List of subranges of the Appalachian Mountains

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Shenandoah National Park in Virginia
View in the Great Craggy Mountains near the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina

The following is a list of subranges within the Appalachian Mountains, a mountain range stretching ~2,050 miles from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada to Alabama, US. The Appalachians, at their initial formation, were a part of the larger Central Pangean Mountains along with the Scottish Highlands, the Ouachita Mountains, and the Anti-Atlas Mountains. The modern ranges were formed and/or deformed by the Acadian, Caledonian, Alleghenian, Mauritanide and Variscan orogenies with the Alleghenian orogeny being the most notable to the modern Appalachians.[1][2][3]

The Appalachians are also subdivided by a number of large plateaus and additional subplateus. These are commonly not considered subranges although they do contain some features referred to as mountains which are assigned to both their geographic "range" and the more general Appalachian Mountains. These plateaus, such as the Allegheny Plateau, are considered provinces of the Appalachian Highlands and the mountains assigned to them are instead considered pieces of dissected plateaus.[4]

Additionally, subranges and ridges of subranges (Such as the Yew Mountains) are inconsistently related to the Appalachian Mountain Range. No clear distinction exists as to what units qualify as directly related subranges of the Appalachians until the level of mountain.[5] As such, the distinction is often arbitrary and based on person preference by the geographer or geologist publishing material. This has led to the distinction being largely unrelated to area, geological features, or topography.[6] This list is more comprehensive to account for that variation and includes the parent range of each subrange noted. This list includes physiographic regions, for information of the physiographic regions, provinces, and sections: refer to the Appalachian Highlands page for American sections and the Appalachian Uplands page for Canadian sections.

Due to the lack of solid distinctions in the requirements of an area to be a range, this list includes most physiographic divisions, many larger ridges, plateaus, mountain complexes, most stratigraphic ridges, certain lowlands and uplands, local highlands, and certain other types of geographic and geological features. This list is not a comprehensive list of every peak and summit of the Appalachians, individual mountains, when included, are generally individual politically but not geographically, and each inclusion must meet the set of criteria used to define a subrange.

