Roane County, Tennessee
Roane County, TN, has long made for a welcoming home to its residents, and it is now a hub of tourism as well for people who are interested in the history of science in America and those who love the great outdoors. With 738 miles of Watts Bar Lake shoreline, Roane County is an essential part of the Tennessee RiverLine, and it knows how to make the most of its gorgeous banks.
Visit Roane County!
Parks and Wildlife Areas
Regardless of which city or town someone chooses to visit in the county, they are never far from a riverside space to explore nature.
Watts Bar Lake, which extends from Watts Bar Dam to Fort Loudon Dam, creates a world of opportunity for outdoor recreationists. From birding, to hunting and fishing, to simple paddles along a vast riverway, people can enjoy the water however they please without having to leave the county.
Fishing for catfish and smallmouth, largemouth, and striped bass is an incredibly popular pastime given their high populations along Roane County shores. If the whole family doesn’t enjoy fishing, there are plenty of spots with easy dock access and much to do on land.
The largest park in the county is Roane County Park in Harriman, which is bordered by Watts Bar Lake. With a swimming area and splash pad, it’s easy to cool down during warmer times, and tennis, baseball, and an 18-hole disc golf course are all on site for fun in the sun. There is also a 1.5-mile trail to walk along the water’s edge and catch the sunset.
David Webb Riverfront Park on the Emory river is another optimal spot to catch a sunset since it faces west over the water. It offers a small track as well as a pavilion which hosts outdoor live music at different times throughout the year.
Further along in Harriman, Lakeshore Park offers a unique place to dock your craft and explore, with some of the best birdwatching areas in the region. The Gupton Wetlands Area is a part of the park, which means there are plenty of waterfowl and other marsh-native wildlife to spot along its beautiful docks and walkways.
Nearby, Black Oak Ridge Conservation Easement offers nearly 14 miles of trails which are known to be a great spot for mountain biking. This comprehensive guide can give riders an idea of what to expect, noting which parts are steepest and the conditions of the tracks. It also notes that this is another tremendous place for birding, as woodland birds love the sanctuary the trails provide.
Kingston City Park offers another great riverside stop, with three full miles of trail on the waterfront that lead to Southwest Point Park. The largest covered pavilion in the U.S. calls Kingston City Park home, as well as a playground, tennis courts, and Caramella Bistro.
Ladd Park and Greenway sits where the Clinch and Emory Rivers meet, offering gorgeous views of the water along a 3.8-mile roundtrip multi-use greenway. The park offers a covered pavilion, grills, Kingston’s largest boat launch, a fishing dock, outdoor exercise stations and restroom facilities.
Golfers will have the chance to hit the links in Roane County at historic Emory Golf Course, home to the oldest nine holes in Tennessee recently celebrating its centurion anniversary. Horseback riding is another popular local recreation activity, which Winding Creek Stables offers through guided rides and 150 acres of equestrian sanctuary.
East Tennessee’s famously beautiful skies are well-enjoyed in Roane County, especially at public stargazing nights at Tamke-Allan Observatory. Taking place several times throughout each month depending on conditions, these are a great way to see the cosmos and bump into someone who knows what they’re looking at.
Museums and Miscellany
Roane County’s essential role in the Manhattan Project means there is tons of scientific and national history to check out, as well as domestic history at its many beautiful storefronts filled with antiques and boutiques.
In the Oak Ridge area, visitors can find museums covering all different sides of the city’s nuclear history. The Oak Ridge History Museum covers the day-to-day life that people experienced within the once high-security community. Filled with more than 100 artifacts including antique furniture, this museum is so true to its roots that a pass through can feel like taking a stroll back in time.
This fascinating period was so secretive, in fact, that only one man was allowed to carry a camera around Oak Ridge for several years. Ed Westcott, the photographer, went on to become legendary for his ability to capture daily life within the gated community, and this museum exhibits the world’s largest collection of his work. The opening ceremony of the museum was the last event Westcott photographed before he passed away in 2019.
