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Celo Knob

Celo Knob Map

LOCATION:
Mountains
Yancey County

SIZE IN ACRES:
3,800

INVOLVEMENT IN ACRES:
2,396

TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP:
Celo, Montreat, Mount Mitchell, Old Fort


Lichen on sugar maple
Lichen on dead sugar maple (© E. Wayne Irvin)
Northern Saw-Whet Owl
Northern saw-whet owl (© TNC)

Topographical maps are available by contacting:
NC Geographical Survey.
1612 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1612.
(919) 715-9718
www.geology.enr.state.nc.us/

ACTIVITIES & AMENITIES:
Hiking / Bird watching / Wildflowers

OWNERSHIP & ACCESS:
Pisgah National Forest
Appalachian Ranger District
P.O. Box 128
Burnsville, NC 28714
(828) 682-6146

SITE INFORMATION:
Located in the Black Mountains area of Pisgah National Forest, just north of Mount Mitchell State Park, Celo Knob is a great example of a high-elevation mountain forest. Elevations vary from 3,200 feet to 6,327-foot Celo Knob, a local landmark. Because of its rugged topography, much of Celo Knob is inaccessible. This area contains old-growth boreal forest, northern hardwood and cove hardwood forest, dry ridges and heath balds, and one of the most extensive examples of red spruce/fraser fir forest in the southern Appalachians. If you visit Celo Knob, you will notice that some of the spruce-fir forest has been damaged by the deadly duo of air pollution and the balsam woolly adelgid, an exotic invasive pest.

This range is home to many plant species that are endangered or rare in the state, including mountain paper birch, fir clubmoss, Carolina saxifrage, Core’s starwort, red raspberry, and roseroot. Some of the uncommon fauna that inhabit the area are the Carolina northern flying squirrel, northern saw-whet owl, brown creeper, common raven, golden-crowned kinglet, red-breasted nuthatch, and New England cottontail. Several rugged trails run through the area. While hiking you may see remnants of mica mines in various stages of recovery.

CONSERVATION HIGHLIGHTS:
The Nature Conservancy purchased this tract from the Briggs family in 1978 and transferred it to the U.S. Forest Service.

DIRECTIONS:
Head south from Burnsville on Low Gap Road (SR 1109) about two miles. Forest Road 5578 turns left at Bowlens Creek. This rough road leads up to an approximately 5-mile trail to Celo Knob. This trail continues by following the ridgetop south to Horse Rock Ridge and Mount Mitchell, about 12 miles from the Bowlens Creek parking area.