Johnson County Attractions

Johnson County has become a popular family vacation destination offering many outdoor adventures and a great variety of family attractions. We have a great county Welcome Center located on Hwy 421 in Mountain City offering travelers all the information they need to enjoy these adventures and attractions.

Find Places to Stay | Visit our Calendar of Events | Discover Things to Do

Our Log Cabin Welcome Center warmly welcomes visitors to Johnson County. It is conveniently located on Hwy 421, in the middle of Mountain City, which is our county seat.

Here you will find a small history museum with exhibits that present our history and showcases original artifacts and pictures from the past. The Welcome Center is staffed with knowledgeable and friendly people who can answer your questions, give you information about local businesses and provide tourism information about the many activities, attractions and adventures available in our area.

Johnson County Welcome Center
716 S Shady St, Mountain City, TN 37683
(423) 727-5800

Tennessee's Best Kept Secret

Johnson County is home to many types of attractions including historical sites, museums, theater, parks and music. There are also several nature based attractions such as Watauga Lake, Doe Mountain Recreation Area, and the Snake Motorcycle and Sports Car Route.

Continue to scroll down for more videos and links to more to do!

In April of 2023, Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee Legislative Body designated the iconic rock anthem, Copperhead Road by Steve Earle, as the 12th State song. In honor of this recognition, Johnson County Tourism partnered with The Waterfront Group to create a very unique landmark to capture the musical history and moonshine legends of this area of Tennessee. The landmark is free to visit and we encourage photos! The unveiling of the Copperhead Road Landmark in 2024 also kicked off the Copperhead Road Music Fest held over Memorial Day!

Antiquing

In Johnson County, you will find small and large antique shops for those searching for new treasures during their visit here.

Appalachian Trail

The famous 2,100 mile hiking trail meanders through our area offering some of the best hiking in the world. In our area this trail will take you along mountain ridges overlooking Shady Valley around pristine Watauga Lake and actually across the Watauga Dam and by incredible Laurel Falls.

Backbone Rock

Our county is home to Backbone Rock which is a natural wonder located in the Cherokee National Forest. It is known as the shortest railroad tunnel in the world. This unique rock formation hovers over Hwy 91 and provides a lasting memory. There is also a picnic area and hiking trails for your enjoyment.

Doe Mountain

State and local governments purchased Doe Mountain to keep it from being commercially developed and to provide an outdoor recreation area for this part of Northeast Tennessee. This 8,600 acre family wilderness area provides over 50 miles of blazed adventure trails for ATV riders, hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders.

Eco-Agriculture

The history of Johnson County is rooted in rural American farming, the timber industry and mining industry. The county has transformed into a tourism destination with some eco-agriculture attractions such as Harbin Hills Farm, an organic farming
operation with the Mountain Music Stage venue featuring music performances by some talented local musicians.
Our county is also part of an American Viticulture Area which is a designation for areas that have the right geographic features to produce high quality wine grapes. We have a thriving vineyard and two local wineries serving award winning wines. The Watauga Lake Winery is located in a restored historic school building where you can participate in tours of the
winery facilities and enjoy wine tastings. The vineyard offers a touch of Tuscany where you can dine while enjoying
incredible views and attend some of the many scheduled events during the year.

Heritage Hall

This theater is a quality venue showcasing some great theatrical productions and musical performances. The theater venue is actually located in a restored turn of the century building and features an active calendar of events.

Johnson County Farmer's Market

The main work of the Johnson County Farmers Market is to help strengthen a sustainable local agricultural and food economy. Follow us on Facebook for current schedules and locations: @johnsoncountyfarmersmarket

Johnson County Museum of History

The Johnson County Welcome Center houses a small History Museum that presents the history of our area, our rural Appalachian culture and our long musical heritage. There are some nice exhibits to view as you learn about our history There is no cost to tour this museum.

Johnson County Veterans Memorial Wall

Located in Ralph Stout Park in Mountain City Tennessee, the Johnson County Veterans Memorial Wall commemorates our local hometown heroes that have served our great nation proudly. As they have stood for us, so shall we stand for them. Our Veterans Memorial Wall honors our brave service men and women and their sacrifice to protect our freedom and their courage to uphold their oaths to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America.

Museum of Butler TN

This first rate museum will amaze you with its quality exhibits and original photographs that bring to life the relocation of the town of Butler to make way for the creation of Watauga Lake. This museum is open on weekends between Memorial Day and late October. Guided tours are available by appointment.

The Johnson County Center for the Arts

The Art Center is located in Heritage Square in downtown Mountain City, Tennessee. This non-profit art center showcases Appalachian crafts, art and products produced by local artisans. They also offer a very active art class schedule, so be sure to check out the schedule to find a class in which you would like to participate.

The Snake

The famous Snake 421 Motorcycle and Sports Car Route runs through our county providing some of the best motorcycle touring in the southeastern United States. The Shady Valley Country Store is the hub for this ride and is located at the
intersection of US Hwy 421 and TN Hwy 91 in Shady Valley, Tennessee. You are invited to come and ride the 489 curves
over two mountains and through one valley.

Trade Grist Mill

The mill is located on the east side of US 421 in the village of Trade, on the TN/NC border. While the mill is located at the back of the road, it can easily be seen from the highway. Originally known as the Jones, May, Snyder Mill, it is now called the Trade Grist Mill. The mill was built around 1802 by Thomas Jones who migrated from North Carolina and homesteaded land on Roan Creek in an area known as Key Station, near Trade.

Watauga Lake

Johnson County is on the north side of Watauga Lake in the southern Appalachian Mountains. This is one of the cleanest lakes in America making it a choice family lake destination. There are public beach areas, picnic areas, campgrounds and boat ramps. Here you can enjoy a variety of water sports such as skiing, sailing, pontoon boats, canoeing and kayaking in a cool clean mountain lake.