South Mountains (North Carolina)
Encyclopedia
The South Mountains are an ancient and deeply eroded mountain range in western North Carolina
. They are an isolated remnant of the much larger Appalachian Mountains
to the west, and are separated from the Appalachians by the Catawba River
valley. The range covers approximately 100,000 acres (400 km²) in Burke
, Cleveland
, and Rutherford
counties. The South Mountains are the highest and most rugged chain of the isolated mountain ranges which dot North Carolina's Piedmont
region. The highest point in the range is Buzzard Roost, which rises to 2,980 feet (908 m) above sea level. The South Mountains are heavily forested with Southeastern mixed forests
. Water erosion from numerous rivers and streams has given the mountains narrow ridges and valleys.
The mountains were once inhabited by the Cherokee
Indian tribe; after gold
was discovered in the mountains in the 19th century numerous prospectors moved into the area, and by the time the mines closed in the early 20th century over $1 million in gold had been found. Today the mountains are sparsely populated, and no communities of more than a few hundred people are located in the immediate region (the largest nearby city is Morganton, North Carolina
, located five miles north of the range). Most of the South Mountains remain in the hands of private owners. However, in 1973 the State of North Carolina paid $1.5 million to acquire 5,779 acres (23.4 km²) of land in the South Mountains, and in 1975 the South Mountains State Park
was created. Today the park covers nearly 17,000 acres (69 km²), and includes the impressive High Shoals Falls
, which cascade over 80 feet down a sheer cliff and form a large, deep pool at the bottom. The park, like most of the South Mountains, is largely undeveloped, and much of it is still wilderness. Numerous rare and endangered plants lie within its boundaries, much of them documented by botanist Bill Moye, whose efforts helped expand the park to its present size.
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...
. They are an isolated remnant of the much larger Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
to the west, and are separated from the Appalachians by the Catawba River
Catawba River
The Catawba River is a tributary of the Wateree River in the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. The river is approximately 220 miles long...
valley. The range covers approximately 100,000 acres (400 km²) in Burke
Burke County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 89,148 people, 34,528 households, and 24,342 families residing in the county. The population density was 176 people per square mile . There were 37,427 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile...
, Cleveland
Cleveland County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 98,078 people, 37,046 households, and 27,006 families residing in the county. The population density was 207 people per square mile . There were 40,317 housing units at an average density of 87 per square mile...
, and Rutherford
Rutherford County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 62,899 people, 25,191 households, and 17,935 families residing in the county. The population density was 112 people per square mile . There were 29,535 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile...
counties. The South Mountains are the highest and most rugged chain of the isolated mountain ranges which dot North Carolina's Piedmont
Piedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...
region. The highest point in the range is Buzzard Roost, which rises to 2,980 feet (908 m) above sea level. The South Mountains are heavily forested with Southeastern mixed forests
Southeastern mixed forests
The Southeastern mixed forests are a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion of the United States.-Setting:This ecoregion covers the Piedmont of the eastern United States, stretching in a broad arc from Maryland southwest to Mississippi. It is distinguished from neighboring ecoregions by elevation...
. Water erosion from numerous rivers and streams has given the mountains narrow ridges and valleys.
The mountains were once inhabited by the Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
Indian tribe; after gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
was discovered in the mountains in the 19th century numerous prospectors moved into the area, and by the time the mines closed in the early 20th century over $1 million in gold had been found. Today the mountains are sparsely populated, and no communities of more than a few hundred people are located in the immediate region (the largest nearby city is Morganton, North Carolina
Morganton, North Carolina
Morganton is a city in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. Reader's Digest included Morganton in its list of top ten places to raise a family. The town was recently profiled in The 50 Best Small Southern Towns. The population was 17,310 at the 2000 census...
, located five miles north of the range). Most of the South Mountains remain in the hands of private owners. However, in 1973 the State of North Carolina paid $1.5 million to acquire 5,779 acres (23.4 km²) of land in the South Mountains, and in 1975 the South Mountains State Park
South Mountains State Park
South Mountains State Park is a North Carolina state park in Burke County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Connellys Springs, North Carolina, it covers 16,664 acres and includes part of the South Mountains, a branch of the Blue Ridge Mountains.High Shoals Falls is the...
was created. Today the park covers nearly 17,000 acres (69 km²), and includes the impressive High Shoals Falls
High Shoals Falls
High Shoals Falls is a waterfall in Burke County, North Carolina.-Geology:The waterfall is on the Jacob's Fork River, flowing over a large rock outcropping in the South Mountains of North Carolina...
, which cascade over 80 feet down a sheer cliff and form a large, deep pool at the bottom. The park, like most of the South Mountains, is largely undeveloped, and much of it is still wilderness. Numerous rare and endangered plants lie within its boundaries, much of them documented by botanist Bill Moye, whose efforts helped expand the park to its present size.