The Black Mountains are a part of the great Appalachian Mountain range. They are the highest mountains in the Eastern United States. The Black Mountains are located in western North Carolina. Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 28th 139,509 km² 805 km 240 km 9. ...

Characteristics

The Black Mountains range itself is quite small, running only fifteen miles in a north-to-south direction. However, within these fifteen miles are 18 peaks climbing to at least 6300 feet above sea level. The Black Mountains rise prominently above the surrounding lower terrain. This is particularly noticeable from the range's eastern side, which rises over 4500 feet above the Catawba River Valley and Interstate 40, providing some impressive mountain scenery. For considerations of sea level change, in particular rise associated with possible global warming, see sea level rise. ... The Catawba River is a tributary of the Wateree River, approximately 220 mi (354 km) long, in the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. ... Interstate 40 (abbreviated I-40) is a major west-east interstate highway in the United States. ...

Highest Point

The highest point in the Black Mountains - and the highest point in the entire Appalachian Mountain range - is Mount Mitchell (6,684 feet, 2,037 meters) in Yancey County, North Carolina. Much of the Black Mountains are located within the Mount Mitchell State Park. A paved road leads to within a hundred feet of the summit, and from there visitors can easily walk to the top. An observation tower at the summit can provide 100-mile views on a clear day. Mount Mitchell can refer to: Mount Mitchell in Jasper National Park of Canada Mount Mitchell in North Carolina, the highest point in eastern North America Mount Mitchell in Oregon Mount Mitchell in Washington Mount Mitchell in Queensland, Australia This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages... Yancey County is a county located in the state of North Carolina. ... Mount Mitchell State Park is a state park of the U.S. state of North Carolina. ...

Environmental Threats

The Black Mountains, like many other ranges in the Appalachians, are currently threatened by acid rain and air pollution. Much of the range's once-famous black and fraser fir trees, for which it is named, are now dead or dying due to the pollution.

Additionally, the area around the Black Mountains is experiencing rapid development and population growth as retirees from other states pour into the region. Due to the lack of proper zoning laws, this has resulted in pell-mell development of ridgetop cabins, bulldozing of lower ridges, and deforestation that threatens the beauty of the region. Deforestation is the conversion of forested areas to non-forested. ...