The western part of the Blue Ridge province is made up of several mountain ranges known collectively as the Unaka Mountains. The main ridges average 5,000 feet in the Great Smoky Mountains to Clingman's Dome rising to 6,643 feet, which is Tennessee's highest point. The Iron Mountains, Chilhowee, Unicoi, Stone, Bald, Holston ranges, and Brasstown Bald standing at 4,784 feet are also a part of the Unaka Mountains. The southernmost section of the Unaka Range is the Cohutta Mountains. While the Cohuttas, are one section of the Unaka Range, they are part of the Blue Ridge province's western side, and are geologically and geographically independent of their counterpart range to the east the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Unaka region includes in the Pisgah, Nantahala, Jefferson, and Cherokee National Forests. The Cherokee Indians named these the Unaka Mountains which translates to "White Mountains", due to the white rock formations. |