Editing Stokes County, North Carolina (section)

==Geography==
{{maplink|frame=yes|zoom=8|id=Q506682|type=shape-inverse|text=Interactive map of Stokes County}}
[[Image:SauratownMountains.wmg.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The Sauratown Mountains cut through Stokes County which is otherwise gently rolling piedmont hills. The Blue Ridge Mountains in the background lie to the west of Stokes County.]]
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|456.14|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|449.35|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|6.79|sqmi}} (1.49%) 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>

The county lies within the Piedmont region of western North Carolina, and most of the terrain consists of gently rolling countryside. The county is part of [[Appalachia]] and the [[Sauratown Mountains]] run across the center of the county. The Sauras are named after the [[Cheraw|Saura]] Native American tribe which lived in the county before European settlement. A chain of jagged ridges, the Sauratown Mountains are an isolated remnant of the [[Blue Ridge Mountains]] far to the west. Although the Sauratown Mountains occupy only 5% of Stokes County, they dominate the scenery from almost any direction, abruptly rising from 800 to {{convert|1700|ft|m}} above the surrounding terrain. [[Moore's Knob]], the highest point in the chain, rises to {{convert|2579|ft|m}}. Most of the county is less than {{convert|1000|ft|m}} above sea level. The Dan River runs from the northwest corner to the southeastern section of Stokes County (covering over 56 miles of river recreation). Stokes County is home to [[Hanging Rock State Park]] and also has the vast majority of [[Belews Lake]] (located in the southeast corner).

===Climate and weather===
{{climate chart
|[[Danbury, NC]]
|24.2|48.2|3.68
|26.1|52.0|3.04
|31.9|60.0|4.29
|39.8|70.0|3.55
|49.3|77.0|4.03
|59.2|84.4|4.01
|63.5|87.7|5.01
|62.3|86.2|4.30
|54.1|79.9|4.56
|41.6|70.8|3.60
|32.9|61.8|3.25
|26.3|51.1|3.60
|float=right
|units=imperial
|clear=both
|source=Applied Climate Information System<ref name="weather">{{cite web
 |url         = https://xmacis.rcc-acis.org/
 |title       = Monthly Climate Normals for Danbury, North Carolina
 |access-date  = October 28, 2018
 |publisher   = Applied Climate Information System
}}</ref>}}
The climate in Stokes County can be described as mixed-humid, with the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] subtype being ''Cfa''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Danbury, North Carolina Köppen Climate Classification |url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=832213&cityname=Danbury%2C+North+Carolina%2C+United+States+of+America&units= |access-date=October 28, 2018 |publisher=Weatherbase}}</ref> In the county seat of Danbury an average of 39.73" of rain and 9.0" of snow falls per year. Temperatures normally range between a low of {{convert|24.2|°F}} in January to a high of 89&nbsp;°F {{convert|87.7|°F}} in July. Record extremes include: A maximum temperature reading of {{convert|103.0|°F}} on August 21, 1983. A minimum temperature reading of {{convert|-10|°F}} on January 21, 1985. A three-day accumulated snowfall record of 34.0" was set during the [[North American blizzard of 1996|Blizzard of 1996]].<ref name="weather" />

===State and local protected areas===
* [[East Walnut Cove Community Park]]
* [[Hanging Rock State Park]]
* [[Hill Farm Game Land]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=NCWRC Game Lands |url=https://www.ncpaws.org/ncwrcmaps/gamelands |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=www.ncpaws.org}}</ref>

===Major water bodies===
* [[Belews Creek (North Carolina Creek)|Belews Creek]]
* [[Belews Lake]]
* [[Little Beaver Island Creek (North Carolina)|Big Beaver Island Creek]]
* [[Big Creek (North Carolina)|Big Creek]]
* [[Buffalo Creek (North Carolina Creek)|Buffalo Creek]]
* [[Crooked Creek (North Carolina)|Crooked Creek]]
* [[Dan River (Virginia)|Dan River]]
* [[Flat Shoal Creek (Ararat River tributary)|Flat Shoal Creek]]
* [[Little Dan River]]
* [[Little Neatman Creek (North Carolina)|Little Neatman Creek]]
* [[Little Peters Creek (North Carolina)|Little Peters Creek]]
* [[Yadkin River|Little Yadkin River]]
* [[Mill Creek (North Carolina)|Mill Creek]]
* [[Neatman Creek (North Carolina)|Neatman Creek]]
* [[Oldfield Creek (Ararat River tributary)|Oldfield Creek]]
* [[Peters Creek (North Carolina)|Peters Creek]]
* [[Pinch Gut Creek (North Carolina)|Pinch Gut Creek]]
* [[Snow Creek (North Carolina)|Snow Creek]]
* [[Vade Mecum Creeek (North Carolina)|Vade Mecum Creek]]

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Patrick County, Virginia]] – north
* [[Henry County, Virginia]] – northeast
* [[Rockingham County, North Carolina|Rockingham County]] – east
* [[Guilford County, North Carolina|Guilford County]] – southeast
* [[Forsyth County, North Carolina|Forsyth County]] – south
* [[Surry County, North Carolina|Surry County]] – west

===Major highways===
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* {{Jct|state=NC|I-Future|74}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|52}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|US|311}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|8}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|65}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|66}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|89}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|268}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|704}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|770}}
* {{Jct|state=NC|NC|772}}
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