Great Craggy Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Great Craggy Mountains, commonly called the Craggies, are a mountain range in western North Carolina
, United States
. They are a subrange of the Blue Ridge Mountains
and encompass an area of approx. 194 sq mi (503 km²). They are situated in Buncombe County, North Carolina
, 14 miles northeast of Asheville
. The Black Mountains
lie to the northeast, opposite Balsam Gap
.
The Blue Ridge Parkway
runs along its crest. Craggy Gardens, an area of 16 km, is covered with purple rhododendron
s in mid-June.
, and northern hardwood forest with beech, buckeye, mountain ash and red oak. The Craggies are in the Pisgah National Forest
area.
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. They are a subrange of the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
and encompass an area of approx. 194 sq mi (503 km²). They are situated in Buncombe County, North Carolina
Buncombe County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 206,330 people, 85,776 households, and 55,668 families residing in the county. The population density was 314 people per square mile . There were 93,973 housing units at an average density of 143 per square mile...
, 14 miles northeast of Asheville
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
. The Black Mountains
Black Mountains (North Carolina)
The Black Mountains are a mountain range in western North Carolina, in the southeastern United States. They are part of the Blue Ridge Province of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The Blacks are the highest mountains in the Eastern United States...
lie to the northeast, opposite Balsam Gap
Balsam Gap
Balsam Gap is a mountain pass between the Plott Balsam Range to the northwest and the Great Balsam Mountains to the southeast on the county line dividing Haywood and Jackson counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina....
.
The Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
runs along its crest. Craggy Gardens, an area of 16 km, is covered with purple rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
s in mid-June.
Habitat
The high slopes of the Great Craggies are dominated by heath bald with rhododendron and blueberryBlueberry
Blueberries are flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium with dark-blue berries and are perennial...
, and northern hardwood forest with beech, buckeye, mountain ash and red oak. The Craggies are in the Pisgah National Forest
Pisgah National Forest
Pisgah National Forest is a National Forest in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina. It is administered by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. The Pisgah National Forest is completely contained within the state of North Carolina...
area.
Peaks
The highest point in the Great Craggy Mountains is Craggy Dome, which rises to an elevation of 6105 feet (1,860.8 m).| Peak Name Summit (topography) In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation... |
Elevation | Prominence | Coordinates Geographic coordinate system A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on the Earth to be specified by a set of numbers. The coordinates are often chosen such that one of the numbers represent vertical position, and two or three of the numbers represent horizontal position... |
Easiest route Climbing route A climbing route is a path by which a climber reaches the top of a mountain, rock, or ice wall. Routes can vary dramatically in difficulty and, once committed to that ascent, can be difficult to stop or return. Choice of route can be critically important... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craggy Dome | 6105 feet (1,861 m) | 1000 feet (305 m) | 35°42′21"N 82°22′00"W | Hike |
| Bullhead Mountain | 5899 feet (1,798 m) | 320 feet (98 m) | 35°42′59"N 82°21′29"W | Hike |
| Craggy Pinnacle | 5817 feet (1,773 m) | 233 feet (71 m) | 35°42′12"N 82°22′40"W | Trail |
| Craggy Gardens | 5525 feet (1,684 m) | 160 feet (49 m) | 35°41′33"N 82°23′05"W | Trail |
| Locust Knob | 5429 feet (1,655 m) | 35°43′41"N 82°21′02"W | Hike | |
| Snowball Mountain | 5341 feet (1,628 m) | 440 feet (134 m) | 35°42′07"N 82°24′26"W | Trail |
| Bearpen Knob | 5266 feet (1,605 m) | 48 feet (15 m) | 35°41′58"N 82°23′38"W | Hike |
| Lane Pinnacle | 5194 feet (1,583 m) | 590 feet (180 m) | 35°40′52"N 82°25′18"W | Hike |
| Little Snowball Mountain | 4692 feet (1,430 m) | 320 feet (98 m) | 35°43′12"N 82°25′50"W | Trail |
| Frosty Knob | 4236 feet (1,291 m) | 1126 feet (343 m) | 35°44′31"N 82°28′45"W | Hike |
| Beaucatcher Mountain Beaucatcher Mountain Beaucatcher Mountain is a mountain located in Asheville, North Carolina. The unique name is credited by James W. Patton and Charlotte Kerry; in which James teased his sister-in-law Charlotte by strolling on the mountain with her beaux, that he dubbed the mountain "Charlotte's Beaucatcher." Its... |
2694 feet (821 m) | 35°36′19"N 82°32′17"W | Auto Road | |