Editing Ashe County, North Carolina (section)

==Geography==
{{maplink|frame=yes|zoom=8|id=Q491626|type=shape-inverse|text=Interactive map of Ashe County}}
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|429.37|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|426.26|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|3.11|sqmi}} (0.72%) is water.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 23, 2022 |title=2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_counties_37.txt |access-date=September 9, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>

Ashe County is located in extreme northwestern [[North Carolina]]. The county is bordered by two states: [[Virginia]] on the north; and [[Tennessee]] to the west. The county is located entirely within the [[Appalachian Mountains]] region of North Carolina. Most of the county is located atop a rolling plateau that ranges from {{convert|2500|to|3000|ft|m}} above sea level. On the county's southeastern border the land drops sharply to about {{convert|1500|ft|m}} in neighboring Wilkes County, North Carolina. Numerous mountains and hills dot the plateau. In total, five mountains in the county rise to over {{convert|5000|ft|m}}. A prominent landmark is [[Mount Jefferson (North Carolina)|Mount Jefferson]], which is a State Natural Area and rises to {{convert|4665|ft|m}}, and towers more than {{convert|1600|ft|m}} above the towns of Jefferson and West Jefferson.

The county's main river is the [[New River (Kanawha River)|New River]], one of the oldest rivers in the world, and one of the few major rivers in the southeastern United States to flow primarily north instead of south, east, or west. 34 creeks and streams flow into the New River in Ashe County. In 1998, the river was designated an "American Heritage River" by President [[Bill Clinton]], and it is famed for its beautiful rural scenery, clear water, fly fishing, and kayaking and canoeing.

Isolated by mountainous terrain from the remainder of North Carolina to the east, Ashe County was described in the 19th and early 20th centuries as one of the [[Lost Provinces]] of North Carolina.<ref name="tabler1">{{cite web|last1=Tabler|first1=Dave|title=The Lost Provinces|url=http://www.appalachianhistory.net/2016/08/lost-provinces.html|website=Appalachian History|access-date=February 4, 2018|date=August 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180205000720/http://www.appalachianhistory.net/2016/08/lost-provinces.html|archive-date=February 5, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Ashe County generally is known for its mountain scenery, and the tourism industry is an important mainstay of the county's economy. The [[Blue Ridge Parkway]] runs along the county's southeastern border. Ashe County has historically consisted of rural farmland, with numerous cattle and poultry farms. However, cattle farming in recent decades has given way to the industry of raising [[Christmas trees]]. Many cattle farmers have switched to growing Christmas trees. In 1997, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2021, and 2023, an Ashe County Christmas tree was selected as the official [[White House]] Christmas Tree by the National Christmas Tree Association.<ref>{{cite web|title=NC Christmas Trees – Christmas Tree in the White House |url=http://ncchristmastrees.com/white-house-trees.php |publisher=North Carolina Christmas Tree Association |access-date=October 28, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111025030626/http://ncchristmastrees.com/white-house-trees.php |archive-date=October 25, 2011}}</ref> The tree is put on display in the [[Blue Room (White House)]]. As of 2014, Ashe County grows more Christmas trees than any other county in the Eastern United States.

