Brownwood, Cashiers, Chandler, Chestnut, Clifton, Cowee, Edneyville, Evard, Manor, Micaville, and Watauga soils are on ridges and side slopes. In addition, the moderately deep Chestnut and the very deep Edneyville soils contain less mica and have a cambic horizon. The moderately deep Cowee and very deep Evard soils contain less mica. Clifton and Hayesville soils are in a fine particle-size class. Runoff is slow under forest cover and is medium to rapid in areas where the forest cover is removed.
Most areas are in forest.
Common trees are chestnut oak, scarlet oak, black oak, white oak, hickory, eastern white pine, Virginia pine, and pitch pine. Yellow poplar and northern red oak are common in the northern portions of MLRA 130. The understory includes flowering dogwood, American chestnut sprouts, flame azalea, blueberry, buffalo nut, mountain laurel, rhododendron, and sourwood. Cleared areas are principally used for pasture and hayland. Small areas are used for growing corn, small grain, truck crops, apples, and Christmas trees.