The Gateway to Roan.

 

Bakersville is a small mountain town nestled below Roan Mountain. Home to friendly people, a thriving arts community, and an abundance of outdoor recreation, Bakersville offers a pleasant lifestyle with endless opportunities for adventure. 

Bakersville is the perfect stop when traveling to Roan Mountain. At 6,286 feet, Roan Mountain has the world's largest garden of natural growing rhododendrons. Hikers of all levels can access the trails and witness the splendor of this section of the Appalachian Trail (AT). The AT is a public footpath that follows more than 2,100 miles of Appalachian Mountain ridgelines between Maine and Georgia. Here on the North Carolina-Tennessee border, the trail provides a rewarding introduction to the majesty of the southern Appalachians.

 

Since 1947, the NC Rhododendron Festival, held the third weekend in June, celebrates the blooming of 600 acres of rhododendron atop Roan Mountain. The festival features a pageant, classic car show, 10K run, live music, craft fair, and “must do” street dances. 

 

Cane Creek runs through Bakerville. The community park has a 0.6 mile paved Creek Walk greenway, handicap accessible fishing piers, a gazebo, playground, and a recreational sports field. Bakersville is smaller than a square mile, but has a big heart! 

Just a few miles east on Cane Creek is Dellinger Grist Mill. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Dellinger Grist Mill is one of the oldest mills of its kind and is still operational – grinding corn the same way it did in the 1800s.