Sullivan County · Region

Bluff City

River heritage and legendary barbecue at the Holston's edge

Bluff City sits along the Holston River where heritage and recreation converge. The Holston Heritage Museum preserves the river valley's settlement story, while South Holston Lake (just east of town) provides 15,000 acres of mountain water for fishing, boating, and camping. And then there's Ridgewood Barbecue, the legendary pit-smoked institution that has been drawing pilgrims since 1948. Bluff City is small but essential, connecting Rocky Mount's governmental story to the river valley's human story.