Pine Mountain (Appalachian Mountains)

This article is about the ridge in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. For other mountains with the same name, see Pine Mountain.

Pine Mountain is a ridge in the Appalachian Mountains running through Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee. It extends about 125 miles from near Pioneer, Tennessee, to a location near Elkhorn City, Kentucky. Birch Knob, the highest point, is 3,273 feet (998 m) above sea level and is located on the Kentucky-Virginia border. It has long been a barrier to transportation, as the Cumberland River at Pineville, Kentucky is one of only two waterways that pass through the entire ridge. The other is the Clear Fork (Cumberland River tributary) near Jellico, Tennessee.

Pine Mountain
US 23 in Kentucky with Pine Mountain in the background
Highest point
Elevation	3,273 ft (998 m)^[1]
Prominence	1,160 ft (350 m)^[2]
Coordinates	37°03′05″N 82°52′25″W / 37.05139°N 82.87361°W / 37.05139; -82.87361^[3]
Geography
Pine Mountain Pike, Bell, Harlan, Letcher, and Whitley counties in Kentucky; Dickenson, and Wise counties in Virginia; Claiborne and Campbell counties in Tennessee, U.S.
Parent range	Cumberland Mountains
Climbing
First ascent	unknown
Easiest route	Hike

Natural areas located on the mountain includes Pine Mountain State Resort Park and Kingdom Come State Park, Breaks Interstate Park, Kiwanis Raven Rock Park, Kentenia State Forest, Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail, the Little Shepherd Trail, Blanton Forest State Nature Preserve, Bad Branch State Nature Preserve, and several others owned and managed by the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves.

Wildlife is abundant on Pine Mountain. The land is claimed to be the "Black Bear Capital of Kentucky."^[4] Black bears, elk, rattlesnakes, and deer are found on Pine Mountain.

See also

• Pine Mountain Settlement School
• William Creech, Sr.
• Pound Gap

References

1. Kleber, John E., ed. (1992). The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-1772-0. Retrieved on 2010-11-21
2. Kentucky's 50 Finest Mountains Retrieved on 2010-11-21
3. "Pine Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved on 2010-11-21
4. Collier, Kim. . Cumberland Tourism. Archived from the original on 2008-04-08. Retrieved 2008-03-22.