Blue Ridge Mountains - Peakbagger.com Peakbagger.com Mountain range with well-recognized name Highest Point United States States/Provinces Virginia (33%), North Carolina (25%), Tennessee (12%), Georgia (10%), Maryland (9%), Pennsylvania (6%), South Carolina (3%), West Virginia (1%) (numbers are approximate percentage of range area) Area 34,563 sq mi / 89,517 sq km Area may include lowland areas Extent 418 mi / 672 km North-South 482 mi / 775 km East-West Center Lat/Long 37° 15' N; 79° 35' W Map Link Yahoo Search The Blue Ridge is the extremely long mountain crest that runs from just north of the Potomac River on the Virginia-Maryland border south all the way to northern Georgia. The Blue Ridge Mountain Complex can be thought of as the Blue Ridge, with two main additions: its low continuations north of the Potomac into Maryland and Pennsylvania, and, more importantly, the whole series of high mountains centered on western North Carolina and extending west into Tennessee and south into Georgia.

These high ranges include the Great Smokies and many others, and contain all of the 6000 foot peaks in the Appalachians except New Hampshire's Mt. Washington. The entire huge complex of the Blue Ridge Mountains has clear natural boundaries. On the east, the mountains rise up distinctly from the flatter, rolling hills of the Piedmont. On the west, the Blue Ridge drops to the extraordinary Appalachian Valley, a continuous trough running from Alabama to Montreal. The Blue Ridge and its associated ranges are almost entirely thickly forested, gentle, rounded mountains. Way too far south to even approach having a timberline, even the summits of Mt. Mitchell (6684') and Clingmans Dome (6636') are in the middle of deep forest and would have no views whatsoever if lookout towers hadn't been built. No other large mountain range in the country has as many good, paved roads meandering through the high country and up to important summits. And pointed, craggy summits as rare in the Blue Ridge as low, rounded ones are in the Tetons. However, as with any huge area, generalizations are never totally true.

There may not be any timberline, but the summits of many "Balds" in the Blue Ridge area are open meadows with often fine views. There are pockets of rugged, challenging terrain, and even a few peaks with rocky ledges at the summits that poke above the trees and provide spectacular mountain settings--Old Rag-3268 in Virginia and Grandfather Mountain-5984 in North Carolina come to mind. The lack of challenging monster mountains isn't necessarily a drawback, either. The many high roads in this area, plus the gentle slopes and often short walks to summits from high trailheads, make the Blue Ridge an excellent place for mountain explorers who don't go for backpacking, rugged scrambling, or rock-climbing. A family or retired couple in their car doing easy dayhikes can spend huge amounts of time in the highest country in the east without ever getting a mile away from a car.

Also, mountains need not present sheer, craggy faces to impress; the Blue Ridge charms with its endless waves of green hillsides, its incredibly diverse flora and fauna in its damp forests, its haunting blue morning mists (which gave the Blue Ridge and the Great Smokies their names), and the fascinating Appalachian culture of the long-time residents. Some of the mountain folk, isolated in their deep mountain hollows, speak English so similar to the Elizabethan dialect of the 1600s that it has interested Shakespearean scholars. The very high average height of the southern Blue Ridge region gives it a climate that most people do not associate with the south. Winter snows can be heavy, and even spring blizzards can happen, as A.T. through-hikers getting an early start in April in Georgia sometimes find out. The area has the greatest rainfall in the contiguous U.S. outside of the Pacific Northwest, and is also much cooler and less humid than the surrounding lowlands.

Asheville, NC, the large city in the center of the southern Blue Ridge Complex, has been rated as having one of the most pleasant climates, due to more bearable summers than in, say, Atlanta, with more bearable winters than found in places like New England. This pattern is less true for the northern Blue Ridge in Virginia, with its much lower elevations and much narrower mountain mass. North of Roanoke, VA, the Blue Ridge is pretty much a single mountain crest. South of Roanoke, it startes expanding into a huge, wide, confusing oval of ranges and ridges that extends all the way into Georgia. To make sense of the entire complex, it has been divided into 4 sections: first,the Northern Blue Ridge, the single ridge north of Roanoke; second, the Southern Blue Ridge Front, which forms the eastern and southern edges of the large southern oval; third, the massive Great Smoky Mountains; fourth, the Western Blue Ridge Ranges, which are the other ranges at the western edge of the oval excepting the Smokies; and fifth and finally, the Central Blue Ridge Ranges, the jumble in the middle of the oval, which includes the Black Mountains and its high point, Mt.

Mitchell (6684') . Map of Blue Ridge Mountains Click on red triangle icons for links to other ranges. Note: Range borders shown on map are an approximation and are not authoritative. Blue Ridge Mountains | New Georgia Encyclopedia Brasstown Bald The Blue Ridge Mountains in northeast Georgia make up the state's highest mountain range. The range of rugged ridges and rounded, weathered peaks varies in elevation from 1,600 to 4,700 feet and harbors spectacular mountain scenery, as well as some of the world's richest biological diversity. In addition, the range contains Georgia's wettest areas, with higher elevations getting more than eighty inches of rain annually on average. The Blue Ridge, so named because its peaks and ridges often appear wrapped in a soft blue haze, consists of a nearly unbroken chain of mountains stretching from Virginia and North Carolina and extending nearly 100 miles into Georgia. It makes up the southernmost part of the Appalachian mountain chain, a vast complex of ranges that extends from north Georgia through New England. Northwest Georgia consists of several smaller ranges—the Cohuttas, the Unakas, and the Cumberland Plateau.

