The Blue Ridge Escarpment is the area between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Piedmont of South Carolina, North Carolina and Northeast Georgia where a sudden change in elevation occurs with a vertical drop from around 1,300 to 2,500 feet.
The northern area of the Escarpment general runs along the Eastern Continental Divide, which separates river systems that flow west and on to the Gulf of Mexico and east to the Atlantic.
The Blue Ridge Escarpment is the result of major tectonic uplift and then millions of years of old forest growth along with wind and water erosion forming all the streams and waterfalls of the area.
The Escarpment has a major impact on weather in the area and thus tourist! The areas highest rainfall is generally found in Sapphire Valley Resort’s neighbor of Brevard and Transylvania County.
Our area waterfalls are a product of the Escarpment including the much-visited Whitewater Falls which drops 411 feet in North Carolina and 400 feet in South Carolina, making it the highest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains.
Image: Courtesy Town of Highlands web cam. Whiteside Mountain
The overlook on Highway 64 between Highlands and Cashiers provides a dramatic view and example of the escarpment falling off to the lower valleys and eventually the piedmont areas of North and South Carolina! It is a bit dangerous to view the lower valleys from this location (on the highway) so we recommend a visit to Whiteside Mountain itself. There is a parking lot and a 2 mile loop trail that takes you to the top of the 750’ sheer rock face. For more information on the Whiteside Mountain Trail and videos, Visit [https://highsouthadventures.com/blue-ridge-high-south.html]
To see the escarpment’s dramatic elevation drop very up close and personal on the edge of the escarpment, a quick trip to Caesar’s Head State Park is a must! Ceasar’s Head is a 1 hour drive from Sapphire Valley and worth the trip through Brevard, North Carolina.