South Mountain Scenery

State: North Carolina
Length: 33.0 mi / 53.1 km
Time to Allow: 45 minutes

The South Mountains, from which this byway takes its name, were called the "Oakanoahs" by the Cherokee Indians who lived in the region. Views of the Mountains can be found around the town of Polkville in the First Broad River Valley. Travelers passing into Rutherford County near Polkville can see Cherry Mountain, named for the liquor and 'cherry bounce' produced in the area after the civil war. A side trip to South Mountain State Park and South Mountain Wildlife Management Area is surely worth the scenery and the mountain air. The last ten miles of the byway towards Marion, provides views of the Appalachian Mountains.

Stories

• South Mountains Scenery Scenic Byway Overview

  Apr 2, 2004

  Climb out of the flatlands of North Carolina into the rolling eastern foothills of the Appalachia Mountain Range by driving north on the rural South Mountains Scenic Byway. Or, if you've had your fill of the undulating hills of the Black Mountain Range, head south and drive through the bucolic, rural Piedmont region. Either direction, north or south, will provide a smooth transition that will surely catch your attention. This country route meanders through cornfields and apple orchards, and into North Carolina's Civil and Revolutionary War past. The Piedmont Valley retains much of the charm and character of the mid-1800s, and you will find yourself transported back to the age of simple rustic life amid North Carolina's rich farmlands. Continuing south along Route 182 will take you into the heart of Shelby—host to several museums that chronicle this region's wealth of history. The names of veteran generals and early settlers echo in the names of the towns and counties along this idyllic road.