Snake Mountain

A landowner donated 130 acres on Snake Mountain to the High Country Conservancy and a conservation agreement on the property to the Conservation Trust. The Conservation Trust acts as a separate conservation organization to ensure that the property’s conservation values outlined in the agreement are protected. The Conservation Trust regularly stewards and monitors the property. The Conservation Trust accepted the conservation agreement at the request of the High Country Conservancy.

Snake Mountain is the highest peak in Watauga County and contains the headwaters of the North Fork of the New River, a nationally recognized significant water resource. It has 360 degree views of the northern peaks, Grandfather, Roan, etc. The property includes southern appalachian northern hardwood forest, southern appalachian boulderfield forest (state and globally rare), and southern appalachian herb bogs (globally critically imperiled). The property also provides habitat for Gray’s Lilly (state threatened) and the Bog Goldenrod (state rare). The property provides critical linkage between the nationally significant Long Hope Valley ecological site and the state significant Potato Hill/Rich Mountain Bald ecological site.