===Climate===
Ashe County has a considerably different climate than most of the [[southeastern United States]]. Summers typically average around 80 °F (27 °C). Temperatures rarely exceed 90 °F (32 °C), but on rare occasions can reach the mid-90s °F (~35 °C) as they did in 2012—the most recent that 90 °F+ (32 °C+) was observed. 100 °F+ (38 °C+) has never been observed. Summer nights are cool, and temperatures often dip to near 60 °F (16 °C), even in July. In winter there is snow, averaging about 30 inches (0.76 meters) for the towns of Jefferson and West Jefferson during the past thirty years. Considerably more snow falls on the peaks and the western slopes of the Appalachian Mountains. During the 2009–2010 snow season, Jefferson received some 60 inches (1.52 meters) of snow. Snow has been observed as early as around October 1 and as late as around May 1. Ashe County is also a very windy location, especially in winter, when several times each year the Jefferson Airport sees winds gusting 60 to 85 MPH (97 to 137 KPH). Combined with the winds typical for the region, Ashe County can also see extremely cold temperatures during winter. In January 2014, the low temperature dipped below 0 °F (−18 °C) several times, the coldest being −8 °F (−22 °C) on January 30–31.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/jefferson/north-carolina/united-states/usnc0346/2014/1|title=Weather history Jefferson - January 2014|website=www.usclimatedata.com|access-date=October 5, 2019}}</ref> During [[December 2022 North American winter storm|Winter Storm Elliott in December 2022]], Ashe County recorded an atypical low of −15 °F (−26 °C).<ref name="Weather report for December 2022">{{cite web |last1=Davis |first1=Corey |title=A Christmas Chill Decked December's Halls |url=https://climate.ncsu.edu/blog/2023/01/a-christmas-chill-decked-decembers-halls/ |website=North Carolina State Climate Office |access-date=March 4, 2024 |ref=12}}</ref> Single digit temperatures, often just above zero Fahrenheit, are observed occasionally in the winter months. The average winter high is around 45 °F (7 °C), with an average winter low near 20 °F (−7 °C). Despite its southerly latitude, these factors can make Ashe County experience winter conditions typically seen in the [[northeastern United States]].

The [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] [[hardiness zone]]s range from Zone 6A (−10 °F to −5 °F or −23 °C to −21 °C) in northwestern Ashe County, to Zone 7B (5 °F to 10 °F or −15 °C to −12 °C) in areas along the county's southeastern border with [[Wilkes County, North Carolina|Wilkes County]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map {{!}} USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map |url=https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=planthardiness.ars.usda.gov}}</ref>

===National protected areas===
* [[Blue Ridge Parkway]] (part)
* [[Cherokee National Forest]] (part)
* [[Mountain Bogs National Wildlife Refuge]]

===State and local protected areas===
* [[Mount Jefferson State Natural Area]]
* [[New River State Park]] (part)
* [[Phoenix Lake, Ashe County Park]]
* [[Pond Mountain Game Land]]<ref name="NCWRC Game Lands">{{Cite web |title=NCWRC Game Lands |url=https://www.ncpaws.org/ncwrcmaps/gamelands |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=www.ncpaws.org}}</ref>
* [[Three Top Mountain Game Land]]<ref name="NCWRC Game Lands"/>
* [[West Jefferson Municipal Park]]

===Major water bodies===
* [[Big Horse Creek (North Carolina)|Big Horse Creek]]
* [[Brush Creek (North Carolina)|Brush Creek]]
* [[Cranberry Creek (North Carolina)|Cranberry Creek]]
* [[Grassy Creek (New River tributary)|Grassy Creek]]
* [[Helton Creek (North Carolina)|Helton Creek]]
* [[Hoskin Fork (North Carolina)|Hoskin Fork]]
* [[Jerd Branch (North Carolina)|Jerd Branch]]
* [[Little Horse Creek (North Carolina)|Little Horse Creek]]
* [[Little Phoenix Creek (North Carolina)|Little Phoenix Creek]]
* [[Long Hope Creek (North Carolina)|Long Hope Creek]]
* [[Mill Creek (North Carolina)|Mill Creek]]
* [[Minner Creek (North Carolina)|Minner Creek]]
* [[New River (Kanawha River tributary)|New River]]
* [[North Fork New River]]
* [[Obids Creek (North Carolina)|Obids Creek]]
* [[Roundabout Creek (North Carolina)|Roundabout Creek]]
* [[South Fork New River]]

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Grayson County, Virginia]] – north
* [[Alleghany County, North Carolina|Alleghany County]] – east
* [[Wilkes County, North Carolina|Wilkes County]] – southeast
* [[Watauga County, North Carolina|Watauga County]] – southwest
* [[Johnson County, Tennessee]] – west

===Major highways===
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|221}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US-Bus|221|dab1=Jefferson}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|16}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|88}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|163}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|194}}

===Major infrastructure===
* [[Ashe County Airport]]