Waterrock Knob, Mountain summit on Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
Waterrock Knob is a mountain summit on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, sitting on the border between Haywood County and Jackson County. The summit is the highest point along the entire parkway route, and a small visitor center sits near the trailhead at the parking area below the top.
Cherokee people traveled through this part of the Appalachians for generations along routes that later became paths for farmers, hunters, and traders moving across the mountains. The Blue Ridge Parkway was built in the 1930s as a public works project, which eventually brought a paved road close to the summit.
The name Waterrock Knob comes from a natural spring that once flowed beneath the rock and gave travelers a place to drink. Today the spot draws people at sunset, when the sky above the ridgeline turns vivid shades and visitors gather along the trail to watch.
The trail to the top starts on a paved path near the parking area and then transitions to a natural surface with uneven footing. The climb takes only a short time, but wind and cold temperatures can arrive quickly at this elevation, so bringing a layer is a good idea.
Wreckage from a small plane that crashed into the mountain in 1983 is still visible near the trail. The accident led to a review of aviation safety procedures for flights over mountainous terrain in the region.
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