The Cumberland Plateau and the Blue Ridge Mountains - Geography Essay Example

The Cumberland Plateau is the southern part of the Appalachian plateau in the Appalachian Mountains located in the United States. The term Cumberland Plateau refers to the dissected lands of the plateau lying west of the Appalachian Mountains. The plateau is deeply dissected with a topographic relief of about one hundred and twenty meters and bluffs and numerous sandstone outcroppings. It has spectacular gorges, cliffs, natural bridges, waterfalls and rock houses at Kentuckys Pottsville escarpment. It is mainly dissected with headstreams of the Cumberland and Kentucky rivers and also by the tributaries of the Tennessee River. It has other notable features like the sand mountain, Walden Ridge, Cumberland Gap, lookout and the Cumberland pine. The height of the plateaus hills ranges from an elevation of slightly over 200 feet near Holt lock to 2500 feet high in the black mountains. It is made up of sedimentary rocks and has a vast stretch of natural forest intermediate between oak forest types, hickory and forest types with pines.

The Blue Ridge Mountains is a segment of the Appalachian Mountains located in the eastern the United States. It is a 615 miles stretch starting from Georgia to Pennsylvania. They have a bluish color when seen from a distance. This distinctive color has been as a result of trees releasing isoprene to the atmosphere. It has the tallest mountains in eastern North America. The highest peak in the Blue Ridge mountains is Mt. Mitchell, North Carolina 2037 meters high. It has the Blue Ridge Parkway that runs 469 miles along the crests of the southern Appalachians linking two parks, Great Smoky Mountains, and Shenandoah. The whole region of the Blue Ridge Mountains is highly dissected by three big rivers: the Roanoke, James and Potomac, small rivers and streams. Most of the rocks forming the mountains contain metamorphosed volcanic rocks, granitic rocks, and sedimentary limestones.

The Cumberland Plateau and the Blue Ridge Mountains are similar in many ways. They are both deeply dissected by rivers and streams running across them; they have tops that go high up above sea level; they are forested and contain hardwood trees which are a source of timber. They both contain minerals like coal, and limestone which are useful in ways like building and energy production. The regions also have natural bridges helpful to animals and humans.

Human beings have utilized the lands of Cumberland Plateau and the Blue Ridge Mountains for significant benefits. The availability of coal deposits in these lands has enabled coal mining from these areas which are a useful resource in energy production. The Cumberland Plateau has limestone used in the production of cement. It also has sandstones helpful in building and decoration purposes. The availability of hardwood trees in both areas constitutes a significant resource that has enabled timber production. The Blue Ridge Mountains has fertile lands allowing farming, cattle rearing, and tobacco production. Cumberland Plateau has a rough topography thus resulting in isolated settlements of people who practice subsistence farming. It has a historic national park, the Cumberland Gap that provided passage to early settlers and was also strategically important during the American civil war. It has two parks, the Great Smoky Mountains national park and Shenandoah national park where flora and fauna living in the mountainous region are harbored. It thus offers an excellent source of employment, boosts tourism in the area and a chance to preserve wildlife. The Blue Ridge Mountains region has a beautiful motor route that runs southwest to the Great Smoky Mountains national park.