They are separated from the Blue Ridge by geologic formations known as the Hightower-Jasper Ridges and the McCaysville Basin in north central Georgia, along a boundary roughly marked by Georgia Highway 5. The Blue Ridge's southern boundary is along the Brevard Fault, at an elevation of 1,700 feet, where the Piedmont province begins. The Blue Ridge occupies all or portions of eleven counties in Georgia: Dawson , Fannin , Gilmer , Habersham , Lumpkin , Pickens , Rabun , Stephens , Towns , Union , and White . Amicalola Falls The Blue Ridge Mountains' crest, for much of its length, forms the drainage dividing line known as the Eastern Continental Divide, which separates rivers flowing eastward into the Atlantic Ocean from those flowing westward to the Gulf of Mexico. For instance, Georgia's Chattahoochee River basin, whose waters flow into the gulf, rises near the borders of Union and Towns counties. The Etowah River, which also flows to the gulf, rises in Lumpkin County.

The headwaters of the Savannah River , which flows to the Atlantic, are the Chattooga River , which rises in the Blue Ridge near the juncture of the Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina borders. Natural Resources and Recreational Opportunities Most of the Blue Ridge Mountains are part of the 750,000-acre Chattahoochee National Forest, managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Within its bounds are Georgia's highest peaks. The highest, Brasstown Bald (4,784 feet), is partly in Towns County and partly in Union County. Instead of rising to a distinctive peak, Brasstown Bald is unusual in that it is a barely discernible rise in Wolfpen Ridge, which extends for miles to the north and south. Other tall peaks include Rabun Bald (4,694 feet) in Rabun County and Tray Mountain (4,430 feet) in Towns and White counties. The southern terminus of the famed Appalachian Trail is on Springer Mountain (3,782 feet) in Gilmer County; Blood Mountain (4,461 feet) in Union County is the highest peak on Georgia's portion of the trail.

Tallulah Gorge The Blue Ridge also has impressive gorges and canyons, the most notable of which is Tallulah Gorge , which spans the border between Habersham and Rabun counties and is one of the state's most visited tourist destinations. Spectacular waterfalls include Amicalola (the tallest east of the Mississippi River), Anna Ruby, Hiawassee, and Toccoa. The Chattooga, Toccoa, Tugaloo, and other rivers in the region are popular recreation areas, particularly for whitewater rafters , canoers, and kayakers. These rivers provide the waters for a number of reservoirs , including Lake Burton, Lake Chatuge, and Lake Rabun, that also enhance the recreational opportunities in the area. Two much larger lakes, Lanier and Hartwell, are situated in the foothills just south of the Blue Ridge. Some of Georgia's most-visited state parks are found in the Blue Ridge Mountains, including Amicalola Falls, Black Rock Mountain, Tallulah Gorge, Unicoi, and Vogel.

The mountains also are home to most of Georgia's pristine wilderness areas, including Blood Mountain, Brasstown Bald, Ellicott Rock, Mark Trail, Raven Cliff, and Tray Mountain. Geology Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains are part of a longer geologic system that forms an almost unbroken wall running down the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge province from Virginia. Rarely more than a few miles wide in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, the Blue Ridge mountain range turns to the west and widens up to sixty miles in some places within Georgia. Branch Mint at Dahlonega The geology and topography of the Blue Ridge are the results of mountain-building processes that began more than 500 million years ago. The processes include rock folding, faulting, upward thrusting, and a great collision that took place about 300 million years ago between the North American and African continents in a process called plate tectonics. The collision buckled the Earth's surface and pushed huge masses of rocks westward, causing them to pile up. For the past 100 million years, erosion has carved away much of Georgia's mountains, leaving only their cores standing.

Erosion continues today and is constantly altering the landscape of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the rest of the southern Appalachians. Geologic resources of the Blue Ridge include copper, gold, marble , talc, and other minerals. Gold was mined at Dahlonega in Lumpkin County in the early 1800s; a branch mint there produced gold coins from 1838 to 1861. Natural Resources Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains enjoy one of the world's most botanically rich mixtures of temperate climate plants, with northern U.S. species mixing with their southern kin. Biologists contend that the Blue Ridge mountain range and its parent chain, the southern Appalachians, have the greatest mixture of temperate climate plants in the world, except for eastern temperate Asia, located at about the same latitude. Forests account for nearly 90 percent of the land cover in the Blue Ridge, a higher percentage than in any other region of the state. Agriculture and other land uses are limited primarily to the flat floodplains of creeks and rivers.

Examples of forest types found in the Blue Ridge include broadleaf deciduous cove forests on moist, cool north-facing slopes; stunted oak forests of ridges; and oak-hickory forests that comprise the bulk of the Appalachian slope forests. Shrub, grass, and heath balds, and hemlock and mixed oak-pine forests also are significant. Black Bear Black bear, grouse, songbirds, turkey, wild boar, whitetail deer, many species of amphibians and reptiles , thousands of species of invertebrates, and a variety of small mammals are found in the Blue Ridge. The area also is generally part of the Appalachian flyway for birds , especially tanagers, thrushes, vireos, and warblers. This richness in flora and fauna is presumed to be the result of several factors, including rainfall, climate, and soil types. The common crystalline rock types include gneiss, quartzite, and schist, covered by well-drained, acidic, brownish, loamy soils . Many areas average more than 60 inches of rainfall a year; higher elevations may get as much as 80 inches.

