Stone Mountain State Park General Management Plan GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR STONE MOUNTAIN STATE PARK Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources Division of Parks and Recreation Planning and Development Section October, 1994 . INTRODUCTION Planning is an essential element of effective and efficient park administration and management. The North Carolina General Assembly acknowledged its importance by passing state parks system legislation that includes planning requirements. The 1987 State Parks Act (G.S.I14-44.7 through 114-44. 14) stipulates that a State Parks System Plan be prepared. Such a plan was completed in December of 1988. It evaluated the statewide significance of parks, identified duplications and deficiencies in the system, described the resources of the system, proposed solutions to problems, described anticipated trends, and recommended means and methods to accommodate trends. The State Parks Act also requires each park to have an individual general management plan. The general management plans are required to: ...include a statement of purpose for the park based upon its relationship to the System Plan and its classification. An analysis of the major resources and facilities on hand to achieve those purposes shall be completed along with a statement ofmanagement direction. The general management plan shall be revised as necessary to comply with the System Plan and to achieve the purpose of the [State Parks Act] A GMP is to be a comprehensive five-yearplan ofmanagement for a park unit. GMP's function to: 1. describe park resources and facilities; 2. state the purpose and importance of each park unit; 3. outline interpretive themes and propose locations for informational and interpretive facilities; 4. analyze park and recreation demands and trends in the park's service area; 5. summarize the primary laws guiding park operations; 6. identify internal and external threats to park natural and cultural resources, and propose appropriate responses; 7. identify and set priorities for capital improvement needs; 8. analyze visitor services and propose efficient, effective, and appropriate means of responding to visitor needs; and 9. review park operations and identify actions to support efficient and effective park administrative procedures. GMP The for Stone Mountain State Park, developed with public involvement, is intended to serve these purposes. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION I. DESCRIPTION OF PARK RESOURCES AND FACILITIES 1-1 Location 1-1 Land Base 1-1 Visitor Facilities 1-1 History of the Park Area 1-3 PARK PURPOSES II. II-l State Parks System Mission Statement II-l Stone Mountain State Park Purpose Statement II-l SUMMARY OF INTERPRETIVE THEMES III. III-l Primary Interpretive Themes III-l Secondary Interpretive Themes III-2 PARK AND RECREATION DEMAND AND TRENDS IV. IV-1 Visitation Trends IV-1 Population Trends IV-1 Population Trends by Age Group IV-1 Outdoor Recreation Participation IV-4 Priorities for Public Outdoor Recreation Funding IV-4 Recreation Opportunities in Close Proximity IV-6 Management Implications of Demographic and IV-7 Socioeconomic Trends V. SUMMARY OF LAWS GUIDING PARK MANAGEMENT V-l State Legal Mandates V-l Federal Laws V-3 State Policies V-4 NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT VI. VI-1 Natural Resource Management Policy VI-1 Plant Communities VI-2 Natural Heritage Element Occurrences VI-4 Natural Heritage Registered Natural Areas VI-6 Page Potential Additions to Registered Natural Areas VI-7 Resource Management Issues VI-7 PHYSICAL PLANT INVENTORY VIM VII. Facility Inventory and Inspection Program VII-1 Road and Utility Inventory VII-9 Major Capital Improvement Project Priorities VII-12 PARK OPERATIONS VIII. VIII-1 Introduction VIII-1 Staffing VIII-1 Operating Budget VIII-3 Trail System VIII-6 Intrepretation and Education Programs VIII-7 Rock Climbing VIII-8 Overcrowdin*g» at the Base of Stone Mountain VIII-8 IX. LAND ACQUISITION NEEDS IX-1 Land Acquisition Status IX-1 Land Acquisition Needs IX-1 APPENDIX A: PARK PROFILE A-l APPENDIX B: CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT REQUESTS B-l Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation http://archive.org/details/stonemountainstaOOunse 1-1 DESCRIPTION OF PARK I. RESOURCES AND FACILITIES LOCATION Stone Mountain is located on the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge escarpment in the Mountain Province of North Carolina. It is on the northern border of Wilkes County, approximately 17 miles northeast of North Wilkesboro, and extends into the southeastern portion of Alleghany County. The park is accessible via U.S 21, S.R. 1002, and the John P. Frank Parkway, between Sparta and Elkin. LAND BASE The park, established in 1969, consists of 13,437 acres. The area is characterized by extremely rugged wooded terrain, with several large granite outcrop areas, the most spectacular being Stone Mountain. Stone Mountain is a dome-shaped granite mass rising 700 feet above its base and is composed of biotite granite. Numerous creeks flow through the park and form several waterfalls. Stone Mountain Falls, located on Big Sandy Creek at the southeast end of the mountain, is the highest waterfall, with a vertical drop over 200 feet. The lowest elevations are along the East Prong Roaring River. A large expanse of steep, wooded terrain extends north and west from the river to the Blue Ridge escarpment. This area offers some of the most remote, wilderness conditions found in the state parks system (Figure 1-1). VISITOR FACILITIES Visitor facilities at Stone Mountain State Park provide opportunities for hiking, camping, picnicking, and fishing. Ten hiking trails covering 26 miles are located in the park. Several trout streams flow through the park, including the East Prong Roaring River, Garden Creek, Widow Creek, Big Sandy Creek, and Harris Creek. Bullhead Creek and Rich Mountain Creek are designated as fish-for-fun streams. In these two streams, only fly-fishing with barbless hooks is permitted; all fish must be released, and a special park permit is required. Two small picnic areas with a total of 12 picnic tables are available. One is located at the base ofthe mountain and the other along the East Prong Roaring River. No group picnic shelters are available. A 37-site tent and trailer campground is located about one-half mile from the visitor center. Park visitors can hike to six primitive sites along Widows's Creek. Organized groups may use the primitive group camping area, which offers pit toilets, fire rings, and campsites. 21 < UJ _l o<!' o £ < < ] LJ o O f— 00 O Ld CO 5—! -9I I?- ^ o X a: CD CL UOJ Ld Figure I - 1 . Stone Mountain State Park