The Appalachian Trail passes through the mountains about an hour from Johnson City, giving the city easy access to one of America's great long-distance hiking routes. The most popular local access points are at Roan Mountain State Park and the Carvers Gap trailhead on the Tennessee–North Carolina border, where the trail crosses some of the most open and dramatic high-country terrain in the southern Appalachians.
The Roan Mountain balds — treeless summit grasslands with panoramic views — are extraordinary at any time of year, but the June rhododendron bloom is the peak draw. Day hikers can access miles of trail from Carvers Gap without needing overnight gear; the hike along the ridge to Round Bald and Jane Bald offers some of the finest views in the eastern mountains.
Roan Mountain State Park itself has a campground, cabin rentals, and a swimming pool — it makes a fine base for a weekend in the mountains, about 45 minutes from Johnson City on US-19E.