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1997 Map of Shining Rock

Name: 1997 Topographic Map of Shining Rock
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2001
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2001

About this map

Shining Rock Wilderness Area and the high ridges of the Pisgah National Forest dominate this landscape, showing a region managed for conservation and recreation in the late twentieth century. The terrain is defined by extreme elevation changes across peaks like Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mountain, with drainage basins feeding the East Fork Pigeon River. Unlike the developed lowlands, this area preserves evidence of early industrial activity and resource management, including the Silvermine and a generic Mine site near the northern boundary.

Water plays a central role in the topography, with notable features such as Looking Glass Falls, Yellowstone Falls, and the Second Falls along the Yellowstone Prong. The presence of the Fish Rearing Station near the Davidson River and the Pilot Mtn Lookout Tower suggests a landscape dedicated to forestry and wildlife preservation. A complex network of ridges, including Graveyard Ridge and Raven Cliff Ridge, provides the skeleton for the numerous gaps and hollows that define the county line between Haywood and Transylvania counties.