Mount Jefferson State Natural Area
 Mount Jefferson, rising to more than 1,600 feet above the surrounding landscape, is an area landmark near Jefferson, North Carolina. On a clear day, from the Mount Jefferson Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway, visitors can see across most of Ashe County to the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west.
The Mount Jefferson State Natural Area, operated by the North Carolina State Parks, is laced with hiking trails and picnic sites, and offers educational programs to the public. Mount Jefferson and its nearby peaks are remnants of a once lofty mountainous region that wound across much of the western part of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. While no evidence of permanent Native American settlements in the area has been found, game was plentiful, and both the Cherokees and the Shawnees claimed it as a hunting ground. The first white settlers in the area came from Virginia, as travel from eastern North Carolina was difficult over undeveloped mountain trails.
The mountain is named in honor of Thomas Jefferson and his father, Peter, who owned land in the area and surveyed the nearby North Carolina-Virginia border in 1749. Legend holds that during the Civil War the "caves" beneath Mount Jefferson's ledges served as hideouts for escaped slaves traveling to freedom on the Underground Railroad.
Mount Jefferson State Natural Area Hours of Operation:
November-February 9 am - 5 pm
March 9 am - 6 pm
April-May 9 am - 7 pm
June-August 9 am - 8 pm
September 9 am - 7 pm
October 9 am - 6 pm
The Mount Jefferson State Natural Area is closed Christmas Day. The park office is open 8 am - 5 pm weekdays, and it is closed on state holidays.
Mount Jefferson State Natural Area Admission Fees:
There is no fee to enter the Mount Jefferson State Natural Area. Picnic shelters are offered for free on a first-come, first-served basis, but can be reserved in advance for $60.
*Prices are subject to change without notice & from what is listed on this website.
Mount Jefferson State Natural Area Location:
The Mount Jefferson State Natural Area is located off NC 221, between Jefferson and West Jefferson, NC.
North Carolina State Parks
http://ils.unc.edu/parkproject/ncparks.html
Mt Jefferson State Natural Area
1481 Mt. Jefferson State
Jefferson, NC 28640
336-982-2587
Ashe County Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 31
West Jefferson, NC 28694
336-846-9550 / 888-343-2743
http://www.ashechamber.com
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