Black Mountains: Mackey Mountain Location: McDowell County, NC, 15 miles west of Marion, Grandfather Ranger District, Pisgah National Forest USGS Topographic Maps: Old Fort, Marion West Mackey Mountain is a large area and the valley of Mackey Creek contains the largest unbroken tract of old growth forest on the Pisgah National Forest. This forest is difficult to visit because there is no trail down the central part of the upper valley. Many of the ridges hold fragments of old growth hardwood forest and some of these are accessible by trail. There are two unusual stands of Carolina hemlock here, one of which is a North Carolina Heritage site. A major portion of the area is protected bear habitat. It sustains a large population of black bear and hikers often see well-worn bear trails and trees marked by clawing. Download this Map Black Mountains: Mackey Mountain 2.4 mb pdf file Approximate size: 15,095 acres Roadless acreage: 5,934 acres Old growth acreage: 5,476 acres An extensive system of trails once existed in the area, but about half of the trails have been abandoned. The loss of major lateral connectors makes longer loops impractical. Hikers can only cross the private property on the south and east where there is public access. The Mackey Mountain area lies immediately adjacent to the Curtis Creek Campground. The Hickory Branch Trail leads out of the campground up to the ridge overlooking the Mackey Creek valley. From that ridge a trail leads down to the creek, and a side trail leads to the top of Chestnutwood Mountain. Another main trail leads along the ridge defining the east side of the Mackey Creek Drainage. The Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition has published an excellent trail guide to Mackey Mountain. Forest Communities Mackey Mountain: Rich Cove (high and low elevation), Acidic Cove, Hemlock-Mixed Mesophytic, Alluvial Birch Poplar, Hemlock Bottom, High Elevation Northern Red Oak, Mesic Oak, Submesic Oak, Dry Oak, Dry Oak-Pine, Pine-Oak Heath, and Carolina Hemlock Forest. Horsetrail Gap Area: Rich Cove*, Acidic Cove, High Elevation Northern Red Oak, Mesic Oak, Submesic Oak, Dry Oak, Dry Oak-Pine, and Subxeric Pine. Largest Diameter Tree of Its Kind in the Nantahal-Pisgah: * Black oak, 50.5 inches, (Laurel Fork Creek, north fork) * White oak 42.8 inches (Tributaries of Licklog Creek). * Fraser magnolia 39 inches (Chestnutwood Mountain). * American holly 14.8 inches (Upper Mackey Creek). Unusual Plants and Animals Mackey Mountain: * A range of trillium species (including nodding, wake robin, and large flowered) were found in Hemlock-Mixed Mesophytic forest in upper Seng Branch. * High herb diversity was found in Mesic Oak forest in upper Bear Cave Branch (on north-facing side of Mackey Mountain). Mesic Oak in this area formed a transition between Rich Cove and Submesic Oak forest communities. * Mackey Mountain provides very high quality black bear habitat. Rob Messick and Calvin Allen reported seeing two black bears were seen on Clear Creek, and a carcass on upper Mackey Creek. * Pileated woodpecker feathers were found in Uncut Cove on the southwest side of Mackey Mountain. * A small, tan salamander was found in the north fork of Laurel Creek. This indicates the potential for high quality salamander habitat in coves on the southwest side of Mackey Mountain. Chestnutwood Mountain * The highest herb diversity was found in Rich Cove, Hemlock-Mixed Mesophytic, and some Submesic Oak forests in this area. Showy orchis and black walnut (among other indicator species) were present in the moist Hemlock-Mixed Mesophytic community along Hickory Branch. Numerous snails were found in this same community along Hickory Branch. * Two occurrences of Carolina Hemlock Forest were found on this mountain range. One was on Chestnutwood Mountain, and the other was near Buckeye Knob. * A rattlesnake was encountered in dry heath forest on Chestnutwood Mountain.

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