Overview
Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, located in Hillsborough, North Carolina just off I-85, is widely appreciated for its geologic uniqueness and its unusual plant and animal communities. Occoneechee Mountain is one of North Carolina’s classic monadnocks—an isolated mountain rising above the Piedmont peneplain. Its elevation and relative isolation create conditions suitable for a number of species more typical of the western mountains, including Galax, mountain witch-alder, and Catawba rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense). The site is also known for specialty insects, including the brown elfin butterfly and silvery checkerspot.
Hiking opportunities and directions
Several trails—generally 1 to 3 miles, often steep and rocky—offer access to the mountain’s natural features. A loop trail completed in 2007 allows hikers to walk around the entire mountain. Other routes cut through the heart of the monadnock, including the Brown Elfin Knob and Overlook trails.
To reach Occoneechee Mountain:
- Take Exit 164 off I-85.
- Turn north onto Churton Street.
- Turn left at the next traffic light onto Mayo Street.
- Turn left onto Orange Grove Road.
- Turn right at the second turnoff onto gravel Virginia Cates Road and continue to the parking area (with restrooms).
Observations (June 6, 2010)
On Sunday, June 6, 2010, my husband, our 16-month-old son, and I set out for a hike at Occoneechee Mountain. We’d visited many times before, drawn back by black oaks, fern-rich lowlands, pyrophyllite crystals, and the steady possibility of spotting reptiles. In 2007, we’d also helped—along with friends and other volunteers—complete a footbridge on the newer loop trail, working through the summer heat.
On this particular visit, we barely made it beyond the parking lot. Along the road leading to the trailheads, a stand of flagrantly showy common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) was in full bloom. Pollinators and milkweed specialists were everywhere, and we couldn’t help but stop—awestruck—before even setting foot on the main trails. We pulled out the camera and spent our time trying to capture the variety and beauty of the insects working (and eating) their way through this “ordinary” patch of milkweed.
Among the visitors we observed were a Tiger Swallowtail and a Silver-spotted Skipper, both nectaring at milkweed blooms. We also found several beetles associated with the patch, including the Pennsylvania leatherwing (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus), the vivid red milkweed beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus), and the swamp milkweed leaf beetle (Labidomera clivicollis). Bumble bees worked the flowers as well, and at least one additional beetle species remained unidentified at the time—another small reminder that even a familiar plant can host a surprising cast of characters.
Sense of Place 