▁meters ▁as ▁measured ▁by ▁the ▁NC ▁Ge od etic ▁Survey ), ▁in ▁south western ▁David son ▁County . ▁ ▁The ▁U wh ar ries ▁lie ▁within ▁the ▁S out he astern ▁mixed ▁for ests ▁e cor eg ion . ▁They ▁give ▁their ▁name ▁to ▁the ▁U wh ar rie ▁National ▁Forest . ▁Once ▁entirely ▁cleared ▁for ▁tim ber ▁and ▁far ml and , ▁the ▁mountains ▁were ▁designated ▁a ▁U . S . ▁National ▁Forest ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁by ▁President ▁John ▁F . ▁Kennedy . ▁The ▁wood lands ▁have ▁since ▁returned , ▁providing ▁a ▁haven ▁for ▁a ▁divers ity ▁of ▁wild life , ▁recre ational ▁facilities , ▁and ▁numerous ▁Native ▁American ▁ar che ological ▁sites . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 9 9 , ▁the ▁discovery ▁of ▁gold ▁at ▁the ▁nearby ▁Re ed ▁Gold ▁Mine ▁in ▁Cab arr us ▁County ▁led ▁to ▁America ' s ▁first ▁gold ▁r ush . ▁ ▁The ▁North ▁Carolina ▁Z oo , ▁America ' s ▁first ▁state - supported ▁zoo , ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁U wh ar ries ▁region . ▁ ▁The ▁Car away ▁Mountains , ▁a ▁segment ▁of ▁the ▁U wh ar ries , ▁are ▁located ▁in ▁western ▁Rand olph ▁County , ▁west ▁of ▁As he bor o . ▁ ▁Prote cted ▁areas ▁ ▁B irk head ▁Mountains ▁W ilder ness ▁ ▁Mor row ▁Mountain ▁State ▁Park ▁ ▁U wh ar rie ▁National ▁Forest ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁U wh ar rie ▁Forest ▁page ▁at ▁UN C ▁As he ville ▁▁▁ ▁Category