List of subranges

[edit]
Name[7][3][8][9] Parent range[9] Administrative location[8] Highest elevation[9] Total area[9] Midpoint coordinates[9]
Appalachian Mountains Central Pangean Mountains United States and Canada 6,684 ft
(2,037 m) 		736,888 mi2
(1,908,539 km2) 		37°6′N 76°18′W / 37.100°N 76.300°W / 37.100; -76.300 (Appalachian Mountains)
Appalachian Highlands Appalachian Mountains United States 6,684 ft
(2,037 m) 		615,150 mi2
(1,593,231 km2) 		40°N 78°W / 40°N 78°W / 40; -78 (Appalachian Mountains)
Appalachian Uplands Appalachian Mountains Canada 4,186 ft
(1,276 m) 		121,741 mi2
(315,308 km2) 		42°21′N 67°16′W / 42.350°N 67.267°W / 42.350; -67.267 (Appalachian Uplands)
Appalachian Plateau Appalachian Highlands New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia.
Blue Ridge Mountains Appalachian Highlands Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia.
Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Appalachian Highlands New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama.
Piedmont Appalachian Highlands New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama
St. Lawrence Valley Appalachian Highlands Vermont and New York
New England Appalachian Highlands Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania
Adirondack Mountains Appalachian Highlands New York
Newfoundland Highlands[7] Appalachian Uplands Newfoundland and Labrador 2,664 ft
(812 m) 		13,125 mi2
(33,994 km2) 		49°36′N 57°25′W / 49.600°N 57.417°W / 49.600; -57.417 (Newfoundland Highlands)
Annapolis Lowland Appalachian Uplands Nova Scotia
Atlantic Uplands Appalachian Uplands Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia
Chaleur Uplands Appalachian Uplands Quebec and New Brunswick
Eastern Quebec Uplands Appalachian Uplands Quebec
Nova Scotia Highlands Appalachian Uplands Nova Scotia
New Brunswick Highlands Appalachian Uplands New Brunswick
Notre Dame and Mégantic Mountains Appalachian Uplands** Quebec
Notre Dame Mountains Appalachian Uplands (Ntl. Gov.) or Notre Dame and Mégantic Mountains (Quebec)** Quebec and New Brunswick
Megantic Hills Appalachian Uplands (Ntl. Gov.) or Notre Dame and Mégantic Mountains (Quebec)** Quebec
Maritime Plain Appalachian Uplands New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
Sutton Mountains Appalachian Uplands Quebec
Eastern Kentucky Mountains[10][11] Appalachian Plateau, Cumberland Plateau, and Cumberland Mountains Kentucky
Mohawk Plateau[12] Appalachian Plateau New York
Catskill Mountains Appalachian Plateau New York
Cumberland Mountains Appalachian Plateau Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee
Cumberland Plateau Appalachian Plateau Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama
Kanawha Appalachian Plateau New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Virginia
Southern New York Appalachian Plateau New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania
Allegheny Plateau Appalachian Plateau New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Kentucky
Allegheny Mountains Appalachian Plateau Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia 4,861 ft
(1,482 m) 		15,628 mi2
(40,476 km2) 		39°13′N 79°54′W / 39.217°N 79.900°W / 39.217; -79.900 (Allegheny Mountains)
Hudson Valley Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians New York
Middle Ridge and Valley Appalachians Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia
Tennessee Ridge and Valley Appalachians Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama
Northern Blue Ridge Mountains Blue Ridge Mountains Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia
Southern Blue Ridge Mountains Blue Ridge Mountains Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia
Piedmont Uplands Piedmont Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama
Piedmont Lowlands Piedmont New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia
Champlain Valley St. Lawrence Valley New York and Vermont
Northern St. Lawrence Valley St. Lawrence Valley New York
Seaboard Lowlands New England Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island
New England Uplands New England New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania
White Mountains New England Maine and New Hampshire
Green Mountains New England Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut
Taconic Mountains New England Vermont, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania
Long Range Mountains Newfoundland Highlands Newfoundland and Labrador 2,664 ft
(812 m) 		13,125 mi2
(33,994 km2) 		49°36′N 57°25′W / 49.600°N 57.417°W / 49.600; -57.417 (Newfoundland Highlands)
Newfoundland Central Lowlands Newfoundland Highlands[7] Newfoundland and Labrador
Atlantic Uplands of Newfoundland Atlantic Uplands and Newfoundland Highlands[7] Newfoundland and Labrador
Atlantic Uplands of Nova Scotia Atlantic Uplands Nova Scotia
Cobequid Highlands Maritime Plain and Nova Scotia Highlands Nova Scotia 1,198 ft

(365 m)

2,795 mi2

7,239 km2

45°39′N 63°48′W / 45.650°N 63.800°W / 45.650; -63.800 (Cobequid Highlands)
Cape Breton Highlands Maritime Plain and Atlantic Uplands of Nova Scotia Nova Scotia 1,749 ft

(533 m)

4,521 mi2

(11,508 km2)

46°18′N 60°41′W / 46.300°N 60.683°W / 46.300; -60.683 (Cape Breton Highlands)
Fundy Highlands Maritime Plain and New Brunswick Highlands New Brunswick 1,345+ ft

(410+ m)

7,211 mi2

(18,677 km2)

46°8′N 65°0′W / 46.133°N 65.000°W / 46.133; -65.000 (Fundy Highlands)
Chic-Choc Mountains Notre Dame Mountains Quebec 4,186 ft

(1,276 m)

10,020 mi2

(25,952 km2)

48°36′N 66°2′W / 48.600°N 66.033°W / 48.600; -66.033 (Chic-Choc Mountains)
Central Notre Dame Mountains Notre Dame Mountains Quebec 2,972 ft

(906 m)

9,252 mi2

(23,962 km2)

47°49′N 68°29′W / 47.817°N 68.483°W / 47.817; -68.483 (Central Notre Dame Mountains)
Southern Notre Dame Mountains Notre Dame Mountains Quebec 3,005 ft

(916 m)

8,480 mi2

(21,962 km2)

46°25′N 71°12′W / 46.417°N 71.200°W / 46.417; -71.200 (Southern Notre Dame Mountains)
Collines Monteregiennes Notre Dame Mountains Quebec 1,818 ft

(554 m)

3,038 mi2

(7,868 km2)

