Sand Mountain (Alabama)

This article is about the plateau in northeastern Alabama. For the unincorporated community in Bibb County, Alabama, see Sand Mountain, Alabama.

Sand Mountain (Alabama)
Sand Mountain in Alabama
Geography
LocationAlabama, United States
Parent rangeAppalachian Mountains
Geology
Type of rockSandstone

Sand Mountain is a sandstone plateau in northeastern Alabama and (to a far lesser extent) northwestern Georgia and southeastern Tennessee where the plateau is known as Raccoon Mountain and Elder Mountain. It is part of the southern tip of the Appalachian mountain chain and it is the largest plateau in the chain. Geologically a continuation of Walden Ridge, Sand Mountain is part of the Cumberland Plateau, separated from the main portion of the plateau by the Tennessee River and Sequatchie Valley. The average elevation on Sand Mountain is around 1,500 feet (460 m) above sea level, compared to about 650 feet (200 m) in the surrounding area.[1] This elevation leads to its having the coolest climate in the state of Alabama.[2] The largest city on Sand Mountain is Albertville, in Marshall County. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 22,386.[3]

  1. ^ Google Earth
  2. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 30, 2010. Retrieved May 26, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Sand Mountain, Alabama: Information, History & Outdoor Activities". Sand-boarding.com. Retrieved June 18, 2023.