Plott Balsams
Encyclopedia
The Plott Balsams are a mountain range in western North Carolina
, in the southeastern United States. They are part of the Blue Ridge Mountain Province
of the Southern Appalachian Mountains
. The Plott Balsams stretch from the city of Sylva
in the Tuckasegee River valley to the southwest to Maggie Valley
in the northeast. The Great Smoky Mountains
border the Plott Balsams to the north and the Great Balsam Mountains
border the range to the south. The range comprises parts of Jackson County
and Haywood County
.
Waterrock Knob
, which has an elevation of 6292 feet (1,917.8 m), is the highest summit in the Plott Balsam Range. Four other summits in the range rise above 6,000 feet, namely 6240 feet (1,902 m) Mount Lyn Lowry, 6240 feet (1,902 m) Browning Knob, 6088 feet (1,855.6 m) Plott Balsam Mountain, and 6032 feet (1,838.6 m) Yellow Face. Other notable summits include the Pinnacle, which overlooks the Sylva area to the south, 5810 feet (1,770.9 m) Blackrock Mountain (near Yellow Face), and 5875 feet (1,790.7 m) Campbell Lick, which overlooks Maggie Valley.
The Blue Ridge Parkway
traverses the slopes of the highest mountains in the Plott Balsam Range, connecting Soco Gap and Balsam Gap
. A short road connects the parkway to an overlook and a National Park Service visitor contact station and bookstore near the summit of Waterrock Knob. The Nantahala National Forest
protects much of the south side of the Plott Balsam Range. The Qualla Boundary
, which is the reservation for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
, includes parts of the range's northwest section along Soco Creek. The city of Sylva maintains a municipal park along Fisher Creek in the southeast section of the range. A memorial dedicated to leukemia victim Lyn Lowry, who died in 1965, is situated atop Lowry's namesake mountain. The memorial includes a 60 feet (18.3 m) cross that is lit up at night, making it visible for miles from the surrounding towns. A stand of Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest
coats the range's upper elevations.
The Plott Balsams are named for the Plott family, whose ancestor, Johannes Plott (c. 1733-1810), immigrated to North Carolina in the late 18th-century. The Plott family lived in farms along the base of the range that now bears their name, and used the mountains for hunting. The Plott Hound
, a breed of hunting dog, is also named for the Plotts.
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...
, in the southeastern United States. They are part of the Blue Ridge Mountain Province
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
of the Southern 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...
. The Plott Balsams stretch from the city of Sylva
Sylva, North Carolina
Sylva is an incorporated town located in central Jackson County, in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 2,588. It is the county seat, having taken over from nearby Webster in 1913.-Geography:Sylva...
in the Tuckasegee River valley to the southwest to Maggie Valley
Maggie Valley, North Carolina
Maggie Valley is a town in Haywood County, North Carolina, USA. The population was 607 at the 2000 census. It is home to the Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park.Maggie Valley is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area....
in the northeast. The Great Smoky Mountains
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...
border the Plott Balsams to the north and the Great Balsam Mountains
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...
border the range to the south. The range comprises parts of Jackson County
Jackson County, North Carolina
Jackson County is a county located in the southwest of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 40,271. Since 1913 its county seat has been Sylva, replacing Webster.-History:...
and Haywood County
Haywood County, North Carolina
-National protected areas:* Blue Ridge Parkway * Great Smoky Mountains National Park * Pisgah National Forest -Major Highways & Roads:* Interstate 40* U.S. Highway 19* U.S. Highway 23* U.S. Highway 74* U.S...
.
Waterrock Knob
Waterrock Knob
Waterrock Knob is a mountain peak in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the highest peak in the Plott Balsams and is the 16th highest mountain in the Eastern United States. It is the 15th highest of the 40 mountains in North Carolina over 6000 feet....
, which has an elevation of 6292 feet (1,917.8 m), is the highest summit in the Plott Balsam Range. Four other summits in the range rise above 6,000 feet, namely 6240 feet (1,902 m) Mount Lyn Lowry, 6240 feet (1,902 m) Browning Knob, 6088 feet (1,855.6 m) Plott Balsam Mountain, and 6032 feet (1,838.6 m) Yellow Face. Other notable summits include the Pinnacle, which overlooks the Sylva area to the south, 5810 feet (1,770.9 m) Blackrock Mountain (near Yellow Face), and 5875 feet (1,790.7 m) Campbell Lick, which overlooks Maggie Valley.
The Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...
traverses the slopes of the highest mountains in the Plott Balsam Range, connecting Soco Gap and Balsam Gap
Balsam Gap
Balsam Gap is a mountain pass between the Plott Balsam Range to the northwest and the Great Balsam Mountains to the southeast on the county line dividing Haywood and Jackson counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina....
. A short road connects the parkway to an overlook and a National Park Service visitor contact station and bookstore near the summit of Waterrock Knob. The Nantahala National Forest
Nantahala National Forest
The Nantahala National Forest, established in 1920, is a national forest located in the American state of North Carolina. The word "Nantahala" is a Cherokee word meaning "Land of the Noonday Sun." The name is appropriate as, in some spots, the sun only reaches the floors of the deep gorges of the...
protects much of the south side of the Plott Balsam Range. The Qualla Boundary
Qualla Boundary
The Qualla Boundary is the territory where the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians reside in western North Carolina.-Location:...
, which is the reservation for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians , is a federally recognized Native American tribe in the United States of America, who are descended from Cherokee who remained in the Eastern United States while others moved, or were forced to relocate, to the west in the 19th century. The history of the...
, includes parts of the range's northwest section along Soco Creek. The city of Sylva maintains a municipal park along Fisher Creek in the southeast section of the range. A memorial dedicated to leukemia victim Lyn Lowry, who died in 1965, is situated atop Lowry's namesake mountain. The memorial includes a 60 feet (18.3 m) cross that is lit up at night, making it visible for miles from the surrounding towns. A stand of Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest
Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest
The Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest is a type of montane coniferous forest that grows in the highest elevations in the southern Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States...
coats the range's upper elevations.
The Plott Balsams are named for the Plott family, whose ancestor, Johannes Plott (c. 1733-1810), immigrated to North Carolina in the late 18th-century. The Plott family lived in farms along the base of the range that now bears their name, and used the mountains for hunting. The Plott Hound
Plott Hound
The Plott Hound is a large scent hound, specifically a coonhound, originally bred for hunting boar.- Description :The Plott Hound is one of the least known breeds of dog in the United States, even though they are the state dog of North Carolina....
, a breed of hunting dog, is also named for the Plotts.