45°35′N 72°53′W / 45.583°N 72.883°W / 45.583; -72.883 (Collines Monteregiennes)
Eastern Kentucky Coalfield Eastern Kentucky Mountains[10][11] and the Cumberland Plateau Kentucky
Pottsville Escarpment[10] Eastern Kentucky Mountains[10][11] and the Cumberland Plateau Kentucky 1,800 ft[10]
Waverly Escarpment[10] Eastern Kentucky Mountains[10][11] Kentucky 1,300 ft[10]
Pine Mountain[13] Eastern Kentucky Mountains[10][11] and Cumberland Mountains Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee 1,700 ft

(518 m)[13]

36°53′30.98″N 83°17′18.08″W / 36.8919389°N 83.2883556°W / 36.8919389; -83.2883556 (Pine Mountain)[14]
Log Mountains[15] Eastern Kentucky Mountains[10][11] Kentucky and Tennessee
Catskill Escarpment Catskill Mountains New York
Blackhead Mountains Catskill Mountains New York
Northwest Catskills Catskill Mountains
Northeast Catskills Catskill Mountains
Devil's Path Catskill Mountains New York
Central Catskills Catskill Mountains
Southwest Catskills Catskill Mountains
Burroughs Range Catskill Mountains New York
Southern Catskills Catskill Mountains
Cumberland Mountain[16] Cumberland Mountains Virginia and Tennessee 3,500 ft

(1,100 m)

Crab Orchard Mountains Cumberland Mountains Tennessee 3,340 ft

(1,018 m)[17]

Walden Ridge Cumberland Plateau Tennessee 3,048 ft

(929 m)

Lookout Mountain Cumberland Plateau Georgia 2,389 ft

(728 m)

34°51′49″N 85°23′33″W / 34.86361°N 85.39250°W / 34.86361; -85.39250 (Lookout Mountain)
Sand Mountain Cumberland Plateau and Armuchee Ridges Alabama and Georgia
Allegheny Front Allegheny Mountains Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia 4,770 feet

(1,450 m)

39°04′23″N 79°17′53″W / 39.07306°N 79.29806°W / 39.07306; -79.29806 (Allegheny Front)
Spruce Mountain Allegheny Mountains West Virginia 4,863 ft

(1,482 m)

