Forests occupy almost all of the area south and southeast of the Blue Ridge, as well as the higher mountain in other parts of the country such as Grandfather, Beech, Rich, Stone, Pine Orchard and Snake Mountains’ Elk, Harmon, Riddle, Howard and Rocky Knobs and hanging Rock Ridge.
The most common forest the Blue Ridge Parkway passes through is the oak-chestnut forest. Its dominant trees are oaks: white, northern red, black scarlet and chestnut oak are all found in one place or another.
Many other kinds of trees appear occasionally. Depending on conditions at a particular site, one may find red maple, any of several hickories, white pine, sourwood, black locust, black walnut and both eastern hemlock and American beech. Tracts of forest on Flattop Mountain and near the head of Winkler Creel protect the water suppliers of Blowing Rock and Boone. The forests are also of value in the control stream flow and erosion and I furnishing food and shelter for wildlife.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a wild flower lover’s paradise, offering a huge variety of native species during spring, summer, and fall. Some species can be found blooming over a considerably long period.
Blue Ridge Parkway
