White Oak Mountain facts for kids

White Oak Mountain is a cool mountain found in the southeastern part of Tennessee and the northwestern part of Georgia. It's a part of the amazing Appalachian mountain range, specifically the "Ridge and Valley" section. This means it's one of many long, parallel ridges that stretch across the land.

Discovering White Oak Mountain

White Oak Mountain is a long, narrow mountain ridge. It runs mostly from the northeast to the southwest. It's located in the Tennessee Valley. This valley is nestled between the Cumberland Plateau to the west and the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east.

How Tall is White Oak Mountain?

The mountain is about 1,368 feet (417 meters) above sea level on average. Its highest point reaches 1,495 feet (456 meters) high. That's like stacking over 100 school buses on top of each other!

Where Does the Mountain Start and End?

White Oak Mountain begins in Catoosa County, Georgia. This is just east of a town called Ringgold. There's a natural break in the mountain here called Ringgold Gap. Big roads like Interstate 75 and US 41 pass through this gap. A railroad also runs through it.

South of Ringgold Gap, the mountain continues. It's known as Taylor Ridge there. But it's all part of the same big rock formation.

White Oak Mountain in Tennessee

As the mountain crosses into Tennessee, it has several more "gaps." These are like natural doorways through the ridge. Many important highways use these gaps. For example, you'll find roads like SR 320 near East Brainerd and SR 317 near Collegedale. Further north, US 11 and US 64 go through a gap near Ooltewah.

Near the city of Cleveland, I-75 also crosses the mountain. This part was cut through by people to make way for the highway. The mountain finally ends just south of a community called Georgetown.