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Stone Mountain State Park

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This article is about a state park in North Carolina. For "Stone Mountain Park" near Atlanta, Georgia, see Stone Mountain.

Template:Geobox Stone Mountain State Park is a 14,351-acre (58.08 km2)[1] North Carolina state park in Alleghany and Wilkes Counties, North Carolina in the United States.

Stone Mountain

Panoramic Picture from the Top of Stone Mountain, NC

The centerpiece of the park is Stone Mountain, a dome of exposed granite (specifically a quartz diorite to granodiorite) of Devonian age, which has intruded into the gneiss of the Precambrian Alligator Back Formation.[2] It rises sharply over 600 feet (183 m) above the surrounding terrain. The mountain, which has an elevation of 2,305 feet (706 m) above sea level, is known for its barren sides and distinctive brown-gray color, and can be seen for miles. The mountain offers some of the best rock climbing in North Carolina, and the park's creeks and streams feature excellent brook trout fishing.

Because the mountain is the best example of a monadnock in massive granite in North Carolina it was designated a National Natural Landmark in May 1974.[3]

Museums & historic site

The park visitor center features the Mountain Culture Exhibit including mountain settler life and artifacts, and natural history including trout, butterflies and moths.

The mid-19th century Hutchinson Homestead includes a log cabin, barn, blacksmith shop, corncrib, meat house, and original furnishings. The Homestead is open Thursday through Sunday from March – October. The grounds can be visited year round.

The 1897 Garden Creek Baptist Church continues to hold services seasonally. Visitors can walk the grounds when the church is closed.

Nearby state parks

The following state parks are within 30 miles (48 km) of Stone Mountain State Park:

Elk Knob State Park
Grayson Highlands State Park, Virginia
Mount Jefferson State Natural Area
New River State Park
Pilot Mountain State Park

References

  1. ^ "Size of the North Carolina State Parks System" (XLS). North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. January 1, 2015. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
  2. ^ North Carolina Geological Survey, 1985, Geologic map of North Carolina: North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Community Development, scale 1:500000.
  3. ^ National Park Service. "Stone Mountain: National Natural Landmark". Retrieved June 20, 2008.
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