MOUNTAIN CITY, Tenn. -- Johnson County,
Tenn., may not be known for its man-made attractions,
historic hotels, and restaurant chains, but it has
something else that keeps drawing visitors from across
the nation.
The scenic beauty of the land rivals that of the
Great Smoky Mountains, with its peaceful fishing
streams, beautiful Watauga Lake, and adventurous
trails.
Visitors can start off at the Johnson County
Welcome Center and History Museum, where an
assortment of artifacts explains the early settlement
of the area.
The third weekend of June, the Pipe Ceremony opens
the Trade Days Festival with a blessing on the
weekends activities. Celebrating the Native Americans
and Mountain Men who made Trade the first settlement
in the First Frontier, the festival also includes
crafts, apple butter making, quilting bees, live
music, and all the old soon-to-be-forgotten ways of
life.
The Old Butler Museum offers an incredible
depiction of life in the 1940s before the Tennessee
Valley Authority released enough water to cover an
entire town. More than 400 families were forced to
pack up their lives and literally move their homes
three miles away.
The townspeople of Old Butler saved what they could
and through their tireless work, the 200-year-old
history of the Watauga River Valley has been preserved
in this wonderful museum. In August, the town that
wouldn't drown is celebrated with music, games,
exhibits, and food. Festival-goers can learn why the
town was moved and even meet some of the former
residents.
A beautiful drive through the mountains will bring
you to Watauga Lake, the perfect place for
fishing, boating, swimming, or sailing. And while
lunch at the Dry Hill General Store will
provide the atmosphere you need and the food you crave
in this rural setting, local musicians will often drop
in for a jam session during the evening hours.
On Friday and Saturday nights, enjoy
all-you-can-eat barbeque, hot dogs and hamburgers and
dance to live bluegrass, country and swing bands at
the Butler Barn.
The Roan Valley Golf Resort is located
nearby for avid golfers, and while hikers can trek up
Backbone Rock in the Cherokee National Forest. For
fishermen, Beaver Dam Creek and Doe
Creek are world renowned for the trout caught in
their waters.
Hikers will be glad to know that the Appalachian
Trail cuts through this beautiful part of
Tennessee, and there are access trailheads for day
hikes. Cyclists, both with and without motors, enjoy
the backroads over, through and around the rolling
farmlands and, for an extra challenge, over the
mountains.
Gentry Creek Falls is one of the most
beautiful and most photographed waterfalls in
northeast Tennessee, is a short drive from Laurel
Bloomery where you access the trail to view the falls.
In August, Laurel Bloomery is home to the Old Time
Fiddlers Convention at Old Mill Park, a fun-filled
convention with some of the best live music this side
of the Mason-Dixon Line.
Johnson County residents are definitely into
fishing. Each June, they hold an annual Trout
Rodeo at Old Mill Park to celebrate free fishing
day in Tennessee.
And the Johnson County High School is well known
for its hydroponics program. Visitors can take a tour
and even purchase some hydroponics-grown tomatoes,
basil, and beautiful flowers, or take a tour of the
schools fish hatchery.
In late August or early September, the rodeo comes
to Mountain City. Enjoy two days of ridin', ropin' and
thrills and spills as nationally known rodeo riders
compete for prizes at the Chamber Park on route
67.
The second week in October, you can join the other
visitors who flock to the annual Cranberry
Festival in beautiful Shady Valley. Help celebrate
the rare Southern, naturally occurring, non-commercial
cranberry bogs grown here and be entertained with a
parade, crafts, food, a quilt show and more. This is
also the perfect opportunity to enjoy the beautiful
fall colors of northeast Tennessee.
Getting to Johnson County is easy. A scenic 2 1-2
hour drive from Knoxville, Tennessee, and Asheville or
Greensboro, North Carolina finds you crossing into
Johnson County and rounding Watauga Lake. Or fly into
the Johnson County Airport in Mountain City, a private
facility perfect for small planes.
Once you arrive in Johnson County, experience the
serenity of the mountains at the Iron Mountain Bed
& Breakfast. Four private rooms, each with
their own Jacuzzi bath and outdoor porch offer a
quiet, relaxing retreat where no city lights can be
seen, only beautiful mountain views.
For more information on Johnson County, contact the
Johnson County Welcome Center at (423) 727-5800.
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