Two Properties Protected on NC’s Saddle Mountain

Posted by Jeff on Jan 13, 2016 @ 1:07 pm in Conservation | 0 comments | Last modified: January 13, 2016

On December 23, 2015 the Conservation Trust for North Carolina purchased two forested properties on the slopes of Saddle Mountain in Alleghany and Surry counties. To expand public recreation opportunities, CTNC intends to convey the properties to the state for inclusion in the Saddle Mountain portion of the Mitchell River Game Lands managed by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission.

The two properties contain portions of Mill Creek, rated as a trout stream and “High Quality Waters” by the NC Department of Environmental Quality. The protection of these properties will help preserve unpolluted tributaries and portions of the main stem of Mill Creek in the headwaters of the Fisher River, the drinking water supply for the town of Dobson. Further downstream, the Yadkin River provides drinking water for millions of residents in the North Carolina Piedmont, including Winston-Salem.

The Saddle Mountain properties are located approximately ¼-mile off the Blue Ridge Parkway near milepost 222 in Ennice. The properties are visible from sections of the Parkway near Fox Hunters Paradise Overlook, north of Saddle Mountain.

In 2005, CTNC purchased 251 acres on Saddle Mountain and conveyed it to the state, enabling expansion of the Mitchell River Game Lands to include the vast majority of the iconic Saddle Mountain. The project contributes to an ongoing, collaborative conservation initiative.

Stanback Hiking Trail was completed there in 2014, offering hikers the opportunity to enjoy expansive views of the Piedmont to the east and the Blue Ridge mountains to the west from the top of Saddle Mountain. The trail is accessible from Saddle Mountain Church Road.

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