Black Rock Mountain State Park is a Georgia, United States, state park west of Mountain City in Rabun County, in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is named after its sheer cliffs of dark-colored biotite gneiss. Astride the Eastern Continental Divide at an elevation of , the park provides many scenic overlooks and vistas of the southern Appalachian Mountains. On a clear day, four states are visible: Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. In addition to Black Rock Mountain itself, the park includes four other peaks over in elevation, making it the state's highest state park. As of 2019, it was open to visitors year round.

History

Most of the rock outcrops found throughout the park are made of biotite gneiss, a metamorphic rock that underlies a large portion of the Georgia Blue Ridge. Black Rock Mountain State Park was established in 1952 and originally consisted of . Before the park was established, Rabun County native John V. Arrendale began assembling the area that would later become the park, making his first purchase in 1938. Numerous purchases have added to the park's area, including added in 1995 with funding received from then-Governor Zell Miller's Preservation 2000 land acquisition program. Several smaller acquisitions have added acreage to the park's southwest corner.

Climate

Hiking and camping

right|thumb|200px|Blue Ridge overlook

right|thumb|200px|Observation deck for the Blue Ridge overlook

There are five hiking trails through forests, alongside mountain streams and around Black Rock Lake. The Tennessee Rock Trail crosses Black Rock Mountain's north slope before climbing across the mountain's summit and following the Eastern Continental Divide. From the trail's namesake feature, Tennessee Rock, vistas can be seen that extend northward into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including Kuwohi, the highest point in Tennessee.

The James E. Edmonds Trail is named for "Mr. Eddie" Edmonds, one of the park's earliest and longest-serving rangers. This rugged trail features four secluded campsites that allow backpackers with reservations to escape into the park's quiet backcountry. The campsites are undeveloped and offer no facilities. In places the Edmonds Trail weaves in and out of laurel-filled coves and follows mountain streams with small waterfalls. At the trail's northern end, there are Lookoff Mountain and views of Wolffork Valley, the source of the Little Tennessee River.

The Ada-Hi Falls Trail is named for the Cherokee word for "forest". The quarter-mile trail begins near the entrance of the park's RV camping area and leads into a moist north-facing cove filled with rosebay rhododendron. The lower portion of the trail becomes very steep and utilizes a series of wooden steps before ending on the observation platform for Ada-hi Falls, a small cascade typical of falls found in the upper reaches of mountain coves. The trail is short but strenuous due to the elevation change. the park was hit by an EF-2 tornado spawned from the same supercell thunderstorm that had earlier in the evening tracked across central Alabama, heavily damaging Tuscaloosa. Thousands of trees were snapped or uprooted, and large parts of the park's camping areas and summit area were damaged. In the camping area, several cars and trucks were crushed by falling trees, however, no injuries were sustained. The park was re-opened to the public on May 6; however, large swaths of downed timber remain, especially on the mountain's westernmost flank above 3,200 feet. Most park trails were re-opened on May 13, with the exception of the Ada-hi Falls Trail. A large section of wooden steps was crushed by fallen trees. The trail has since been repaired and reopened.

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Image:Black Rock Mountain Road.jpg|Road on Black Rock Mountain

Image:Black Rock Mountain State Park.jpg|Another view from Black Rock Mountain State Park

Image:15 18 0030 black rock.jpg|Black Rock Overlook

Image:Black Rock Tennessee Rock.jpg|Tennessee Rock Overlook

Image:16 23 414 black rock.jpg|Cowee Overlook

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References

Notes

  • History of Georgia State Parks
  • Ada Hi Falls Hiking Trail
  • Tennessee Rock Hiking Trail
  • James E. Edmonds