Visiting Mountain City
Bill Arnold
Mountain City, Tennessee, is my hometown. I have lived in this small town located in East Tennessee all my life. It has many attractions, shopping places, and great places to eat. Most people don’t realize what the town has to offer--everything from shopping in the downtown area to relaxing in one of the numerous parks. There are also several creeks and camping facilities for the outdoor man. This makes Mountain City a great place to go and forget about all your troubles.
Mountain City was established in 1885; the town was first called Talyorsville. The town has grown tremendously since its establishment. Located about 45 miles from Johnson City, it’s a perfect place to visit for a day. The drive is only about an hour from E.T.S.U. Mountain City is also located about 30 miles from Boone, North Carolina, where skiing’s a major attraction.
Since I have lived in Mountain City all my life, in my opinion, the fall season is the best time to go. The trees all around are full of color. This time of year is a perfect time to hike on one of the various trails, which will lead you deep into the Appalachian Mountains. Some of the trails lead to spectacular views of the town. The Deer Run Trail is a wonderful trail to hike in order to view the small town. The trail is about a mile long and very challenging. During the fall season, the weather seems warm during the day and cool throughout the night. I’d suggest taking some short sleeve shirts for the day and some long sleeved shirts for the chilly nights.
If the outdoors does not interest you, then Mountain City offers several stores to shop at. Downtown Mountain City is packed full of little stores filled with all kinds of treasures. There’s a variety of stores and wide selection of items to choose from. Some stores located in the downtown area are the City Shoe Store, Cornet Furniture, Auto Zone, Downtown Antiques, Hidden Treasures Antiques, and for the young people, Corner Pocket Arcade. The downtown area is not the only place to shop. I learned from my visit that there is a Dollar Store, Family Dollar, Tumbleweed Western Wear, Family Book and Card, and a Stanley Knitting Mill Outlet store. Some of my favorite places to shop are the little booths set up along side of the road, that feature crafts and different selections of souvenirs. If you decide to shop in the downtown area, parking might be a problem. There are parking spaces in front of the stores along the road, but I suggest parking in the parking lots behind the stores. If you enjoy shopping then Mountain City has a lot to offer.
There is more to do in Mountain City besides shopping. I went to one of the local parks in the town. Ralph Stout Park is the biggest park in the city. At the park you can run on the track, play tennis or basketball on the hardtop courts, or play softball on one of the two fields located by the park. While at the park you can also have a picnic. There are several tables and grills to cookout on. Playing sports and cooking out aren’t the only activities that can be enjoyed. The park is a perfect place to fly a kite on a windy October day.
Ralph Stout Park isn’t the only spot for recreation in Mountain City. The City Park, built in 1982 is the oldest park in the town. The City Park has a baseball field and playground equipment. The reason the parks well known, is because of the Olympic size swimming pool. This pool is the only one located in the immediate area. Also located right next to the City Park is the teen recreation center. The center has pool tables, ping pong tables, and dance floors. I really enjoyed the pool tables, because it gives you a perfect place to hangout and talk to friends.
In addition to the various recreation, parks, and shopping centers, Mountain City has a four-star golf course called Roan Valley Gulf Estates. Roan Valley is an eighteen-hole golf course equipped with a clubhouse and pro shop. The clubhouse also has a fine dining room for the golfers to enjoy a break from their hard day on the greens. If golf is not your sport, Roan Valley also has tennis courts for tennis lovers.
The biggest event held in Mountain City during the fall is the Heritage Rodeo. This rodeo usually takes place in late October. People come from all over to ride bulls and horses. During the time of the rodeo, there’s also a horse show at Harbin Hill Horse rink. Harbon Hill is located about 2 miles outside of the city limits. It is worth the drive if you like horses. Sometimes Harbin Hill is hard to find, so if you can’t find it, I suggest going to the Mountain City Welcome Center. The Center’s located right in the heart of Mountain City on highway 421.
While visiting Mountain City, I had the pleasure of eating in some of the finest restaurants. There is a wide select of fast food, as well as fine dinning. The best restaurant in town is Suba’s family restaurant. You can get a steak, baked potato, and salad there for $10.99. Another great restaurant is Mike’s Bar-B-Q. Established in 1958, Mike’s is one of the oldest restaurants in town. They have there own slow smoked B.B.Q. and homemade fries. Some other places of interest might be Boone Trail Dairy Bar, Pizza Palace, Ye Ole Shoppe, Cooks, and Main Street Cafe. These are all excellent choices. I wouldn’t suggest eating at Frank’s Dinner, because the food is usually cold, and inconsistent. If you are on a low budget and need to save money, Mountain City has a McDonald’s, Hardee’s, Pizza Plus, Subway, and a T.C.B.Y. Yogurt. So there are a variety of places to eat that will fit any budget.
If staying one day isn’t enough, then Mountain City has two hotels in the town. The Days Inn is the nicest hotel in town. The rates to stay in Days Inn range from about 69.00 to 79.00 dollars a night. The other hotel in the town is the Mountain Empire hotel. This hotel is a little older and cost about 10 dollars more a night. I would suggest staying at the Days Inn. If both the hotels are booked, the only other place to stay is the Butler Mansion Bed and Breakfast. Built in the late 1800’s, this bed and breakfast is a perfect reflection of old Mountain City. The cost is about 120 dollars a night to stay here, and you have to make reservations.
If getting away from the hectic college life is what you need, think about visiting Mountain City, Tennessee. You will enjoy the peace and quite, as well as all the town has to offer.