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1946 Map of Shining Rock

Name: 1946 Topographic Map of Shining Rock
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1978
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1978

About this map

Looking Glass Rock stands as a prominent geological landmark in this mid-century survey of the high-elevation terrain along the Haywood and Transylvania county line. The landscape is defined by the sharp ridgelines of the Pisgah National Forest, including the Shining Rock Wilderness Area and the peaks of Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mountain. The map details the drainage patterns of the Pigeon River and Davidson River, featuring numerous named cataracts such as Yellowstone Falls, Second Falls, and Upper Falls.

Human activity is concentrated around conservation and recreation, evidenced by the Fish Hatchery, Fish Rearing Station, and a Lookout Tower. The Blue Ridge Parkway traverses the high ridges near Graveyard Ridge, while localized clearings like Picklesimer Fields provide evidence of earlier land use. Numerous named coves and gaps, from Shining Rock Gap to Ivestor Gap, illustrate the complex topography of this Southern Appalachian environment during the late 1940s.