Great Balsam Mountains

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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. The most famous peak in the Great Balsam range is Cold Mountain, which is the centerpiece of author Charles Frazier's bestselling novel Cold Mountain.

The Blue Ridge Parkway runs along its length and at Richland Balsam (milepost 431), the Parkway is at its highest point (6053 feet).

Video Great Balsam Mountains

PeaksEdit

Richland Balsam - 6410 feet
Black Balsam Knob - 6214 feet
Mount Hardy - 6120 feet
Reinhart Knob - 6080 feet
Grassy Cove Top - 6040 feet
Tennent Mountain - 6040 feet
Sam Knob - 6040 feet
Cold Mountain - 6030 feet
Shining Rock - 6040 feet
Chestnut Bald

("Mountain heights". Peakbagger.com. )

Maps Great Balsam Mountains

Other landmarksEdit

Balsam Gap
Devil's Courthouse
Judaculla Rock (see Tsul 'Kalu; photos)
Tanasee Bald (see Tsul 'Kalu)

Pisgah National Forest, Great Balsam Mountains, North Carolina ...

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FloraEdit

The area consists of a transition forest between the southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest (which resembles forest types found at northern latitudes) and the mixed deciduous forests of temperate America.

TreesEdit

The following trees are at higher elevations:

Fraser fir ("balsams" or "She balsams"). Forests of these trees appear black from a distance; however, these trees are declining due to the balsam woolly adelgid.
Red spruce ("He balsams"). The red spruce is distinguished from the Fraser fir by having bark whose rosin cannot be milked (hence, "He balsams") and by having hanging cones.