Blue Ridge Province

Blue Ridge Province

The Blue Ridge Mountains, a belt 5-80 miles wide, extend from the southern Appalachians in Virginia southward to Georgia. The area ranges in elevation from 1000 to 4000 feet above sea level, making it the most rugged topography east of the Rocky Mountains. The province appears as a single ridge or flanked by lesser ridges in the north, while in the south closely spaced ridges form a rugged landscape with a prominent escarpment overlooking the Piedmont Province. The rugged area has discouraged many settlers but it is home for many craving the isolation provided by the land (Walker and Oswald 2000). More information about the Blue Ridge Province can be found in the Southern Appalachian Encyclopedia.