38°41′59″N 79°31′58″W / 38.69972°N 79.53278°W / 38.69972; -79.53278 (Spruce Mountain)
Rich Mountain Allegheny Mountains West Virginia
Briery Mountains Allegheny Mountains West Virginia
Laurel Mountain Allegheny Mountains West Virginia
Laurel Mountain Allegheny Mountains Pennsylvania
Flat Top Mountain Allegheny Mountains West Virginia
Yew Mountains Allegheny Mountains West Virginia
Shavers Fork Mountain Complex Allegheny Mountains West Virginia
Cheat Mountain Shavers Fork Mountain Complex West Virginia
Shavers and Back Allegheny Mountains Shavers Fork Mountain Complex West Virginia
Mount Porte Crayon Allegheny Mountains West Virginia
Dans Mountain Allegheny Front Maryland
Backbone Mountain Allegheny Mountains Maryland and West Virginia
Negro Mountain Allegheny Mountains Pennsylvania
North Fork Mountain Allegheny Mountains West Virginia
Sideling Hill (aka Side Long Hill) Allegheny Mountains or Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia
Shenandoah Mountain Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians West Virginia and Virginia
Sleepy Creek Mountain Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians West Virginia
The Devil's Nose Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians West Virginia
North Mountain (aka Great Ridge) Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians West Virginia and Virginia
Savage Mountains Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Pennsylvania and Maryland
Great North Mountain Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians West Virginia and Virginia
Tonoloway Ridge Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia
Cacapon Mountain Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians West Virginia and Virginia
Third Hill Mountain Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians West Virginia
Patterson Creek Mountain Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians West Virginia
South Branch Mountain Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians West Virginia
Ice Mountain Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians West Virginia
Knobly Mountain Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians West Virginia
Elleber Ridge Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians West Virginia
Peters Mountain Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians West Virginia and Virginia
Ordovician Bald Eagle Formation Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Pennsylvania
Nittany Arch Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Pennsylvania
Brush Mountain Ridge Ordovician Bald Eagle Formation Pennsylvania
Bald Eagle Mountain Ridge Ordovician Bald Eagle Formation and Nittany Arch Pennsylvania
Tussey Mountain Ordovician Bald Eagle Formation and Nittany Arch Pennsylvania
Shriner Mountain Ordovician Bald Eagle Formation and Nittany Arch Pennsylvania
Mount Nittany Nittany Arch Pennsylvania
Allegheny Mountain Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Pennsylvania
Wills Mountain Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Pennsylvania and Maryland
Tuscarora Mountain Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Pennsylvania
Jacks Mountain Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Pennsylvania
Jacks Mountain Anticline Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Pennsylvania
Stone Mountain Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Pennsylvania
Seven Mountains Area Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Pennsylvania
Dunning Mountain Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Pennsylvania
Kittatinny Mountain Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians New Jersey
Wallpack Ridge Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians New York
Blue Mountains of Pennsylvania Middle Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Pennsylvania
Shawangunk Mountains Hudson Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians New York
Bays Mountain Tennessee Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Tennessee
Sharp's Ridge Tennessee Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Tennessee
Armuchee Ridges Tennessee Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Tennessee
Taylor Ridge Armuchee Ridges Georgia
White Oak Mountain Tennessee Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Tennessee and Georgia
Missionary Ridge Tennessee Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Tennessee
Stringer's Ridge Tennessee Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Tennessee
Red Mountain Tennessee Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Alabama
Newman Ridge Tennessee Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Tennessee
Powell Mountain Tennessee Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians Virginia and Tennessee
Bull Run Mountains Northern Blue Ridge Mountains Virginia
Catoctin Mountain Northern Blue Ridge Mountains Maryland and Virginia
Great Smoky Mountains Southern Blue Ridge Mountains North Carolina
Great Balsam Mountains Southern Blue Ridge Mountains North Carolina
Sauratown Mountains Southern Blue Ridge Mountains North Carolina
Bald Mountains Southern Blue Ridge Mountains Tennessee and North Carolina
Great Craggy Mountains Southern Blue Ridge Mountains North Carolina
Plott Balsams Southern Blue Ridge Mountains North Carolina
Unaka Range Southern Blue Ridge Mountains North Carolina
Roan Highlands Unaka Range North Carolina
Grassy Ridge Roan Highlands North Carolina
Unicoi Mountains Southern Blue Ridge Mountains North Carolina
Iron Mountains Southern Blue Ridge Mountains Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina
Holston Mountain Southern Blue Ridge Mountains Tennessee
Grassy Ridge Southern Blue Ridge Mountains Georgia
Black Mountains Southern Blue Ridge Mountains North Carolina
Brushy Mountains Southern Blue Ridge Mountains North Carolina
South Mountains Piedmont Uplands North Carolina
Uwharrie Mountains Piedmont Uplands North Carolina
Broken Hills Piedmont Uplands Virginia
Caraway Mountains Uwharrie Mountains North Carolina
Reading Prong New England Uplands Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey
Manhattan Prong New England Uplands Connecticut and New York
South Mountain Reading Prong Pennsylvania
New York – New Jersey Highlands Reading Prong New York and New Jersey
Bearfort Ridge New York – New Jersey Highlands New Jersey
Hudson Highlands Reading Prong Hudson Valley, New York
East Hudson Highlands Hudson Highlands New York
West Hudson Highlands Hudson Highlands New York
Breakneck Ridge East Hudson Highlands New York
Housatonic Highlands Reading Prong Connecticut
Ramapo Mountains Manhattan Prong New York and New Jersey
Trenton Prong Manhattan Prong or Piedmont Lowlands and Piedmont Highlands Pennsylvania and New Jersey
Carter-Moriah Range White Mountains New Hampshire
Cannon–Kinsman Range White Mountains New Hampshire
The Cannon Balls White Mountains New Hampshire
Mahoosuc Range White Mountains Maine and New Hampshire
Franconia Range White Mountains New Hampshire
Franconia Ridge Franconia Range New Hampshire
Presidential Range White Mountains New Hampshire
Montalban Ridge Presidential Range New Hampshire
Bemis Ridge Montalban Ridge New Hampshire
Katahdin Massif Presidential Range New Hampshire
Sandwich Range White Mountains New Hampshire
The Sleepers White Mountains New Hampshire
Mount Shaw Massif Ring Dyke White Mountains New Hampshire
Ossipee Mountains White Mountains New Hampshire
Baldface-Royce Range White Mountains New Hampshire
Crescent Range White Mountains New Hampshire
Mahoosuc Range White Mountains New Hampshire
Pilot Range White Mountains New Hampshire
Sandwich Range White Mountains New Hampshire
Twin Range White Mountains New Hampshire
Northeast Kingdom Green Mountains* Vermont
Taconic Allochthon Taconic Mountains New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut
South Taconics Taconic Mountains New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut
Upper Hoosic River Valley Region Taconic Mountains Massachusetts
Southern Vermont Taconic Mountains Vermont
Northern Terminus Taconic Mountains Vermont
Anguille Mountains Long Range Mountains Newfoundland and Labrador
Lewis Hills Long Range Mountains Newfoundland and Labrador
Tablelands Long Range Mountains Newfoundland and Labrador

