- Uwharrie Mountains
Geobox|Range
name=Uwharrie Mountains
image_caption= View over range from Morrow Mountain
country=United States
state=North Carolina
parent=
highest=High Rock Mountain
highest_elevation_imperial=341
highest_lat_d=
highest_long_d=
geology=
period=
area_imperial= | length_imperial= | width_imperial=
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map_caption=The Uwharrie Mountains are amountain range located inNorth Carolina , USA. The range lies in the counties of Randolph, Montgomery, Stanly, and Davidson, although its foothills stretch into Cabarrus, Anson, Union counties and terminate in the hills of Person. Formed approximately 500 million years ago by the collision of the North American and African tectonic plates, the Uwharries are one of the oldest mountain ranges inNorth America . Thought to have once peaked at some 20,000 feet,erosion has worn the Uwharries to a peak height of only 1,119 feet (341 meters) above sea level, as measured by the NC Geodetic Survey. The highest point in the range is High Rock Mountain, located in southwestern Davidson County. Once a coastal mountain range,plate tectonics has slowly raised the eastern seabed, until today the Uwharries are located in the Piedmont section of North Carolina over 150 miles from the coast.The mountains give their name to the
Uwharrie National Forest . Once entirely cleared for timber and farmland, the mountains were designated aU.S. National Forest in1961 by PresidentJohn F. Kennedy . The forests and woodlands have since returned, and the area contains a diversity of wildlife, recreational facilities, and numerous Native American archeological sites.Morrow Mountain State Park is also located in this mountain range.In
1799 , the discovery ofgold at the nearbyReed Gold Mine in Cabarrus County led to America's firstgold rush .The
North Carolina Zoo , America's first state-supported zoo, is located in the Uwharries region.The
Caraway Mountains , a segment of the Uwharries, are located in western Randolph County, west of Asheboro. The Caraway Mountains' ruggedness and steep terrain is quite uncommon for the gently rolling countryside of the Piedmont region.External links
* [http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/recreation/uwharrie/welcome.htm Uwharrie Forest page at UNC Asheville]
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