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Roan Mountain is the highpoint of the Roan-Unaka Range of the Southern Appalachian Mountains, located in the Southeastern United States. The mountain is clad in a dense stand of Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest, and includes the world's largest natural rhododendron garden, and the longest stretch of grassy bald in the Appalachian range.〔Vernon Summerlin, ''Traveling the Southern Highlands'' (Nashville: Rutledge Hill Press, 1997), 157.〕 The Cherokee National Forest and Pisgah National Forest converge atop the mountain, with Roan Mountain State Park located near its northern base. The Appalachian Trail crosses most of the Roan's crest. The Roan High Knob Shelter is the highest backcountry shelter on the entire trail.〔http://tnlandforms.us/at/m.php?wpt=RoanHigh〕 Roan Mountain comprises the greater part of the Roan Highlands, a massif stretching from Big Rock Creek in the west to U.S. Route 19 in the east. Most of this massif lies along the Tennessee-North Carolina border, between Carter County and Mitchell County. Yellow Mountain and Hump Mountain, on the northern tip of the massif, are part of the Roan Highlands but are generally not considered part of Roan Mountain proper.〔Jennifer Bauer Laughlin, ''Roan Mountain: A Passage of Time'' (Johnson City, Tenn.: The Overmountain Press, 1999), 17–19.〕 Roan Mountain contains five mountain peaks, and is roughly divided into two sections by Carver's Gap. The first section — composed of Roan High Bluff and Roan High Knob — lies west of Carver's Gap and is characterized by a thick coniferous forest. This part of Roan is shaped something like the body of a double-humped camel, with the "humps" being High Bluff and High Knob. Tollhouse Gap lies between the two peaks, and contains the Rhododendron Gardens, the largest of its kind in the world. The second section of Roan Mountain — known as Grassy Ridge — is east of Carver's Gap, and is the longest stretch (appx. 7 miles) of grassy bald in the Appalachian Mountains.〔Summerlin, 157.〕 A ''grassy bald'' is a type of highland meadow characterized by thick grass and sparse tree coverage.〔Carson Brewer, ''Great Smoky Mountains National Park'' (Portland, Ore: Graphic Arts Center Publishing, 1993), 21.〕 The three peaks atop Grassy Ridge are Round Bald, Jane Bald, and Grassy Ridge Bald. The bald area spans the summits of all three, covering an area roughly equal to .〔Laughlin, 30.〕 The Appalachian Trail, after traversing Iron Mountain to the west, crosses Hughes Gap and ascends Roan's northern slope to Tollhouse Gap. From there, it makes a sharp turn to the east, crossing Roan High Knob, Carver's Gap, Grassy Ridge, and Yellow and Hump Mountains before descending to US-19 and the White Rocks Mountain area. From the slopes of Old Black in the Great Smoky Mountains, some to the south, to Mount Washington in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, some to the north, Roan Mountain is the only area where the trail rises above the mark. == Peaks on Roan Mountain == Roan Mountain contains five peaks: Roan High Bluff rises on the mountain's western end at . It has an elevation of 6,267 feet (1,910 m), and is entirely within the state of North Carolina. Unlike its sister peak, High Bluff is steep, rising sharply toward the true summit with a rapid drop on the north side.〔(topoquest.com )〕 While High Bluff's actual summit is closed to the public, an observation platform sits some below it, and offers a 180-degree view of the valley to the northwest. The platform can be accessed via the Cloudland Trail, which rises out of Tollhouse Gap. Roan High Knob is the highest point on Roan Mountain, rising to 6,285 feet (1,916 m) between Carver's Gap and Tollhouse Gap. The Tennessee-North Carolina border crosses its summit. High Knob is the highest point in Tennessee outside of the Great Smoky Mountains,〔http://americasroof.com/highest/tn.shtml〕 and the 17th-highest peak in the eastern United States.〔http://www.americasroof.com/6000.shtml〕 The Appalachian Trail crosses High Knob's western slope, with a well-marked spur trail leading to the summit. The Roan High Knob Shelter is a few feet from the summit. Round Bald rises near the center of the Roan massif. It has an elevation of 5,826 feet (1,775 m), and overlooks Carver's Gap at the far western end of Grassy Ridge. The Appalachian Trail (following the state border) crosses its summit, first passing through a sparse treeline on the mountain's northwestern slope before emerging in the bald area near the top. There is a panoramic view from the summit. Jane Bald is a small knob between Round Bald and Grassy Ridge Bald. It has an elevation of 5,820 feet (1,773 m). A local legend relates its name to a woman named "Jane" who died of milk sickness while crossing the mountain.〔Laughlin, 17–19.〕 The bald area atop Jane is much less substantial than its two massive neighbors, and is partially overgrown by rhododendron. The Appalachian Trail (following the state border) crosses its summit. Grassy Ridge Bald dominates the center of Grassy Ridge . It has an elevation of 6,189 feet (1,886 m), making it one of the highest grassy balds in the Appalachian Mountains () (Black Balsam Knob, located southwest of Asheville, is slightly higher at 6,214'). The bald area atop the mountain covers several , with patches of trees and shrubbery in some places. The Appalachian Trail (following the state border) crosses the mountain's northern slope, with several spurs (usually marked) traversing the top of the mountain. The summit is adorned by a rock pile and a bronze plaque dedicated to a local highland farmer named Cornelius Rex Peake. There is a panoramic view from the summit, with Grandfather Mountain standing prominently to the east and the Black Mountains visible to the south. The summit of Grassy Ridge Bald is almost entirely within North Carolina. Yellow Mountain and Hump Mountain, comprising the northern fringe of the Roan Highlands, have elevations of and , respectively. Both are traversed by the Appalachian Trail. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Roan Mountain (Roan Highlands)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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