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Grandfather Mountain, Nature on a Whole Different Level

Conservation Programs

Grandfather's Endangered Species

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, North Carolina Natural Heritage and the Nature Conservancy have done surveys of the plants and animals on Grandfather Mountain and have ranked the endangered species according to rarity. Click on the underlined items for a related article. The list is as follows:

G1 - Critically imperiled globally (5 or fewer occurrences worldwide)

* Spruce Fir Moss Spider (arachnid)
* Spreading Avens (vascular plant)
* Blue Ridge Goldenrod (vascular plant)

G2 - Imperiled globally because of rarity (6 to 20 occurrences worldwide)

* Rock Gnome Lichen (lichen)
* Bazzania nudicaulis (liverwort)
* Plagiochila sullivantii (liverwort)
* Sphenolobopsis personii (liverwort)
* Grandfather Mountain Lepodontium (moss)
* Mountain Bittercress (vascular plant)
* Bent Avens (vascular plant)
* Roan Mountain Bluet (vascualr plant)
* Heller's Blazing Star (vascular plant)
* Carolina Saxifrage (vascular plant)

G3 - Either rare throughout its range or found locally in a restricted range (21 to 100 occurrences worldwide)

* Eastern Small-footed Bat (mammal)
* Allegheny Woodrat (mammal)
* Weller's Salamander (amphibian)
* Waterfan (lichen)
* Plagiochila virginica (liverwort)
* Plagiochila austinii (liverwort)
* Trailing Wolfsbane (vascular plant)
* Wretched Sedge (vascular plant)
* Tall Larkspur (vascular plant)
* Gray's Lily (vascular plant)
* Azalea vaseyi (vascular plant)
* Roan Rattlesnakeroot (vascular plant)

S1- Critically imperiled in North Carolina (5 or fewer occurrences)

* Virginia Big-Eared Bat (mammal)
* Hermit Thrush (bird)
* Magnolia Warbler (bird)
* Alpine Camouflage Lichen (lichen)
* Barbilophozia hatcheri (liverwort)
* Mylia taylorii (liverwort)
* Lime Homalia (moss)
* Pale-margined Leptodontium (moss)
* Canada Reed Grass (vascular plant)
* Hemlock Parsley (vascular plant)
* Fragile Fern (vascular plant)
* Matted Feather Moss (moss)
* Purple Willowherb (vascular plant)
* Balsam Ragwort (vascular plant)
* Fruitful Locust (vascular plant)
* Rosefoot (vascular plant)
* Pinebarren Death-camus (vascular plant)

S2- Imperiled in North Carolina because of rarity (6-20 occurrences)

* Carolina Northern Flying Squirrel (mammal)
* Long-tailed Shrew (mammal)
* Southern Water Shrew (mammal)
* Sharp-shinned Hawk (bird)
* Northern Saw-whet Owl(bird)
* Black-billed Cuckoo (bird)
* Peregrine Falcon (bird)
* Palaeagpetus celsus (insect)
* Smyth's Green Comma (insect)
* Velvet Covert (mollusk)
* High Mountain Supercoil (mollusk)
* Sand-loving Iceland Lichen (lichen)
* Plagiochila corniculata (liverwort)
* Northern Shorthusk (vascular plant)
* Wood's Sedge (vascular plant)
* Appalachian Fir Clubmoss (vascular plant)
* Deerhair Bulrush (vascular plant)
* Cranberry (vascular plant)

S3- Rare or uncommon in North Carolina (21-100 occurrences)

* Northern Long-eared Bat (mammal)
* New England Cottontail (mammal)
* Brown Creeper (bird)
* Southern Appalachian Red Crossbill (bird)
* Southern Appalachian Black-capped Chickadee (bird)
* Micrasema burksi (insect)

Why Grandfather Mountain is such a colorful leaf-looking destination

Insider's Tips to Visiting Grandfather in October

" I am a frequent visitor (20+ times a year with an annual pass). I always see something different. Great staff--especially the dining room people. I enjoy running "THE BEAR" "

Everett

Gastonia, NC

" I used to go the mountain as a child with my grandmother. It is a memory that I will never forget."

Cari

Savanah, GA

" I've been trying to get to your mountain since I was old enough to see ads for it on the TV as a child. I'm all grown up now, with a 3-year-old daughter of my own, and I'm pleased to report that both of us can now report that we've visited Grandfather Mountain. Both of us have a love of wild places, and yours certainly made an impression on us. We'll be back - often!"

Shannon

Union Hall, VA

" I love Grandfather Mountain. "

Brandon

Greenville, WI

" As close to God as you can get. Unforgettable and awe-inspiring. "

Brian & Amanda

Fort White, FL

" Beautiful park! Loved it. So clean and the animals were so healthy looking. I will definately return. "

Teri

Blowing Rock, NC

" I started visiting with my family as a kid, and have recently visited with my wife. I love it here. Anyone who is ever thinking about visiting or trying to find a place to go should! You will not be let down, there is a little for everyone to do. "

Gary

Fort Myers, FL

" Enjoyed our first trip to Granfather Mtn. - best Fall foliage this side of Massachusetts! Got great bear and eagle pictures - frameable. "

Bonnie

" We used to have family reunions in North Carolina and visited Grandfather Mountain. Although it's been many years since my last visit, the pictures on this site reminded me of what I have to get back! I remember the Swinging Bridge. And I remember taking a nature walk and wondering why everyone cared about the flowers. Now I know. "

Marilyn

Cincinnati, OH

" Just looked at the first "Escape to Grandfather Mountain" on my computer. Grandfather is one of my favorite places in all the world, and my wife & I first visited on our honeymoon in Aug. of 1959. Now I have health problems, and at age 70 I don't know when, or if, I'll ever return in person. But I "return" constantly now via my computer, and can relive the beautiful memories of actually being there. Thank you so very much for having this wonderful web site, and for the fantastic photos included. I wish I could be back "on top", but this is the next best thing. "

William

Greenville, SC

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