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Fishing Site · Carter County

Roan Mountain State Park, Doe River

Restrooms, accessible parking. 14 miles from Elizabethton.

Get driving directionsAll Carter County spots

With a guide

Guides and charters near Roan Mountain State Park

Captains who run South Holston and Watauga, with their own phone numbers. You call and book with them directly.

Patrick Fulkrod · Piney Flats / Bristol

South Holston River Company

Brown and rainbow trout, smallmouthsouthholstonrivercompany.com

Elizabethton

Watauga River Guides

TroutCall 704-773-4497wataugariverguides.com

Bristol

South Holston River Fly Shop

Brown and rainbow troutCall 423-878-2822southholstonriverflyshop.com

Every Tennessee guide by water

What to bring

Tackle for Roan Mountain State Park

Three picks from the trout checklist that work for the fish here. Affiliate links: buying through them pays this site a small commission at no extra cost to you.

RodUgly Stik Elite ultralight spinning rod, 6 ftCasts a 1/16 oz spinner and protects 4 lb line.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
ReelPflueger President 20 spinning reelSmall, smooth drag for light line.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
SpinnerPanther Martin spinner, 1/8 ozThe tailwater standard. Gold blade in stained water, silver in clear.Shop on Amazon →Why it is on the list
Full trout checklist (11 items)All gear checklists

Spending more? The bigger purchases, compared side by side:

Trout Waders comparedHard Coolers compared

How to get there

Getting to Roan Mountain State Park

Roan Mountain State Park is a public access point on Doe River in Carter County, Tennessee, run by TDEC.

I-26 to US 321 to US 19E to Hwy. 143

Roan Mountain State Park is 14 miles south-east of Elizabethton, the nearest town with its own page here. The closest other public access is Happy Trails Access, 2.5 miles to the north-west on the same water. For bait, Appalachian Outpost in Elizabethton is about 14 miles away.

Coordinates 36.17768, -82.07934

Open in Google MapsSee nearby spots on the mapFishing near Elizabethton
Aerial view of Roan Mountain State Park
Roan Mountain State Park from above. The pin marks the access point. USGS aerial imagery.

What is there

What you will find at Roan Mountain State Park

Free to launch 2.5 out of 5 Facilities 2.5 of 5, scored from what TWRA records: ramp, docks, pier, restrooms, parking, lighting and hours.

Everything below comes from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s own public access record for Roan Mountain State Park. It is the same data the state uses, not a guess from a photograph.

Restrooms

Toilets on site, which is rarer than you would think.

Accessible parking

Marked accessible parking at the access point.

Open 24 hours

TWRA records round the clock access, so early starts are fine.

Not recorded here: boat ramp, fishing pier, canoe and kayak, camping. Worth knowing before a long drive with the family.

What you can catch

Fish you can catch at Roan Mountain State Park

Doe River holds these, according to the county research behind this site and TWRA’s own species notes.

rainbow trout

Heavily stocked along its whole length, TWRA lists 24 separate stocking points on the upper river alone, many inside Roan Mountain State Park.

Everything on Doe RiverFind a local fishing guide

What you can keep

Fishing limits at Roan Mountain State Park

What you can keep from Doe River at Roan Mountain State Park. Doe River has no limits of its own, so the statewide limits apply. These are the ones for the fish it holds.

FishDaily limitLengthWhere or when
Rainbow trout7 trout combinedNo minimumStatewide

From the 2026–27 Tennessee Fishing Guide (TWRA), in effect 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2027, checked 25 September 2026. Rules change, so check the guide before you keep a fish.

Statewide limits and licenses

10 public boat launches in Carter County, counted from TWRA’s own access database.

What it looks like

Doe River around Roan Mountain State Park

What the water at Roan Mountain State Park actually looks like. Drag or swipe through. Every picture opens that water’s own page.

Watauga River, TennesseeWatauga RiverOpen the Watauga River page →Ken Thomas / Public domainWatauga Lake, TennesseeWatauga LakeOpen the Watauga Lake page →Mark Larson from Atlanta, GA / CC BY-SA 2.0Watauga River, TennesseeWatauga RiverOpen the Watauga River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Watauga Lake, TennesseeWatauga LakeOpen the Watauga Lake page →Parker1297 / CC BY-SA 3.0Watauga River, TennesseeWatauga RiverOpen the Watauga River page →Brian Stansberry / CC BY 3.0Watauga Lake, TennesseeWatauga LakeOpen the Watauga Lake page →Pub. by The Asheville Post Card Co., Asheville, / Public domain

Next one along

More Doe River access near Roan Mountain State Park

The closest other public access points on Doe River, measured straight line from Roan Mountain State Park. Each one opens its own page with directions.

Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · CountyHappy Trails Access2.5 miles north-westDirections and detail →36.20663, -82.10493Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesFishing Site · CountyGreen River Landing8.8 miles north-westDirections and detail →36.27769, -82.17816
All 3 access points on Doe River

Roan Mountain State Park water holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, rainbow trout.

Other water close by

Other fishing near Roan Mountain State Park

Public access on other water within 20 miles of Roan Mountain State Park, including Watauga Lake, Watagua and Wilbur Reservoir. Handy when the wind is wrong on Doe River or the ramp is busy.

Launch fee5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSRat Branch (Bay View)Watauga Lake · 9.1 miles north1 ramp, 2 lanesfishing piercanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.30486, -82.11890Launch fee4.5 out of 5facilitiesMarina · MarinaWatauga Lakeshores MarinaWatauga Lake · 9.4 miles north1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsrentalsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.31250, -82.09850Fee not listed1 out of 5facilitiesMarinaFish Springs MarinaWatauga Lake · 9.9 miles northDirections and detail →36.32061, -82.06500Free3.5 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAWatauga Dam AccessWatauga Lake · 10 miles north1 ramp, 1 laneaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.32104, -82.11715Launch fee4 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · USFSLittle MilliganWatagua · 11 miles north-east1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.32490, -82.00211Free3 out of 5facilitiesBoat Launch · TVAWilbur Reservoir Boat RampWilbur Reservoir · 11 miles north1 ramp, 1 lanecanoe / kayak landingrestroomsaccessible parkingDirections and detail →36.33747, -82.12155

Bait on the way

Bait and tackle near Roan Mountain State Park

The closest shops to Roan Mountain State Park that this site has checked. Appalachian Outpost in Elizabethton is nearest, about 14 miles away. Call ahead in winter, when smaller shops cut their hours.

Elizabethton · about 14 milesAppalachian OutpostFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →Piney Flats · about 21 milesThe South Holston River CompanyTackle and bait for Sullivan County water. Call ahead out of season, winter hours are short.Directions and phone →Johnson City · about 22 milesFly Shop of TennesseeFly shop and outfitter. Flies, leader, licences and local water advice.Directions and phone →
All bait and tackle in Carter County

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Common questions

Questions about Roan Mountain State Park

Can you launch a boat at Roan Mountain State Park?

No trailered ramp is recorded at Roan Mountain State Park. It is listed as bank or pier access rather than a launch.

Do you need a fishing licence at Roan Mountain State Park?

Yes. Anyone 13 or older needs a Tennessee fishing licence to fish here, and a trout supplemental on top of it if you plan to keep trout. It is the same rule at every public access point in the state.

What fish are in the water at Roan Mountain State Park?

Doe River holds rainbow trout. Seasons and creel limits are set by TWRA and change, so check them before you keep anything.

Where can I buy bait near Roan Mountain State Park?

Appalachian Outpost in Elizabethton is the closest bait and tackle shop this site lists, about 14 miles from Roan Mountain State Park. The South Holston River Company in Piney Flats is next, about 21 miles away.

Is there a restroom at Roan Mountain State Park?

Yes, TWRA records restrooms at this access point.

Who runs Roan Mountain State Park?

Roan Mountain State Park is listed under TDEC in TWRA’s public access database. The owner is worth knowing because it usually decides whether there is a fee, whether the gate is locked overnight, and who to ring when a ramp is closed for repair.

Where to next

Around Roan Mountain State Park

Roan Mountain State Park is one access point. These pages cover the rest of the water and the rest of the county.

The whole waterFishing Doe River3 public access points across 1 county.See the spots →County guideFishing in Carter CountyEvery public spot in Carter County, mapped out.See the spots →Full listCarter County spot listAll 18 access points in the county.See the spots →GearBait and tackle near ElizabethtonShops, rentals and where to buy a licence locally.Find gear →Nearest townFishing near ElizabethtonEverything within about 30 miles of Elizabethton, closest first.See the spots →

Keep going

Fishing around Roan Mountain State Park, and who knows it

Guides and charters on this site are listed by the water they run, so you can ring the captain who fishes Doe River rather than a booking desk. Licences and limits are one click away too.

Guides by waterLicence and limits