* Colloquially, all mountains in Vermont are referred to as the Green Mountains, although not all are a part of the geological range. The Northeast Kingdom is not in the range, but is considered as containing Green Mountains

** The Canadian government considers the Megantic Hills and Notre Dame Mountains as two physiographic provinces within the Appalachian Uplands region. Conversely, the government of Quebec considers the Notre Dame and Mégantic Mountains to be a physiographic region and does not recognize the Appalachian Uplands. This list primarily uses the Canadian Geological Survey's dictations on physiographic regions, divisions, sections, and subsections.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Bartholomew, M.J.; Whitaker, A.E. (2010). "The Alleghanian deformational sequence at the foreland junction of the Central and Southern Appalachians". In Tollo, R.P.; Bartholomew, M.J.; Hibbard, J.P.; Karabinos, P.M. (eds.). From Rodinia to Pangea: The Lithotectonic Record of the Appalachian Region, GSA Memoir 206. pp. 431–454. ISBN 978-0-8137-1206-2 Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  2. ^ Hatcher, R.D. "Tracking lower-to-mid-to-upper crustal deformation processes through time and space through three Paleozoic orogenies in the Southern Appalachians using dated metamorphic assemblages and faults". Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Geological Society of America. Archived from the original on 2018-08-06. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
  3. ^ a b Gouvernement du Canada, Ressources naturelles Canada. "Noms de lieux – Recherche par nom de toponyme". toponymes.rncan.gc.ca. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  4. ^ "Physiographic divisions of the conterminous U. S. – ScienceBase-Catalog". water.usgs.gov. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  5. ^ "Appalachian Mountains". WorldAtlas. July 19, 2021. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  6. ^ Nevin Melancthon Fenneman (1938). "Physiography of eastern United States". Internet Archive. McGraw-Hill Book Company, inc. p. 121.
  7. ^ a b c d Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada (September 12, 2016). "Natural Resources Canada. The Atlas of Canada. Physiographic Regions of Canada". atlas.gc.ca. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Physiographic Provinces – Geology (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Peakbagger.com". Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Geology of Kentucky: Chapter 14, Eastern Kentucky Mountains". www.uky.edu. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d e f "Daniel Boone National Forest". U.S. Department of Agriculture - Forest Service. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  12. ^ Renton, Dr. John J. "I-68/I-70: A Window To The Appalachians" (PDF). West Virginia University Department of Geology & Geography. Morgantown, West Virginia: West Virginia University – via West Virginia Geological Survey.
  13. ^ a b "Summary Report - Pine Mountain". United States Geological Survey. January 1, 2000. Retrieved January 4, 2024 – via U.S. Board on Geographic Names. Class: Range
  14. ^ "Summary Report - Pine Mountain". United States Geological Survey. January 1, 2000. coordinate sequence 1. Retrieved January 4, 2024 – via U.S. Board on Geographic Names. Class: Range
  15. ^ "Summary Report - Log Mountains". United States Geological Survey. December 31, 1981 [September 20, 1979]. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  16. ^ "Cumberland Mountains". Kentucky Encyclopedia. The University of Kentucky Press. 1992. p. 247. ISBN 0-8131-1772-0
  17. ^ "Big Fodderstack - Peakbagger.com". www.peakbagger.com. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
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