Glassy Mountain Heritage Preserve
Contact Information
SC Department of Natural Resources311 Natural Resources Drive
Clemson, SC 29631
Mary Bunch, Preserve Manager
(864) 654-6738 ext. 15
Tom Swayngham, Region 1 Coordinator
(864) 654-1671 ext. 21
Hours of Operation
The area is open during daylight hours year-round.
Contributions to the Endangered Wildlife Fund on the South Carolina Income Tax Form help to make the identification and management of these preserves possible.
Important Information for Visitors
Photographs
Description
The Glassy Mountain Heritage Preserve was acquired on May 8, 1990. The Preserve covers 65 acres and is located near Pickens, South Carolina. One of only a few Piedmont Monadnocks in South Carolina, this unusual land form provides a spectacular view and harbors several rare plant species.
Glassy Mountain is a relatively undisturbed Piedmont Monadnock (an isolated mountain in the Piedmont). This type of landform is rare in South Carolina. Glassy Mountain's north face has extensive bare rock areas with steep inclines that drop nearly 400 feet in places. Granitic dome plant communities with associated plants (Yucca, Crotonopsis, and Talinum) occur there. A regionally threatened plant, thousand-leaf groundsel (Packera millefolium) also grows on the dome. The rare landform, plant community, and plant types make Glassy Mountain a worth-while addition to the state's Heritage Preserve system.
Hunting is not allowed on this preserve. A portion of the loop trail starts on property owned and managed by the South Carolina Forestry Commission.