"Stone Mountain State Park" Stone Mountain State Park by jmpncsu

Stone Mountain State Park is a park in Alleghany and Wilkes Counties in northwestern North Carolina. Stone Mountain itself is characterized by the impressive 600-foot granite dome on top of the peak. The dome is part of a 25-square-mile pluton, which is an igneous rock formed underground by molten lava. Over millions of years, erosion removed the softer layers, exposing the the granite outcrop that is visible today. On the surface today, one can see the troughs in the granite rock carved by water running down the surface. Before it became a state park, the area around Stone Mountain was settled by immigrants of various European descents, who established self-sufficient communities with log homes, churches and schools. The state park was established in 1969 and became a National Natural Landmark in 1975.