Blue Ridge Mountains Facts For Kids
- Stretch through the eastern US.
- Part of the Appalachian range.
- Rich biodiversity thrives.
- Named for bluish haze.
- Home to diverse wildlife.
- Offers stunning vistas.
- Popular for hiking, and camping.
- Historic cultural heritage.
- Abundant in scenic beauty.
- Provide outdoor adventures.
This region is divided into northern and southern physiographic regions, which separate near the Roanoke River gap. To the west of the Blue Ridge lies the Great Appalachian Valley, bordered by the Ridge and Valley province of the Appalachian range.
The Blue Ridge Mountains are famous for their bluish color, which is visible from a distance. This unique hue is caused by the release of isoprene from the trees into the atmosphere. The resulting haze contributes to the mountains’ perceived color.
Within the Blue Ridge province, you’ll find two major national parks: Shenandoah National Park in the north and Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the south. Additionally, there are eight national forests, including George Washington and Jefferson, Cherokee, Pisgah, Nantahala, and Chattahoochee. The Blue Ridge Parkway, a scenic highway spanning 469 miles, connects these two parks and follows the ridge crest-lines, just like the Appalachian Trail.
Geography
The Blue Ridge province, which includes the Blue Ridge Mountains, extends from the eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains to the Ridge and Valley area. This geological definition encompasses various mountain ranges such as the Great Smoky Mountains, the Great Balsams, the Roans, and the Blacks.
Additionally, the Brushy Mountains and the South Mountains are often considered as foothills or spurs of the Blue Ridge. The Blue Ridge Mountains stretch from Georgia to Pennsylvania, with the highest peak being Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina. With over 125 peaks exceeding 5,000 feet in elevation, the Blue Ridge contains the highest mountains in eastern North America south of Baffin Island.
The Blue Ridge Parkway, a scenic road that spans 469 miles, connects Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks. Along the parkway, visitors can observe metamorphic rocks with folded bands of light and dark minerals, resembling the patterns of a marble cake.
Quick Facts
- Mount Mitchell is the tallest peak of the Blue Ridge Mountain range with an elevation of 6,684 feet.
- Other notable Blue Ridge peaks are Mount Rogers, Sassafras Mountain, Brasstown Bald and Grandfather Mountain.
- In this mountain range, more than 700 different varieties of trees and plants have been found.
- Blue Ridge Mountains are divided into Northern and Southern sections by the Roanoke River Gap.
- There is a 3,290 acre Lake Blue Ridge which was created by the Toccoa Electric Power Company in 1930.
- This lake has a shoreline of 65 acres ad 80% of that is national forest.
- Peaks with higher elevations get more than eighty inches of rain annually, on an average.
- Most of the mountains in this range are part of the Chattahoochee National Forest. It covers an area of 750,000-acres.
- The Blue Ridge Parkway links the Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mts. national parks. It is designed especially for motor recreation.