Temperatures in mountain valleys average six to eight degrees cooler than the nearby Piedmont in the summer months. At higher elevations the difference can be ten to twelve degrees. Human History The Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto was the first European to travel into the Blue Ridge Mountains, probably visiting the Nacoochee Valley and a site near Carters Lake. Naturalist William Bartram was introduced to the diverse plant life of the southern Appalachians by way of Georgia's Blue Ridge on a well-chronicled trip he made through the area in 1775. Hernando de Soto Bartram found few white settlers in the region, which was populated with Cherokee Indians . The Cherokees, or their predecessors, are believed to have settled in Georgia's mountains as early as the mid-1400s, and they developed an agricultural society , raising crops of corn , beans, and melons . They also hunted deer and bear, and used many native plants for medicinal purposes. By the end of the eighteenth century, English, German, Scots-Irish, and other European settlers began arriving in Cherokee territory in significant numbers. The Cherokees were friendly at first but fought with settlers when provoked.

After gold was discovered in Lumpkin and White counties in the late 1820s, the ensuing gold rush of the 1830s, along with a more general western migration by land-hungry settlers, precipitated the eviction of the Cherokees and their forced migration to Oklahoma on the infamous Trail of Tears in 1838-39. The cooler climate and scenic beauty of the region led to the establishment of antebellum summer resorts in Clarkesville, Cleveland , and Tallulah Falls. Rabun County Sawmill Many Blue Ridge communities, which were relatively removed from the market economy of Georgia's plantation system and included very few slaves , were divided in their loyalties when the state seceded from the Union and the Civil War (1861-65) began. Parts of the region suffered from intense guerrilla warfare as a result of those divisions, as did other parts of southern Appalachia. After the Civil War, the copper industry developed along the Tennessee-Georgia border, causing great damage to the forests because of the large amounts of timber needed to fuel copper smelters. Even greater forest damage resulted from the lumber industry that emerged at the end of the nineteenth century.

Mountain forests were stripped bare of trees by major logging operations centered near the towns of Dahlonega, Ellijay , and Helen , as well as by numerous smaller sawmills. Similar devastations of other forests around the nation prompted the creation of a national movement to restore and preserve forests. Georgia's Blue Ridge mountain lands were Moonshine Still some of the first acquired by the U.S. government for this purpose. The Chattahoochee National Forest was established in 1937. Since then, one of the most important benefits of the Chattahoochee forest has been a clean water source for metropolitan Atlanta . It was also during the late nineteenth century that the production of illegal alcohol—particularly corn whiskey and apple or peach brandy—generated moonshine "wars" throughout the southern mountains. These wars extended well into the twentieth century and were particularly intense in Georgia's Blue Ridge, where Internal Revenue Service agents, or "revenuers," did battle with mountain residents who resented and resisted paying federal taxes on this traditional staple of mountain agriculture. Culture Fireworks over Rabun Gap Blue Ridge Mountains have a rich cultural heritage associated with the southern Appalachians. Out of that heritage came many varieties of folk art and music, including bluegrass.

Bluegrass music is a unique sound that features mostly acoustic instruments and combines elements of both traditional Scottish and Irish folk music. Music and other aspects of mountain culture and folklife are celebrated at the Georgia Mountain Fair , held every August since 1950 in Hiawassee . The Foxfire magazine and books, published by students since the late 1960s, first at Rabun Gap–Nacoochee School and today at Rabun County High School, have chronicled the history, culture, traditions, and daily life in Appalachia and the Blue Ridge Mountains. James Dickey 's novel Deliverance , published in 1970, conveyed a very different, and far more negative, image of the region and its people. You Might Also Like Blue Ridge Mountains Blue Ridge Mountains About North Georgia Map of the Blue Ridge Mountains Forming the eastern front of the Appalachian Mountains in the Southeastern United States the Blue Ridge Mountains cross the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

Beginning as a narrow strip of land south of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the geological Blue Ridge Mountains run northeast to southwest, rarely more than a few miles wide in Virginia (and only a mile wide at a point near Roanoke), North Carolina and South Carolina. When they reach Georgia in the extreme northeastern part of the the state, the mountains turn to the west and widen, up to 60 miles across in places. The Blue Ridge Province, a geographical area that includes other mountain ranges also extends from Pennsylvania to Georgia including the states of West Virginia and Tennessee with those that hold the geological Blue Ridge. Long, parallel ridges, separated by deep valleys define the Blue Ridge Mountains. A rise at the top of Wolfpen Ridge known as Brasstown Bald ( Union and Towns County ) is the highest point in the state. Other high mountains in the Georgia Blue Ridge are Blood Mountain, named because it was the site of a battle between the Creek and Cherokee, Tray Mountain and Rabun Bald. The Blue Ridge ends in extremes: At the southern end is spectacular Amicalola Falls ( Dawson County ), tallest waterfall east of the Mississippi, and at the western end is a 2000 foot drop from Fort Mountain to the Great Valley (Murray County).