Fans of the show Stranger Things may get an extra kick out of this Roane County visit, as there are fan theories suggesting Hawkins is based on Oak Ridge, citing evidence including local fishing spots and “Roane County School District” buses appearing in an episode.
The K-25 History Center would make a great stop for fans of scientific history and intrigue as well, as visitors can get an inside look at what nuclear engineers did there while pioneering uranium processing efforts. K-25 was one of three facilities in Oak Ridge used to process uranium for the atomic bomb “Little Boy,” which was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.
Uranium enrichment efforts were moved across Oak Ridge and the original K-25 Gaseous Diffusion Plant was dismantled to clean up the area and new use of the space. This space became the history center in 2020 after a decade of research curated it with hundreds of artifacts from the 1940s up through the Cold War that were once hidden from the public eye..
Continuing with the theme, the American Museum of Science and Energy is among the top exhibitors in the world for people who want to learn about atomic energy. As an official Smithsonian Institution affiliate, it has offered a comprehensive, yet approachable look into nuclear energy since its original location (it was moved in 1975 and again in 2018) opened to the public the same day most of Oak Ridge did in 1949.
If that all seems a little too intense, there is yet another museum option around (not to mention the exhibitions at the Visitors Center), the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge. This location focuses on the Manhattan Project at large, showcasing different elements of science, history, geography, and the environment through interactive exhibits and a park film. Perhaps one of the most beloved spaces is the dollhouse, where children can play in a child-sized replica of a two story home. The Waterworks exhibit is a hands-on flume that demonstrates the lock system on the Tennessee River. Fittingly, the museum is housed in a former elementary school which opened in 1944 for Manhattan Project workers’ kids.
Heading into Town
The county is filled to the brim with activities, though these don’t take away from its small-town appeal. There are gems all over the county, especially in its two larger cities, Kingston and Harriman.
One key offering is entertainment venues, and the most notable in Roane County is likely the historic Princess Theatre in Harriman. The impressive building it currently resides in was opened in 1939 after a fire destroyed the first structure, and it has been a magnificent presence in town since.The theater has survived several threats to close its doors, always being saved by locals with cherished memories of the silver screen. A grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation and massive donation from TVA enabled major renovations to the theater, which is now immaculately art-deco and has expanded to include live performing arts and educational programming. You can also learn about Harriman history at an exhibit within the theater.
Harriman is home to a very eclectic mix of vintage shops and clothing boutiques including Main Street & Co., Out of the Attic Antiques, Superlative Vintage and Antiques, Tattered Peacock, Out of the Past Antiques, and more. There are also some unique specialty shops including The Sweet Spot candies, Loose Threads Quilt Shop, Walther Handmade Yarn Shop, and Toni’s Country Post which also makes baked goods.
Kingston offers an abundance of shopping opportunities as well, including boutiques Everly Blu and Highland Lane, and vintage stores like Recovered Relics. It is also home to Tobro Bath Co. for guests who need supplies for an at-home spa day. Roane Tourism offers a guide to stores all over the County.
Oliver Springs and Rockwood have their share of special shops to check out as well, including several florists and Ms. Disney’s Treasures, a Western-themed boutique, and Sisters Market, which offers all kinds of farmer’s market-style foodstuffs like jellies and Amish-baked bread.
Of course, if all of this shopping makes you hungry, there are an impressive number of restaurants, coffee shops, and bakeries all over the county. From hometown diners, to Mexican restaurants, to Italian food of all different kinds, there is plenty of variety to fill more than a week’s worth of dining experiences.
Home to plenty of intriguing science history and outdoor spaces to enjoy, scenic Roane County is an incredible stop on any RiverLine Journey. Whether it’s fishing, antique shopping, or mountain biking you’re looking for, it won’t be tough to find along Roane’s 40+ miles of Tennessee River shoreline.