1946 Map of Sam Knob

About this map

The Blue Ridge Parkway meanders through this high-altitude landscape, tracing the complex drainage divides of the southern Appalachians where the Pisgah National Forest and Nantahala National Forest meet. This terrain is defined by its prominent balds and gaps, serving as a critical watershed for the West Fork Pigeon River and the headwaters of the French Broad River. The map highlights a series of named knobs and gaps, such as Richland Balsam and Haywood Gap, that mark the boundaries between Haywood, Jackson, and Transylvania counties.