Ranges of the Unicoi Unakas Slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains facing the coastal Piedmont are generally steeper and more rugged than those facing the interior of the United States. Rocks from the eastern slope are among the oldest on earth, some exceeding 1.2 billion years and pre-dating the formation of the mountains. These mountains were formed in three major uplift phases, the first about a billion years ago, the second perhaps some 550 million years ago, and the final one about 300 million years ago. Other uplifts that were regional in nature occurred as well. Since that time water, wind, temperature and gravity have caused the fundamental erosion that created the Blue Ridge. Climate Winter scene in the Blue Ridge Mountains Distinctive weather marks the mountains of the Southern Blue Ridge. In the mountain valleys temperatures average 6 to 8 degrees cooler than the nearby Piedmont in the summer months. Near the tops of the mountains the difference can be 10-12 degrees. There is little average temperature difference in the winter months between the Piedmont and the mountain valleys, however the peaks are both colder and windier in the winter.

Although the average relative humidity is lower in Atlanta than in the Blue Ridge, the total amount of both rain and snow in these mountains easily beats the nearby city. Only the Pacific Coast gets more rain. In Georgia, 60 inches of rain falls on average each year in the Blue Ridge Mountains while in neighboring North Carolina the amount increases to 71 inches. Meteorologists know that Georgia's Blue Ridge have a far-reaching effect on the weather. When conditions are correct, they form something of a tunnel with the cooler coastal waters. When a storm in the Southeast United States moves through this relatively small corridor, by the time it reaches Washington and New York a weather system can intensified dramatically. A second wide-ranging effect is simply known as "The Wedge" to meteorologists. This is a body of relatively dry air that forms on the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge in Georgia and extends south to Atlanta and west to the Alabama border. When wet weather coming from the west hits the wedge rain begins to evaporate. Regional History Woody Lake, Suches Hernando deSoto probably was the first European to reach the Blue Ridge Mountains, visiting the Nachoochee Valley and a site near Carters Lake.

The route he took between these locations is a hotly argued topic. Other Spanish explorers made it to Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains as well - as did some Spanish gold miners who knew of the wealth of the these mountains. First of many English explorers to enter the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains may have been Col. George Chicken in 1702 (or earlier). Working for South Carolina Governor James Moore, Chicken established relations with many of the Overhill villages in present-day Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee including the villages of Chote and Nachoochee on the northern end of the Chattahoochee River in the Nachoochee Valley of White County . Most famous of the early explorers was William Bartram , who walked through Georgia's Blue Ridge in 1775. He frequently referred to them as the Cherokee Mountains, because of the large number of Indian villages he found. England's King George III included the Blue Ridge Mountains as part of the American colonies when he defined the western extreme of British occupation in Southeast in 1763 (Proclamation of 1763). At the time, virtually the entire range in Georgia was considered to be part of the Cherokee Nation .

The Cherokee farmed the valleys and hunted in the mountains, and called it "The Enchanted Land." They would continue to live in the Blue Ridge Mountains until they were forced west on the tragedy known as the Cherokee Trail Of Tears . Establishing a through route from Savannah to Knoxville was important to the coastal traders. From the navigable end of the Toccoa River (at Travelers Rest ), the Unicoi Turnpike ran to Knoxville across the Blue Ridge. It was the first road to cross the mountains in Georgia. Others followed including the Union Turnpike (later called the Logan Turnpike) and the Georgia Road (called the Federal Highway after 1819). Georgia gave away land in the Blue Ridge Mountains in a series of Land Lotteries and the gold lottery. Much of the high mountain land was undesirable and winners sold it to settlers from other areas of Southern Appalachia. These men and women eagerly moved into north Georgia when the Cherokee left, and Georgia's Blue Ridge quickly became an extension of Appalachia. Settled mostly by poor Scottish and Irish immigrants, Southern Appalachia developed its own language, customs and music that differed from the culture developed in the United States as a whole.

Sparsely populated at the start of The Civil War , the mountain communities tended to be pro-union until the outbreak of war. Once Georgia seceded, the mountain families remained loyal to their state, in spite of the fact that most did not own slaves. With fathers and older sons off fighting the war, near anarchy conditions made life difficult for those left behind to tend farms. Georgia Governor Joe Brown , who was born and raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains, would send troops on occasion to restore order. After the Civil War the agricultural economic base was extended with additional businesses. Mining, especially copper and carborundum was making money, thanks in part to new railroads running near and through these North Georgia's mountains. Travel to remote destinations became more popular, with Tallulah Gorge one of the major attractions. Another business popular in the mountains was distilling. Moonshine from the northern tier of counties found its way to the thirsty mouths of Atlanta from the 1880's on. Large-scale operations were found in the mountains into the 21st century. Beginning in 1900 large areas of the abundant North Georgia forests were stripped of trees.

Major logging operations were centered near Ellijay, Helen and Dahlonega , with smaller saw mills pulling trees from almost the all of north Georgia. The federal government purchased the barren land, forming the Cherokee National Forest. In 1937 the national forests were organized along state boundaries, so the Georgia portion of the Cherokee National Forest was renamed to Chattahoochee National Forest . Power was essential to a growing city like Atlanta, and Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains were the perfect location for hydro-electric generation. In 1912 the first major power project got underway at Tallulah Gorge . All the power went to Atlanta; workers on the project went home to candles and wood-burning stoves. Electricity (and phones) did not become common in Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains until after World War II . Long distance rail carriers avoided the mountains prior to the 1880's -- they made it much more difficult to make a profit. Not that it hadn't been tried.

