Allegheny Mountains

From West Virginia (WV) Cyclopedia

The Allegheny Mountains, or "The Alleghenies" of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania, are part of the Appalachian Mountains of eastern North America. They follow the general trend of the Appalachians northeast to southwest from north-central and western Pennsylvania through western Maryland into eastern and southern West Virginia. The Alleghenies are among the most massive and extensive ranges in Appalachia. Their loftiest summits, in eastern West Virginia, exceed 4,000 feet in elevation above sea level. West Virginia's highest peak, Spruce Knob, at 4,861 feet, Pennsylvania's highest peak, Mount Davis, at 3,213 feet, and Maryland's highest peak, Backbone Mountain, at 3,360 feet, are located in the central Allegheny Mountains.

The Alleghenies are renown for their great beauty, and many vacation destinations are located among them. Millions of tourists visit the region annually for skiing, hiking, hunting, fishing, and rock climbing. Much of the range in West Virginia is located within the Monongahela National Forest.

The Alleghenies represent the uplifted eastern edge of the Allegheny Plateau region, which rises slowly eastward from 50 feet above sea level in eastern Ohio to 4,000 above sea level at the Allegheny Front, the well-defined eastern edge of the plateau in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia. East of the front, the terrain descends steeply into Appalachian Valley & Ridge Region. Points along the front provide stunning views eastward. The bedrock of the Alleghenies is mostly sandstone and quartzite, extremely resistant to erosion, which accounts, in part, for their great height.