Fifty-second Annual Fall Roan Mountain Naturalists’ Rally

Join nature enthusiasts for this weekend-long celebration of Roan Mountain held every year on the first weekend after Labor Day at Roan Mountain State Park. This event, sponsored by the Friends of Roan Mountain, includes dinner and lunch programs, as well as 20 different trips relating to almost every aspect of the natural world from butterflies and birds to wildflowers and nature photography. The Friday evening program is "Why Is There Such High Biodiversity in the Southern Appalachians?” provided by Dr. Jennifer Frick-Ruppert, Professor of Biology and Environmental Science at Brevard College. The Saturday evening program is “Appalachian Treks, Exploring the Mountains of Northeast Tennessee, Western North Carolina, and Southwest Virginia” provided by Mark Peacock, Professor at Milligan College, where he teaches a course on digital photography.