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Rocky Top, Tennessee
Rocky Top is a city of 1,607 people in Anderson County, Tennessee, founded in 1856.
Why visit Rocky Top
Townapedia lists 13 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 13 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Militia Hill, Coal Creek Miners Museum and Fraterville Disaster.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 25°F.
Weather in Rocky Top
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Rocky Top
Rocky Top (formerly Coal Creek and Lake City) is a city in Anderson and Campbell counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee, northwest of Knoxville. The population was 1,628 at the 2020 US Census. Most of the community is in Anderson County and is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Statistical Area. On June 26, 2014, the city officially changed its name from Lake City to Rocky Top, after a last-ditch effort by the copyright owners of the song "Rocky Top" was denied by a federal court.
From the Wikipedia article Rocky Top, Tennessee (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks13
1 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes13
Coal Creek Smokehouse BBQ
Restaurant · Barbecue · 0.4 mi
211 South Main Street
Glenn's Pizza and Grill
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.4 mi
513 North Main Street, Rocky Top
Domino's
Fast food · Pizza · 0.5 mi
623 North Main Street, Lake City
Mo-Th 10:30-24:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-01:00; Su 10:30-24:00
Sonic
Fast food · Burger · 0.4 mi
605 North Main Street, Lake City
Mo-Fr 06:00-21:00; Sa-Su 08:00-21:00
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich · 0.4 mi
521 North Main Street, Lake City
Mo-Sa 07:00-21:00; Su 09:00-21:00
1 more on the map.
Where to stay4
Churches and places of worship15
Clear Branch Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 1.5 mi
1030 New Clear Branch Road, Rocky Top
New Hope Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 0.6 mi
940 Lovely Bluff Road, Rocky Top
Rocky Top United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 0.5 mi
220 4th Street, Rocky Top
Willowbrook Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 0.8 mi
820 North Main Street, Rocky Top
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries11
Anderson County Career Technical Center
School · 5.6 mi
140 Maverick Cir, Clinton
Healthcare1
Map of Rocky Top
68 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 25°F | 5.1 in | 1.1 in |
| Feb | 50°F | 28°F | 5.3 in | 1.5 in |
| Mar | 60°F | 33°F | 5.5 in | 0.1 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 41°F | 5.8 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 77°F | 51°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 59°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 63°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 62°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 56°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 44°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 57°F | 34°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 48°F | 29°F | 5.7 in | 0.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Norris (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Anderson County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-02-06: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-02: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-02: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-04-17: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) (TYS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 30 miles away.
- Norris 5 mi east, about 8 min by car
- Caryville 6 mi northwest, about 10 min by car
- Jacksboro 8 mi north, about 13 min by car
- Clinton 9 mi south, about 14 min by car
- La Follette 10 mi north, about 17 min by car
- Fincastle 14 mi northeast, about 22 min by car
- Powell 15 mi southeast, about 24 min by car
- Halls 16 mi southeast, about 25 min by car
- Oliver Springs 16 mi southwest, about 26 min by car
- Knoxville 21 mi southeast, about 34 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Rocky-Top-city-hall-tn1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- Interstate 75 near Rocky Top, Tennessee - panoramio - Epic Chill (12), Epic Chill, CC BY 3.0
- First Barn at the Seven Islands Wildlife Refugee - panoramio, verygreen, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.