The Brushy Mountains are a mountain range located in northwestern North Carolina. They are a "spur" of the much larger Blue Ridge Mountains. A deeply eroded range, they move from the southwest to the northeast, and cross five counties in North Carolina: Caldwell, Alexander, Wilkes, Iredell, and Yadkin. The range is approximately 45 miles long, but only 4-8 miles wide. The highest point in the chain is Pores Knob (2,550 feet, 777 meters), in Wilkes County. Other prominent peaks are Hibriten Mountain in Caldwell County, Potters Peak in Wilkes County, and Barrett Mountain in Alexander County. The "Brushies", as they are often called by locals, rise from 300 to 1,000 feet above the surrounding countryside, with few peaks rising more than a thousand feet above their base. The Brushies are primarily known for their abundance of apple orchards, and the Brushy Mountain Apple Festival is held in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina each year to celebrate the harvest. The region was also once known as a hotbed of "moonshining", or the production of illegal homemade liquor. Several of the earliest stars of stock-car racing in the 1940's and 1950's got their start in the moonshining business in the Brushy Mountains. Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 560 miles (901 km)  - Length 150 miles (240 km)  - % water 9. ... Blue Ridge Mountains, Shinning Rock Wilderness Area Blue Ridge Mountains (NPS) Most of the rocks that form the Blue Ridge Mountains, United States, are ancient granitic and metamorphosed volcanic formations, some exceeding one billion years in age. ... Caldwell County is a county located in the state of North Carolina. ... Alexander County is a county located in the state of North Carolina. ... Wilkes County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. ... Location in the state of North Carolina Formed 1788 Seat Statesville Area  - Total  - Water 1,546 km² (597 mi²) 56 km² (21 mi²) 3. ... Yadkin County is a county located in the state of North Carolina. ... Pores Knob is a mountain peak located in Wilkes County, North Carolina. ... North Wilkesboro is a town located in Wilkes County, North Carolina. ... Shine Road The name tells the history of this back road Hemingway, South Carolina The literal meaning of moonshine is the light of the moon, but because the activity of distilling whiskey unlawfully was usually done at night with as little light as possible, the word became both a verb...