering around Mt Mitchell and the Black Mountains

devoidapop,

Since you are in the exploration mode do this too: on the AT just south of Little Hump is a path that leads east (initially it crosses the field) and then it turns south briefly before joining an old tractor road that continues east on a relatively straight and wooded route (you can also pick up this tractor road a little further south on the AT if you miss the footpath connector but it may be a little overgrown from disuse) . Follow that old tractor road about a mile to a gate and go through it; in moments you are in a high grassy pasture with an outstanding view of Overmoutnain Shelter from a large grassy knob; I haven't been in a while but there used to be wooden bench with a scripture on it. I've always called it the Yellow Mountain Overlook but I'm not sure if anyone else does. I think it's well worth the one mile detour / two mile round trip. There are usually cattle out there but every time I've been they were grazing below the overlook and not a bother. This spot is one of the closest knobs you see when you look north from Overmountain shelter.

Also if you haven't been, follow Grassy Ridge all the way out to the saddle beyond the summit plaque. The path appears to end at the obvious wide grassy saddle, but if you follow on the right side (somewhat south) it continues through the Rhodo and has many outstanding rocky spots to explore and enjoy. From the saddle there is also a path on the left that descends to a pretty reliable spring ( i installed a pipe a few years ago but who knows if it remains).

Fantastic! I will do that. My exploration got cut a little short last weekend. I got soaked overnight at Doll Flats and headed back to my car in the morning.

[PatmanTN]

Yeah I've been many times to the area and these days I like to just out-n-back from Carvers Gap and play around the high ground for a weekend. I think the Roans are a jewel.

[devoidapop]

So many amazing hikes, on and off the AT, along the NC/TN border. I think I have a lifetime of exploring left.