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2000 Map of Luftee Knob

Name: 2000 Topographic Map of Luftee Knob
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2001
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2001

About this map

Great Smoky Mountains National Park encompasses this high-elevation wilderness along the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. The landscape is defined by the massive ridgelines of Balsam Mountain and Big Ridge, where peaks like Luftee Knob, Mount Yonaguska, and Big Cataloochee Mountain reach significant heights. This area is a critical junction for historic pathways, including the Appalachian Trail and the Balsam Mountain Trail, which follow the primary divides.

Evidence of earlier industrial presence is found in the Old Railroad Grade that winds through the southern portion of the sheet near Beech Gap. This legacy of timber extraction contrasts with the preserved natural features like Mouse Creek Falls and Brakeshoe Spring. The network of trails, such as the Gunter Fork Trail and Swallow Fork Trail, provides access to deep valleys like Walnut Bottom, illustrating the transition from a resource-driven economy to one focused on conservation and recreation.