View source for Plott Balsams

{{Short description|Mountain range in North Carolina, United States}}
{{Infobox mountain range
|name=Plott Balsams
|photo= Plott Balsams viewed from the Plott Balsams overlook, May 2017.jpg
|photo_size=300
|photo_caption= The Plott Balsams viewed from the [[Blue Ridge Parkway]]
|country=United States
|state=[[North Carolina]] 
|parent= [[Blue Ridge Mountains]]
|border=[[Great Smoky Mountains]]<br />[[Great Balsam Mountains]]
|highest=[[Waterrock Knob]]
|elevation_ft=6292
|range_coordinates = {{coord|35.4481567|N|83.1579218|W|type:mountain_scale:300000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|coordinates = 
|geology=
|period= 
|area_mi2= | length_mi= | width_mi=
|length_orientation= | width_orientation=
|map=
|map_caption=}}
The '''Plott Balsams''' are a [[mountain range]] in western [[North Carolina]] in the [[southeastern United States]]. 

== Description ==
The Plott Balsams are part of the [[Blue Ridge Mountains|Blue Ridge Mountain Province]] of the southern [[Appalachian Mountains]]. The Plott Balsams stretch from [[Sylva, North Carolina|Sylva]] in the [[Tuckasegee River]] valley to the southwest to [[Maggie Valley, North Carolina|Maggie Valley]] in the northeast. The [[Great Smoky Mountains]] border the Plott Balsams to the north, and the [[Great Balsam Mountains]] border the range to the south. The range comprises parts of [[Jackson County, North Carolina|Jackson County]] and [[Haywood County, North Carolina|Haywood County]]. The [[Nantahala National Forest]] protects much of the south side of the Plott Balsams. The [[Qualla Boundary]], which is the reserve of the [[Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians]], includes parts of the range's northwest section along Soco Creek. 

[[Waterrock Knob]], which has an elevation of {{convert|6292|ft|m}}, is the highest [[summit]] in the Plott Balsams. Four other summits in the range rise above 6,000 feet, namely {{convert|6240|ft|m|sing=on}} Mount Lyn Lowry, {{convert|6240|ft|m|sing=on}} Browning Knob, {{convert|6088|ft|m|sing=on}} Plott Balsam Mountain, and {{convert|6032|ft|m|sing=on}} Yellow Face. Other notable summits include the Pinnacle, which overlooks the Sylva area to the south, {{convert|5810|ft|m|sing=on}} Blackrock Mountain (near Yellow Face), and {{convert|5875|ft|m|sing=on}} Campbell Lick, which overlooks Maggie Valley. A stand of [[Southern Appalachian spruce–fir forest]] cover the range's upper elevations.

The [[Blue Ridge Parkway]] traverses the slopes of the highest mountains in the Plott Balsams, connecting [[Soco Gap]] and [[Balsam Gap]]. A short road connects the parkway to an overlook and a National Park Service visitor contact station and bookstore near the summit of Waterrock Knob. 

The city of Sylva maintains a municipal park along Fisher Creek in the southeast section of the range. A memorial dedicated to leukemia victim Lyn Lowry, who died in 1962, is situated atop Lowry's namesake mountain. The memorial includes a {{convert|60|ft|m|sing=on}} cross that is lit up at night, making it visible for miles from the surrounding towns. 

The Plott Balsams are named for the Plott family, whose ancestor, (Johannes) George Plott (c. 1733-1815), immigrated to North Carolina in the late 18th century from Germany.  The [[Plott Hound]], a breed of hunting dog, is named after the range.<ref>Marcus Simpson, Harold Pratt, ''Birds of the Blue Ridge Mountains'' (University of North Carolina, 1992), p. 182.</ref>

== See also ==

* [[List of subranges of the Appalachian Mountains]]

==References and notes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Gnis3|1014537}} 
* [http://www.peakbagger.com/range.aspx?rid=16443 Plott Balsams] — Peakbagger.com
* [http://www.carolinamtnclub.com/SB6K/SB6K%20Plott%20Balsams.htm South Beyond 6000 in the Plott Balsams] — Carolina Mountain Club site
* [http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/154362/mount-lyn-lowry.html Mount Lyn Lowry] — SummitPost.org

{{Mountains of North Carolina}}
{{North Carolina highest}}
[[Category:Mountain ranges of North Carolina]]
[[Category:Landforms of Jackson County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Landforms of Haywood County, North Carolina]]
[[Category:Blue Ridge Mountains]]