2016 Map of Little Switzerland

About this map

The Tennessee Valley Divide snakes across this high-elevation landscape, where the resort community of Little Switzerland sits perched along the Blue Ridge Parkway. This era of the survey highlights a dense network of mountain infrastructure, particularly the complex series of railroad tunnels required to traverse the steep gradients of the Blue Ridge. Notable engineering feats such as the Little Switzerland Tunnel, Upper Bridle Tunnel, and Snipes Tunnel illustrate the region's reliance on rail transport to navigate the divide between the North Fork Catawba River and the high peaks of the Pisgah National Forest.