Great Craggy Mountains

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, across the upper Cane River valley.

Great Craggy Mountains
Craggy Pinnacle, viewed from the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center
Highest point
PeakCraggy Dome
Elevation6,105 ft (1,861 m)
Coordinates35°42′21″N 82°22′0″W 
Geography
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
Range coordinates35°42′N 82°23′W
Parent rangeBlue Ridge Mountains
Borders onBlack Mountains
Geology
OrogenyAlleghenian

The Blue Ridge Parkway runs along the crest for most of the way between Asheville and Mount Mitchell. Craggy Gardens, an area of 16 km, is covered with purple Catawba rhododendrons in mid-June. The parkway through the area was closed from late 2012 through early 2013 due to subsidence caused by heavy rains, and had to be closed again during summer 2013 due to a reoccurrence of the same issues. Access to Mount Mitchell was only from the north or via detour from the south.

Habitat

The high slopes of the Great Craggies are dominated by heath bald with rhododendron and blueberry, and northern hardwood forest with beech, buckeye, mountain ash, and red oak. The Craggies are in the Pisgah National Forest.

Peaks

The highest point in the Great Craggy Mountains is Craggy Dome, which rises to an elevation of 6,105 feet (1,861 m).[1]

Peak Name Elevation Prominence Coordinates Easiest route
Craggy Dome 6,105 feet (1,861 m) 1,000 feet (305 m) 35°42′21″N 82°22′00″W[2] Hike
Bullhead Mountain 5,899 feet (1,798 m) 320 feet (98 m) 35°42′59″N 82°21′29″W[3] Hike
Craggy Pinnacle 5,817 feet (1,773 m) 233 feet (71 m) 35°42′12″N 82°22′40″W[4] Trail
Craggy Gardens 5,525 feet (1,684 m) 160 feet (49 m) 35°41′33″N 82°23′05″W[5] Trail
Locust Knob 5,429 feet (1,655 m) 35°43′41″N 82°21′02″W[6] Hike
Snowball Mountain 5,341 feet (1,628 m) 440 feet (134 m) 35°42′07″N 82°24′26″W[7] Trail
Bearpen Knob 5,266 feet (1,605 m) 48 feet (15 m) 35°41′58″N 82°23′38″W[8] Hike
Lane Pinnacle 5,194 feet (1,583 m) 590 feet (180 m) 35°40′52″N 82°25′18″W[9] Hike
Little Snowball Mountain 4,692 feet (1,430 m) 320 feet (98 m) 35°43′12″N 82°25′50″W[10] Trail
Frosty Knob 4,236 feet (1,291 m) 1,126 feet (343 m) 35°44′31″N 82°28′45″W[11] Hike
Beaucatcher Mountain 2,694 feet (821 m) 35°36′19″N 82°32′17″W[12] Auto Road

See also

Sources
  1. "Great Craggy Mountains." Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary, 3rd ed. 2001. (ISBN 0-87779-546-0) Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster Inc., p. 442.
  2. "Craggy Dome". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  3. "Bullhead Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  4. "Craggy Pinnacle". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  5. "Craggy Gardens". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  6. "Locust Knob". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  7. "Snowball Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  8. "Bearpen Knob". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  9. "Lane Pinnacle". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  10. "Little Snowball Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  11. "Frosty Knob". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  12. "Beaucatcher Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
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