In Warwoman Dell there are the graded remains of a railroad sometimes called the " Blue Ridge Railroad ." The project entailed connecting existing lines from Knoxville to Cincinnati and Charleston to Andersonville with track across the Blue Ridge Mountains called the Cincinnati, Louisville, and Charleston Railroad. Work began in 1854. The state of Georgia proposed and chartered the " North Eastern Railway " connecting Athens, Georgia with the as yet unbuilt line. The Civil War interrupted construction and when it began again after the war money issues stopped it again. The first railroad to breach the Georgia Blue Ridge Mountains was the Marietta and North Georgia, from Marietta to Knoxville. To the east, the Tallulah Falls Railway purchased an existing line between Cornelia and Tallulah Falls, extending it to Franklin, North Carolina. County, state and federal roadbuilding projects began in these mountain communities in the 1920's. County roads and most state roads remained gravel into the 1960's, but the federal government began to build paved "farm-to-market" roads like U. S. 76 in the 1930's. With the roads came a second wave of economic diversity that stabilized the agrarian economy.

Gas stations, auto repair shops and in some towns, car dealers - mostly as an addition to the local hardware store - energized local economies. As the fingers of the interstate highway system reached towards the mountains in the early 1980's, Georgia built the Appalachian Development Highway (GA 515 or "the four-lane"). Today's mountain communities are very similar to the suburbs of nearby larger cities: Wal-mart and Home Depot are frequently part of the scenery. Culture Part of the region we call "Appalachia," the Blue Ridge Mountains have a rich cultural heritage that it shares not with individual states, but with other mountain areas in the this country within a country. Today the individual culture of Appalachia no longer exists, but has become part of our society in the form of both country and bluegrass music, "southern" rock and roll and the many varieties of folk art. In Georgia, Appalachia's cultural works include the Foxfire Books, bluegrass music, the rich folk art of the mountains, and poetry. Foxfire is both a magazine and series of books published by students from northeast Georgia that chronicle the lives of the people of Appalachia and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Bluegrass music, sometimes called "old-time music" is a unique sound that had its earliest roots in post-Civil War Appalachia. It features mostly acoustical instruments and combines elements of both traditional Scottish and Irish folk music. Song lyrics, if they are present, can run the gamut from Christian to stories about life in this mostly rural area. By the 1880's, loose knit "fiddlers conventions" were held throughout the region, normally in a large town near the mountains. Fiddlers would compete for small prizes and bragging rights. With the advent of radio the musical genre went commercial, thanks to men like Georgian Fiddlin' John Carson , the first commercially successful country performer. Carson, who was born in Acworth, Georgia and grew up in Marietta, fabricated a birthplace of Blue Ridge, Georgia and a birth date of 1868, so that he would appear older and more rural to his core constituency. It is from performers like Fiddlin' John that modern country music evolved. Traditional folk arts were also an important expression. Storytelling, folkdancing plus a wide range of handcrafting are additional outlets for creativity among the mountain folk.

The poetry of the region includes Georgia's poet laureate, Byron Herbert Reece, who was born in Towns County, Georgia . Fly Fishing in the Blue Ridge Mountains & along the Parkway County - GILES Region - Blue Ridge Highlands - Southwest Virginia Description - Fish the beautiful New River in Giles County (Home of the state record small mouth bass (8 lbs 1oz) from our Private Retreat right on the riverbank. All inclusive float, wade, canoe, kayaking trips with lodging all customized your way. Make your stay on the river more than just a few hours in a boat. Fly Fishing at "Trout House Falls" City/State - Brevard, NC County - TRANSYLVANIA Region - Western North Carolina Description - The Luxury Riverfront Fishing Cottage is in the middle of a 4 mile stretch of the East Fork of the French Broad River which has been designated as ”Delayed Harvest Trout Fishing Only” (see the Fishing Page). This stretch of the East Fork is a fly fisherman’s dream, stocked by NC state hatchery with over 20,000 rainbow trout, brook trout, and brown trout each year.

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See listing above for web address Outdoor Adventures County - Region - Western North Carolina Description - Hunting, Fishing, Hiking, Photography, Float Trips, and Back road tours in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. See listing above for web address Joyful Events Fishing Trips County - FULTON Region - Georgia Atlanta Metro Description - Big Catch-Fishing-8 or 10 Hour Trips-Saturdays-Charter Coach From Atlanta, Georgia Areas To Panama City Beach, Flordia (Gulf Of Mexico) or Georgia Coast..All Inclusive Package..Fishing Equipment-Bait Included..Mates Assist You While Fishing..Captain Locates The Catch-Reserve Your Space. See listing above for web address Wild Mountain Trout Fly Fishing AND Mountain Guide City/State - Staunton, VA County - AUGUSTA Region - Shenandoah Valley Description - Wild Mountain Trout Fly Fishing AND Mountain Guide offering fly fishing instruction & guiding for Trout & Smallmouth Bass and custom hiking with wildflower and tree identification and Indian/Colonist uses. Located in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

See listing above for web address Indian Pointe Marina Smith Mountain Lake City/State - Hardy, VA County - FRANKLIN Region - Central Virginia Description - Im Captain Wendell Dudley owner of Indian Pointe bait and tackle.I have a professional chartering service,for striped bass.I also carry a full line of bait,tackle,rods,reels,snacks,gas,oil,and boat rentals.Im located next to the Waterfront Westlake Inn,and Vieras Brazilian Restraunt! See listing above for web address Asheville Anglers County - BUNCOMBE Region - Western North Carolina Description - With over 20 years of combined experience guiding in Western North Carolina and East Tennessee, Asheville Anglers is able to offer the finest guided fly fishing trips an angler can have. See listing above for web address Rose River farm LLC County - MADISON Region - Central Virginia Description - Rose River Farm-- the Piedmont's premier fee fly fishing destination for catch and release wild and stocked Rainbow Trout. Located in Madison, Virginia the farm is a short drive from Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia.

