WHERE DID THE ROAN GET ITS NAME?
The mountain’s name is linked to many legends. One legend claims the name refers to the red color of the mountain when the rhododendrons bloom or mountain ash berries appear in the fall. Other legends claim that Daniel Boone was a frequent mountain visitor, who left a roan (reddish-colored horse-hence the name) horse on the Roan Balds while he journeyed farther west. When he returned, he found the horse had grown fat and sleek on the lush carpets of grass, sometimes a foot deep, which flourish on the balds of the Roan. These balds remain a mystery to science. Many square miles of treeless areas cover the crest of The Roan on both the North Carolina and Tennessee sides. Many less romantic think the treeless condition is a result of forest fires started by lightning. In any case, this ecosystem–the rhododendron, the balds, and the majestic spruces and firs are usually found in Canada.
