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Western North Carolina, the region of
North Carolina that includes the Appalachian Mountains, is blessed with
towering verdant mountains, lovely gentle valleys, flower-filled
coves, virgin stands of untouched forest, crystal clear lakes and
streams, and vibrant
cities and towns. The mountains are generally separated into four
distinct zones or regions. The Western Mountains, extending from
Andrews and Murphy in the far western corner to Waynesville, the
Central Mountains from Waynesville through Asheville to the
Burnsville area, the Northern Mountains from Burnsville to Sparta,
and the Foothills, extending along the full length of the mountains
from Columbus to North Wilkesboro.
The major cities with populations over 10,000
are
Asheville
(73,000),
Boone (15,000),
Hendersonville (10,000),
Hickory (40,000),
Lenoir (17,000),
Morganton (17,000),
Newton (13,000) and
Waynesville
(10,000). Asheville is the hub city, home to the famous
Biltmore Estate,
America's largest private residence and the major tourist
attraction. The other major attraction in Western North Carolina, in
terms of visitors, is
Harrah's Cherokee Casino, located on the
Cherokee Indian
Reservation in the western part of the mountains.
Tourism is the major industry in Western North
Carolina, with millions of visitors each year flocking to the
mountains for outdoor recreation. The area includes the
Great Smoky Mountains
National Park, the
Nantahala National Forest,
the
Pisgah National Forest
and numerous State Forests. Most of Western North Carolina is
wilderness and offers an abundance of recreational opportunities
from mountain climbing to whitewater rafting. Other major natural
attractions include the
Appalachian Scenic National
Trail and the
Blue Ridge Parkway,
both of which pass right through the mountains.
The unique character of the Western North Carolina mountains is such
that Congress has even designated them a National Heritage Area, and
the region is now officially recognized as the
Blue Ridge National Heritage Area.
There are
24 counties in Western North Carolina with a total population
of over 1,000,000. The region covers approximately 11,000 square
miles and is roughly the size of the state of Massachusetts. There
are over 80 mountain peaks between 5,000 to 6,000 feet in elevation,
and 43 that rise to over 6,000 feet.
Western North Carolina Counties
(with County Seats and
Seat Elevations)
Alleghany,
Sparta 2,927 feet
Ashe,
Jefferson2,920 feet
Avery,
Newland 3,589 feet
Buncombe ,Asheville 2,216 feet
Burke,
Morganton 1,182 feet
Caldwell,
Lenoir 1,168 feet
Catawba,
Newton
1,001 feet
Cherokee,
Murphy 1,535 feet
Clay,
Hayesville 1,893 feet
Graham,
Robbinsville 2,150 feet
Haywood,
Waynesville 2,635 feet
Henderson,
Hendersonville 2,146 feet
Jackson,
Sylva 2,047 feet
Macon,
Franklin 2,113 feet
Madison,
Marshall 1,650 feet
McDowell,
Marion1,437 feet
Mitchell,
Bakersville 2,550 feet
Polk,
Columbus 1,145 feet
Rutherford,
Rutherforton 1,096 feet
Swain,
Bryson City 1,736 feet
Transylvania,
Brevard 2,230 feet
Watauga,
Boone 3,266 feet
Wilkes,
Wilkesboro 1,047 feet
Yancey,
Burnsville 2,817 feet
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