BLUE RIDGE. The name of the most east erly range of the Appalachians in the United States (Map: United States, eastern part, K 3). It forms an almost continuous chain from \Vest Point in New York (the Highlands) down to the north of Alabama, through New Jersey (Schooley's fountain). Pennsylvania (South Mountain), Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia. In New Jersey and Pennsylvania the name of Blue Ridge is sometimes, but inaccurately, ap plied to the 'second' range, properly the Blue (or Kittatinny) Mountains. which runs parallel with this, and is separated from it by a part of the Great Valley. The Blue Ridge proper refers especially to that part of the range below Penn sylvania, which separates the Great Valley from the Piedmont Region. In south Virginia the range widens into a broad plateau. which reaches its widest extent in North Carolina, where it is intersected by numerous groups known as the Black, Cowee, Nantahala. and South mountains.
These groups run transverse to the main axis of the Blue Ridge, and their valleys ace occupied by numerous streams with a general northwesterly course. The Black _Mountains include the high est summits of the range as well as of the Appa lachians. Mount Mitchell, or Black Dome, the loftiest point, is 6710 feet. while Guyot's Peak, Sandoz Knob, Gibbe's Peak, and several others are over 6000 feet. Toward the north the Blue Ridge falls off in elevation; in Virginia the sum mits are about 4000 feet, and in Pennsylvania and New Jersey they are much less. The range is crossed by several large rivers flowing through narrow defiles or gaps, as the Hudson in its traverse of the Highlands, and the Potomac at Harper's Ferry. See APPALACHIANS; BLACK :MOUNTAINS. Consult Whitney, United States (Boston, 1889).