There are three geologic provinces in North Carolina - the Mountains, the Piedmont, and the Coastal Plain.   Each of these regions contain different types of rocks and soils.  This geology affects the way water moves over the earth and through the ground.  It also affects which plants and animals can live there.

The Mountains

The North Carolina mountain region is part of the Appalachian mountain range.  The Appalachians are the oldest mountains in the United States.  They were formed when two continental plates ran into each other billions of years ago.  They were once very tall, like the Rocky Mountains.  Over time, wind and water eroded them, leaving the much smaller mountains we see today.  

This western province contains high mountain ridges separated by basins and valleys.  The highest point in the state is Mount Mitchell, which is 6,684 feet above sea level.

The Piedmont

The Piedmont is found in the central part of the state.  The Piedmont is made up of the eroded foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.  It includes rolling hills and valleys.  The lowest point in the Piedmont is 300 feet above sea level.  The highest point is 1,500 feet above sea level.

The Coastal Plain

Unlike the Mountains and Piedmont, the Coastal Plain is very flat. It is less than 600 feet above sea level. The geology of the Coastal Plain was formed by changes in the shoreline as sea level rose and fell over millions of years.  Much of the Coastal Plain has been under the Atlantic Ocean at some time in history.  Ocean sediments were deposited on top of the land when it was under water  These sediments hardened and formed underground layers of rock.  These rock layers often contain the fossils of marine animals that lived in the ocean at that time.

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