Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

November 1-30
Support Our Wildlife Ambassadors
ROAN MOUNTAIN STATE PARK
All Month
Price:
$10.00 / Feeds one bird a day
$20.00 / Feeds two birds a day
$30.00 / Feeds three birds a day
$40.00 / Feeds four birds a day
$50.00 / 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 TWRA. 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 is a specialty!

All of our animals are non-releasable 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 vet bills, purchase gloves, tethers, falconry equipment, aquarium bedding, and to improve and build more housing facilities for our non-releasable 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 come back to this page in future months.

Thank you for supporting our Wildlife Ambassadors at Roan Mountain State Park!

November 11
Peg Leg Mine Geoventure – 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Meet at the Visitor Center Porch. Price is $10 and register for the event. Join Park Ranger Phil Hylen for a geology adventure hike to the Peg Leg Iron Mine from 1 til 2 p.m. at the Roan Mountain State Park Visitor Center. Up to 15 participants will explore the 1800s era iron mine before opening up their very own mining spoils. Along the way on this moderate difficulty 1.1-mile hike, we will explore the history and geology of Roan Mountain State Park.
This program will begin and end at the Visitor Center porch. Registration is $10 per individual. Be sure to wear good hiking clothes and boots and prepare for cool weather.
November 24
Nature’s Thanksgiving Hike at Hampton Creek Cove – 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Meet at the Roan Mountain State Park Visitor Center. Price is $0/Free Participant, $10/Participant +Donation to RMSP, $20/Participant +$20 Donation to RMSP. Register for the event. Roan Mountain State Park is taking part in our state-wide signature After-Thanksgiving Hike series by offering a 3-mile- moderate-difficulty hike along the Shell Hollow Loop Trail at Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area located only 10 minutes from Roan Mountain State Park.
Join Park Ranger Phil Hylen at the Roan Mountain State Park Visitor Center to give thanks to the beauty of fall in the Blue RIdge Mountains as we enjoy a 3-mile nature walk through some of our regions’ most beautiful terrain that is teaming with late fall/early winter nature. Participants will meet at the VIsitor Center where restrooms, beverages, and local information is available before motorcading 10 minutes to the Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area Parking Lot. From the parking area, participants will be led on the Shell Hollow Loop Trail where hikers will explore the vestiges of late 1800s and early 1900s community structures and orchards, wonder through mature forests adjacent to early succession fields, and maybe witness the majesty of wintering Golden Eagle on the ridges of the surrounding mountains. Finally, the paths will cross ever so briefly with the famous Overmountain VIctory Trail where militiamen of the Watauga settlements in the 18th century marched across Yellow Mountain Gap on their way to the Battle of Kings Mountain in South Carolina.
This hike is limited to 30 participants and is free to attend. Participants must register on this page to reserve their spot. Optional donations can be made through registration to assist Roan Mountain State Park with on-going trail projects, education animal upkeep, and other park projects. The hike will occur on uneven natural terrain with a total round-trip mileage of approximately 3 miles. Temperatures in Roan Mountain this time of the year can be very cold so be sure to dress in layers. Good hiking shoes, cameras, binoculars, and water are recommended for all hikers. For more information on Hampton Creek Cove State Natural Area, visit their website at https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/na-natural-areas/natural-areas-east-region/east-region-/na-na-hampton-creek-cove.html.

December 2
Fancywork for Beginners & Enthusiasts: Winter Botanicals – 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Meet at the Conference Center. Price is $12/Attendee Only (Includes refreshments), $16/ Attendee+Stick & Stitch Sheet of Patterns, $25/Attendee+Project Kit (Pattern Sheet, Towel Blank, Floss, $45/ Attendee+Project Kit+Full Embroidery Kit. Register for the event. Decorative hand-stitched embroidery (fancy work) was all the rage in the early 20th century and continues to be an important traditional art across the world. Although beautiful embroidery work can be complex, every needleworker starts from the beginning.
Join our workshop and take your first steps, or continue a journey you’ve already started (bring a project to show off, if you like!). We’ll look at examples of embroidery and designs inspired by winter plants that can be found here in Roan Mountain. We’ll then review 10-15 basic stitch techniques to help you build your confidence.
*NEW*
Stash Swap: For this workshop, we’ll be hosting a table for stash swapping. If you have embroidery tools and supplies you no longer need, bring them along and pass them to someone who will use them.
Refreshments: Last time was fun, but we needed tea & cookies, so we’ll be doing that this time! If you’d like to volunteer to assist with embroidery workshops, please visit this link.
Full Embroidery Kit Contents: If you are just getting started, this take-home kit provides every basic embroidery tool, and a few handy extras.
Zip Pouch
8″ plastic hoop
Scissors
Needle set
Needle threader
Thimble
Washable transfer pencil & transfer paper
Card-style thread organizer
Beginner Stitch Sampler (pre-printed cloth, to follow along while learning stitches in the workshop)

December 3
Roan Mountain 2023 Volunteer Banquet – 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Meet at: Roan Mountain State Park Conference Center. Register for the event. Roan Mountain State Park has been lucky to have many volunteers join us over the past several years for trail work, events, working with the park animals, maintaining the Miller Farmstead, and much more! All volunteers are invited to be celebrated. This banquet will serve volunteers and their families picnic style foods to include burgers, hotdogs, desserts, and plenty of sides. Over dinner, a short presentation will celebrate the major volunteer accomplishments over the past two years as well as a look forward into plans for 2024.
Volunteers are asked to register the number of people they plan on attending with for a food count. A slideshow presentation of volunteer action shots will also be offered during the event. Volunteers are welcome to submit any photo they wish prior to the event to be added.

December 15
Christmas Céilí at Roan Mountain State Park – 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Meet at the Conference Center. Price is $2/kids 17 and under, $5/adults. Register for the event. An Irish céilí (or cèilidh if you’re Scottish!) is a traditional social gathering that often includes traditional dance, music, storytelling and all kinds of good fun. In honor of our region’s Scots-Irish heritage we’ll be hosting a fall dance céilí at the Roan Mountain State Park Conference Center.
Highlights include:
Ceili Dances: No previous dance experience is required! These dances are meant for regular people and anyone who can walk comfortably can enjoy learning them.
Traditional Music: The Roan Mountain Céilí Band will play a variety of dance tunes to accompany the dances, and a few other tunes in between (traditional Scottish and Irish musicians are welcome to join us, contact Ranger O’Day for details).
Light Refreshments: Coffee and hot cocoa will be provided, as well as an assortment of holiday treats.
Photo Booth: Attendees are encouraged to dress in festival holiday attire and take photos to celebrate and remember this special holiday event.
Dress comfortably with good shoes and come well-hydrated! This is a ticketed event! Adults 18 and older $5 each, kids 17 and younger $2.Volunteers attend free (contact Ranger O’Day for volunteer opportunities).

December 16
Christmas Craft Spectacular! – 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Meet at Conference Center. Price is $5 age 4 and under, $10 age 5 and over. Register for the event. ‘Tis the season!
Join Rangers O’Day, Hylen and Holland and our Interpretive Staff for an afternoon of festive Christmas crafts, treats and holiday cheer! We’ll be making traditional and nature-themed ornaments, decorating cookies, and enjoying Christmas refreshments and music!
Fee covers instruction, materials, and refreshments. Children must be accompanied by an adult.