See listing above for web address Last Chance Outfitters County - SUMMERS Region - New River Greenbrier Valley West Virginia Description - Last Chance offers professionally guided smallmouth fishing trips on the New River in southern WV. Full day trips with generous shore lunches $300 and half day trips $150 ( prices are for 2 people). See listing above for web address Andy's Trout Farm County - RABUN Region - North Georgia Mountains Description - Andy's Trout Farm Fun for the entire family. Trout sold by the pound. Use your own equipment or rent ours. Gem Mining. Cabins on mountain stream. Great for families or groups. Check us out for field trips. In business for 40 years now serving 3rd and 4th generations. See listing above for web address Terrys Guide Service County - BEDFORD Region - Blue Ridge Highlands - Southwest Virginia Description - Smith Mountain Lake Va.(Capt.Matt Terry) United States Coast Guard Licensed Professional Striper and Bass Guide Service. Artificial Baits and Light Line Casting Specialist. Day and Night Charters.

See listing above for web address Greasy Creek Oufitters County - FLOYD Region - Blue Ridge Highlands - Southwest Virginia Description - Fly-shop and guided trips on the New River and Claytor Lake for smallmouth bass, walleye, striped bass, and trout. Fishing the New River Valley over 25 Years! See listing above for web address Troutfishers Guide Service County - SULLIVAN Region - East Tennessee Description - We are a professional, licensed, and insured fishing guide service. Come experience some of the best rivers and mountain streams in the Southeast. We offer trips for anyone from novice to experienced. Book your trip today. See listing above for web address New River Outfitters County - RALEIGH Region - New River Greenbrier Valley West Virginia Description - Come float fish for smallmouth bass on the beautiful New river in southern WV,we are located just off I-77 at Beckley. See listing above for web address Hunter Banks Company County - Region - Western North Carolina Description - Hunter Banks is a full service fly shop offering world class guided fly fishing trips in Western North Carolina and East Tennessee. We provide transportation, equipment, gourmet shore lunch, and assure you the fishing trip of a lifetime.

See listing above for web address Curtis Wright Outfitters County - BUNCOMBE Region - Western North Carolina Description - Fly-shop and guide service for trout and smallmouth bass in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. Apparel, hiking, hunting, fly fishing, and spin fishing supplies. 828-645-8700 See listing above for web address Altamont Anglers County - BUNCOMBE Region - Great Smoky Mountains North Carolina Description - Our seventeen years experience in fly fishing retail and fly fishing guide services has prepared us to offer the finest guided fly fishing experience an angler can have. See listing above for web address Mountain State Anglers County - FAYETTE Region - New River Greenbrier Valley West Virginia Description - Mountain State Anglers offers Float trips on the New River for Smallmouth bass, walk and wade trips for trout and fly fishing classes. Trips are all inclusive. Half, full and multi-day trips avaiable. Please contact us at 1-877-359-8463.

See listing above for web address East Tennessee Fly Fishing County - CARTER Region - East Tennessee Description - East Tennessee Fly Fishing has been guiding fly fishers for more than 12 years. We specialize in wade-in and float trips on the Watauga and South Holston rivers. We also offer Guided trips to small streams in North Carolina and East Tennessee. See listing above for web address The Angler's Inn County - JEFFERSON Region - Eastern Panhandle West Virginia Description - Float exclusive sections of the Shenandoah or Potomac River in wooden McKenzie Drift Boats with your professional guide for Smallmouth Bass. Lunch provided, packages with accommodations available at our Victorian B&B. See listing above for web address Pocahontas Fish and Game Adventures City/State - Marlinton, WV County - POCAHONTAS Region - New River Greenbrier Valley West Virginia Description - A secluded one half mile of improved trout stream, four stocked ponds and a restored rustic mountaineer cabin exclusively catering to the fly fisherman. We are located just a few miles from Marlinton on Stony Creek. See listing above for web address Outdoor Adventures, Ltd.

City/State - White Sulphur Springs, WV County - GREENBRIER Region - New River Greenbrier Valley West Virginia Description - Outfitting the Great Eastern Divide in the mountains of West Virginia and Western Virginia. Guided Smallmouth Bass float fishing trips on The Greenbrier, New and James rivers. Adventure planning 1-888-PLAYWVA. See listing above for web address Smoky Mountain Flyfishing County - SWAIN Region - Western North Carolina Description - Professional Flyfishing guide service offering trips to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Nantahala River, Tuckaseigee River, and other fine Western North Carolina trout fishing locations. See listing above for web address High Country Angler County - UNION Region - North Carolina Piedmont Description - Premier fly fishing guide service that offers float and/or wade trips in the NC and TN mountains. See listing above for web address Asheville Drifters County - BUNCOMBE Region - Western North Carolina Description - Professional fly fishing guide service specializing in float fishing and wading for trophy trout and smallmouth bass in western North Carolina. We provide transportation, equipment, gourmet shore lunch, and the fishing trip of a lifetime.

