Black Mountain Range

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=160 BGCOLOR="#BFBF00" TEXT="#080000" background="03f55663.gif"> <div> <I><B>Location:</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>The Black Mountains are located 30 miles Northeast of Asheville via the Blue Ridge Parkway  or west of Marion, NC via Route 80 and then south on the BR Parkway.  If you stay on Rt., 80 pass the Parkway you can access the range from Black Mtn Campground or climb to Celo Knob from Micaville.</B></I></div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#CCCC66" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#666633" FACE="Arial" >The Trails of Western North Carolina</FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#663399" FACE="Times New Roman" >    </FONT> |    <B> </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#333399" FACE="Times New Roman" ><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Trails of Western North Carolina"><U><B>home</B></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Pisgah Ranger District"><U>Pisgah Ranger District</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Stone Mountain State Park"><U>Stone Mountain State Park</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="South Mountains State Park"><U>South Mountains State Park</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Great Smoky Mountain National Park"><U>Great Smoky Mountain National Park</U></A>   |   <B>Black Mountain Range</B>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links Page"><U>Links Page</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Appalachian Photo Gallery"><U>Appalachian Photo Gallery</U></A></div> <div> <IMG SRC="04ef0030.gif" border=0 width="496" height="3" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <I><B>Black Mountain Range</B></I></div> <div> <A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Big Butt Trail"><U><I><B>Big Butt Trail</B></I></U></A><I><B>   </B></I><A HREF="id42.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Deep Gap/Blk Mtn Trail"><U><I><B>Deep Gap/Blk Mtn Trail</B></I></U></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0ec4b700.jpg" border=0 width="587" height="112" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>My Composite Photo of the Black Mountain Range - Eastern Section (or Main Section) as seen from Little Butt Mtn., on the Western Section. </B></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>The Black Mountain Range is the Highest Mountain Range in Eastern America.  The Range is shaped like the letter 'J'.  Celo Knob would be the top of the letter J and Point Misery would be the bottom curve of the letter J.   This composite was taken from Little Butt Mountain which is on the west side of the Range.   Big Butt (also known as Yeates Knob) would be at the top of the bottom curve.    The Black Range is small compared to the Blue Ridge or Smokies.   It is just 15 miles in length between Celo Knob and Big Butt.   Mt. Mitchell is the highest peak in the range at 6,684 feet.   Mt. Mitchell is a State Park and the Park runs north as far as Cattail Peak (also called Balsam Cone).  The rest of the Range is within Pisgah National Forest land.</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>This is an excellent area for high elevation hikes.  Usually cooler hiking in Summer -- record high at Mt. Mitchell is only 84 degrees.   I've personally never seen a poisonous snake at this elevation - that doesn't mean you will not encounter a snake, but they do seem to be somewhat rare above 5,500 feet.  The Black Mountain Trail follows the crest of the eastern section and the Big Butt Trail follows the southern and western section from Balsam Gap.  Prepare for all kinds of weather and sudden changes in weather.   Even in mid Summer temperatures can drop to the 40's and watch out for low clouds, hail and electrical storms.  </B></I></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>