Max Patch
Encyclopedia
Max Patch is a bald
mountain on the North Carolina-Tennessee Border in Madison County, North Carolina
and Cocke County, Tennessee. It is a major landmark along the Tennessee/North Carolina section of the Appalachian Trail
, although its summit is located in North Carolina. It is known for its 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains, namely the Bald Mountains
in the immediate vicinity, the Unakas
to the north, the Great Smokies
to the south, and the Great Balsams
and Black Mountains
to the southeast. A small parking area is located near the summit with a short loop trail.
The mountain received national publicity after Bethany Lott was killed when struck by lightning near the summit as she was about to be proposed to by Richard Butler on June 8, 2010.
Appalachian balds
In the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States, balds are mountain summits or crests covered primarily by thick vegetation of native grasses or shrubs occurring in areas where heavy forest growth would be expected....
mountain on the North Carolina-Tennessee Border in Madison County, North Carolina
Madison County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 19,635 people, 8,000 households, and 5,592 families residing in the county. The population density was 44 people per square mile . There were 9,722 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
and Cocke County, Tennessee. It is a major landmark along the Tennessee/North Carolina section of the Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
, although its summit is located in North Carolina. It is known for its 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains, namely the Bald Mountains
Bald Mountains
The Bald Mountains are a mountain range rising along the border between Tennessee and North Carolina in the southeastern United States. They are part of the Blue Ridge Mountain Province of the Southern Appalachian Mountains...
in the immediate vicinity, the Unakas
Unaka Range
The Unaka Range is a mountain range on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, in the southeastern United States. It is a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains and is part of the Blue Ridge Mountains physiographic province. The Unakas stretch approximately from the Nolichucky River to the...
to the north, the Great Smokies
Great Smoky Mountains
The Great Smoky Mountains are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, and form part of the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province. The range is sometimes called the Smoky Mountains or the...
to the south, and the Great Balsams
Great Balsam Mountains
The Great Balsam Mountains, or Balsam Mountains, are in the mountain region of western North Carolina, United States. The Great Balsams are a subrange of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which in turn are a part of the Appalachian Mountains...
and 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...
to the southeast. A small parking area is located near the summit with a short loop trail.
The mountain received national publicity after Bethany Lott was killed when struck by lightning near the summit as she was about to be proposed to by Richard Butler on June 8, 2010.
External links
- Information about hiking and views from the mountain
- Max Patch Mountain – The Heartland SeriesThe Heartland SeriesThe Heartland Series is a series of television programs about the culture of Appalachia, produced by WBIR-TV of Knoxville, Tennessee, over the 25-year period 1984 through 2009...
episode