See listing above for web address Fly Fishing NC County - MECKLENBURG Region - North Carolina Piedmont Description - This site has the best of fly fishing NC. It has pictures of trips, flies (6 pages worth) maps and GPS coordinates on how to get there. My adventures are all dated and recorded with charts. They are labeled when, where, how, and why. See listing above for web address Brookside Guides County - TRANSYLVANIA Region - Western North Carolina Description - Professionally guided fly fishing trips in Western North Carolina including Pisgah National Forest and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Offering Full day, Half Day, Backpacking, Fly Fishing and Fly Tying classes. See listing above for web address North Georgia Trout Online Blue Ridge Mountains Lodging & Vacation Rentals Travel Guide Request Changes Blue Ridge Mountains & Blue Ridge Parkway Vacation Travel Guide Blue Ridge Online is a travel and vacation guide for the Blue Ridge Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky and Appalachian mountain ranges of the eastern United States. Specializing in North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia and West Virginia mountain tourism. Where to stay? What to do?

In the Blue Ridge, look no further find Secluded Cabins for Rent, Luxury Bed and Breakfast Inns, 5 Star Resorts, Blue Ridge Parkway Lodging, Historic Hotels, Unique Motels, Things to do and Beautiful Mountain land for Sale all just a click away. Kanawha Valley Arena Resort is a Western Themed Resort located near Dugspur,Virginia & the Blue Ridge Parkway.We are the ideal Vacation Destination for enthusiasts of Motorsport Events,Equestrian Events, Motorcycle Events, Wedding Events & Outdoor Adventures.We offer several lodging options including our new Hotel,a modern Campground with full hook ups & shower house,Vacation Homes,a Western Saloon with Food & Beverage, an Antique Carriage Museum & a Professional Arena to host Events. Take a jaunt up the Blue Ridge Parkway while you're on your Virginia Mountains vacation and stop at Tuggles Gap Restaurant on your way to fine wineries like Chateau Morissette, Villa Appalachia, and Valhalla. Stop in at the Floyd Country store for the Friday Night Jamboree. Follow the rest of the Crooked Road throughout the mountains to find more wonderful music.

Hike the Cascades Trail in Pembroke and bask in the majesty of the mountains When it comes to fun & outdoor recreation, there are no boundaries in our spectacular region of the Blue Ridge Mountains.There are many great hiking trails,waterfalls & scenic roadways.Elevations top 4000 feet opening up to views of the green valley floors below.There are many outdoor wonders to discover on your exploration of Marion,Old Fort,Little Switzerland,Linville Falls & Lake James.Enjoy caverns,gold mines,antique shops,bluegrass jams,swimming,canoeing & biking. Hot Springs Rafting Co. is a family owned company dedicated to custom whitewater rafting,tubing,and funyak trips,giving you the exact river experience you’re looking for. Our experienced and fully certified river guides insure you get the most out of every minute you spend on the water. We offer full-day, half day trips at 9am and 1pm.Located near Asheville, between Marshall, NC and Newport, TN. We’re also close to Knoxville, and just a short drive from Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and Gatlinburg.

French Broad Real Estate Company with offices in Asheville and Hot Springs, NC. If you are wanting to buy or sell a home,condo,cabin,farm or land in Western North Carolina you have come to the right place. You will find seasoned, experienced and ethical real estate professionals who understand the regional market whether it be in Buncombe, Madison or the surrounding counties. Customer service is our hallmark and we work hard to walk you through the process of buying or selling real estate. Two Rivers Lodge is an American, family owned, nostalgic, Mom and Pop Motel on the Oconaluftee and Tuckaseegee Rivers. We provide a relaxing casual environment from our homey rooms, deep porches and outdoor spaces to our large pool and kiddy pool. This is the perfect base camp for your motorcycle groups, sports car club, family reunion, river adventure or hiking trip with easy access and central location to all of the best roads and attractions. Welcome Home! We are proud to share with you our little piece of Heaven, Little Main Street Inn & Suites. Our unique condo style suites come in 1 & 2 bedrooms featuring all the comforts of home.

We are central to Grandfather Mountain, Ski Sugar, Ski Beech, Blowing Rock, Lees McRae College and APP State, Linville Falls, The Mast General Store, Golfing, Fishing, River Rafting, Mountain Biking, Hiking Trails and waterfalls. Little Main Street is Banner Elk's Number 1 rated hotel on Trip Advisor. Pioneer Rental Management is a full service Vacation Rental and Management Company serving the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge Area. We are dedicated to providing the most luxurious cabins with the best views of the Smoky Mountains, Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge at the best possible rates. You will enjoy our great customer service as we assist you with finding the right Vacation Rental to meet your needs. Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway follows the Appalachian Mountain chain for seemingly endless views of parallel ranges connected by cross ranges and scattered hills. From the Shenandoah National Park the parkway follows the Blue Ridge, eastern rampart of the Appalachians, for 355 miles. For the remaining 114 miles it first skirts the southern end of the massive Black Mountains, named for the dark green spruce and fir that cover them.

