| Uwharrie Mountains | |
|---|---|
 View over range from Morrow Mountain | |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| Range coordinates | 35°24′07″N80°03′32″W / 35.401808°N 80.058941°W /35.401808; -80.058941 |
TheUwharrie Mountains (/juːˈhwɑːri/)[1] are amountain range inNorth Carolina spanning the counties ofRandolph,Montgomery,Stanly, andDavidson. The range's foothills stretch intoCabarrus,Anson,Union, andRichmond counties.
The Uwharries were once a coastal mountain range;[2]isostasy has slowly raised the eastern seabed until today they lie in thePiedmont of North Carolina over 150 miles (240 km) from the coast. Formed approximately 500 million years ago by accretion along theGondwanan tectonic plate, they are thought to have once peaked at some 20,000 feet (6,100 m),[3] beforeeroding to a maximum of just over 1,100 feet (340 m). The range's high point is High Rock Mountain (1,188 feet (362 m) as measured by the NC Geodetic Survey), in southwestern Davidson County.
The Uwharrie lie within theSoutheastern mixed forestsecoregion.[4] They give their name to theUwharrie National Forest. Once entirely cleared for timber and farmland, the mountains were designated aU.S. National Forest in 1961 by PresidentJohn F. Kennedy. The woodlands have since returned, providing a haven for a diversity of wildlife, recreational facilities, and numerousNative Americanarcheological sites.
In 1799, the discovery ofgold at the nearbyReed Gold Mine in Cabarrus County led to America's firstgold rush.
TheNorth Carolina Zoo, America's first state-supported zoo, is located in the Uwharries region.
TheCaraway Mountains, a segment of the Uwharries, are located in western Randolph County, west ofAsheboro.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)| International | |
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