Then it weaves through the Craggies, the Pisgah's, the Balsams to end up in the Great Smokies. Blue Ridge Parkway Lodging Click Here! Great Smoky Mountains Great Smoky Mountains National Park part of the Appalachian system, on the N.C.-Tenn. border; highest range East of the Mississippi and one of the oldest uplands on earth. The mountains are named for the smoke like haze that envelops them. More than 25 peaks rise over 6,000 ft. The Great Smokies are noted for their many species of trees and a great variety of flowering plants. Nearly 40% of the forest is virgin growth. Black bears are among the most well-known of the many animals and birds in the Great Smokies. Read More Lodging in North Carolina Resorts and Spas Shenandoah Valley and Skyline Drive in the Virginia Mountains Shenandoah Valley extends southwestward from the vicinity of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, on the Potomac River and lies between the Blue Ridge to the east and the Allegheny Mountains to the west.

Drained by the Shenandoah River, it embraces nine counties Berkeley and Jefferson in West Virginia and Frederick, Clarke, Shenandoah, Warren, Rockingham, Page, and Augusta in Virginia. The valley, approximately 150 miles long and about 25 miles wide, is often considered to extend southward to the James River and thus to include Rockbridge county. Tourists are attracted by George Washington National Forest, Shenandoah National Park, the Natural Bridge near Lexington, and the area's many limestone caverns. Skyline Drive through the national park and the Blue Ridge Parkway to the south both running along the crest of the Blue Ridge parallel the valley on the east. Read More Lodging and Accommodations Appalachian Mountains | mountains, North America | Britannica.com Appalachian Mountains Green Mountains Appalachian Mountains, also called Appalachians , great highland system of North America , the eastern counterpart of the Rocky Mountains . Extending for almost 2,000 miles (3,200 km) from the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador to central Alabama in the United States , the Appalachian Mountains form a natural barrier between the eastern Coastal Plain and the vast Interior Lowlands of North America.

As a result, they have played a vital role in the settlement and development of the entire continent. They combine a heritage of natural beauty and a distinctive regional culture with contemporary problems of economic deprivation and environmental deterioration. Blue Ridge, part of the Appalachian Mountains. © Jill Lang/Shutterstock.com Physical features Physiography The system may be divided into three large physiographic regions: northern, central, and southern Appalachia. These include such mountains as, in the northern area, the Shickshocks (French: Chic-Chocs) and the Notre Dame ranges in Quebec ; the Long Range on the island of Newfoundland; the great monadnock (isolated hill of bedrock) of Mount Katahdin in Maine ; the White Mountains of New Hampshire ; and Vermont ’s Green Mountains , which become the Berkshire Hills in Massachusetts , Connecticut , and eastern New York . New York’s Catskill Mountains are in central Appalachia, as are the beginnings of the Blue Ridge range in southern Pennsylvania and the Allegheny Mountains , which rise in southwestern New York and cover parts of western Pennsylvania, western Maryland , and eastern Ohio before merging into the third, or southern, region.

This area includes the Alleghenies of West Virginia and Virginia ; the Blue Ridge range, extending across Virginia and western North Carolina , the northwestern tip of South Carolina , and the northeastern corner of Georgia ; the Unaka Mountains in southwestern Virginia, eastern Tennessee , and western North Carolina (of which the Great Smoky Mountains are a part); and the Cumberland Mountains of eastern Kentucky , southwestern West Virginia, southwestern Virginia, eastern Tennessee, and northern Alabama . Upland forest on the Gaspé Peninsula, Quebec, Can. Francois Morneau/Valan Photos White Mountains, near Gorham, N.H. Eric Carle/Shostal Associates Ross M Horowitz—Iconica/Getty Images Blue Ridge Mountains, northwestern Virginia. Eric Carle/Shostal Associates Appalachian Mountains - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) Sweeping from Newfoundland in Canada to Alabama in the U.S., the Appalachian Mountains dominate the landscape of the North American Eastern seaboard. Their peaks, ridges, hills, and valleys form a belt almost 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) long. The mountains have played an important role in the history and economic development of the United States.

They formed a barrier that held the early settlers near the Atlantic coast until the colonies could develop the unity and strength to fight for independence and form a nation. When intrepid woodsmen found valleys and gaps through the ridges, a stream of pioneers moved on to settle the West. Article Contributors Blue Ridge Parkway - Home Home Tips for planning your scenic drive or vacation to see the fall color along the Blue Ridge Parkway. What's Happening A journey on the Blue Ridge Parkway offers motorists spectacular views of Southern Appalachia’s diverse beauty for 469.1 uninterrupted miles. What's Happening Don't forget your cameras and binoculars when visiting the Blue Ridge Parkway! Learn when and where to see blooms along your journey. What's Happening Camping is one way visitors traveling through the Blue Ridge Parkway can spend the night under the stars in one of America’s most beautiful natural settings. What's Happening The 67th edition of the Blue Ridge Parkway Directory & Travel Planner is your ultimate source for planning a trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Tools & Quicklinks Cumberland Knob, MP 217.5 Located near the Virginia state line, Cumberland Knob is the site where construction of the Blue Ridge Parkway began in 1935.

It was the first recreation area opened to the public and remains a favorite destination for both locals and visitors. The m Julian Price Memorial Park, MP 297 A majestic 4,200 acres at the foot of Grandfather Mountain, named in honor of Julian Price, comprises this popular park and lies directly adjacent to the Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. Together these parks make up the largest developed area set as Doughton Park, MP 240 Renew your senses amid this landscape of open meadows. Doughton Park is one of the best places along the Blue Ridge Parkway to view white-tailed deer, raccoons, red and grey foxes, and bobcats. Flowers burst on the scene in late spring and crea

Question: Which mountains stretch from West Virginia to Georgia?
Answer: Blue Ridge Mountains