DuPont State Forest

{{Short description|Protected area in North Carolina, United States}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox protected area | name = DuPont State Recreational Forest | iucn_category = VI | iucn_ref =  | image = HighFallsDupontSP.jpg | image_caption = View of High Falls in DuPont Forest  | map = USA North Carolina#USA | image_map = | map_width = | map_caption = Location of DuPont State Forest in North Carolina | relief = 1  | location = Henderson & Transylvania, North Carolina, United States | nearest_city = | nearest_town = | coordinates = {{coord|35|11|49.28|N|82|35|39.5|W|display=inline,title}} | coords_ref =  | length = | length_mi = | length_km = | width = | width_mi = | width_km = | area_acre = 12500 | area_ref = <ref name=ForestReport2014 /> | elevation = | elevation_avg = | elevation_min = | elevation_max = | dimensions = | designation =  | authorized = | created = | designated = | established = 1997<ref name="HelsleyJones2007" /> | named_for = DuPont | visitation_num = 350,000 | visitation_year = | visitation_ref = <ref name=ForestReport2014 /> | governing_body = North Carolina Forest Service | administrator = | operator = | owner =  | website = [http://ncforestservice.gov/Contacts/dsf.htm DuPont State Recreational Forest] | module = }} '''DuPont State Recreational Forest''', commonly known as '''DuPont Forest''', is a {{convert|12500|acre|ha|adj=on}}<ref name=ForestReport2014 /><ref name=ForestOverview /> state forest, located in Henderson and Transylvania counties of North Carolina. The name originates from the fact that the DuPont company arranged the sale of the original tract to the state.<ref name="HelsleyJones2007" /> Adjacent tracts have since been purchased and added to the state forest. Portions of the forest formerly contained a manufacturing facility for the production of X-ray film.<ref name="HelsleyJones2007" /> The forest was used to shoot scenes from the 1992 film ''The Last of the Mohicans'' as well as the 2012 box office hit ''The Hunger Games''.<ref>{{cite web |title=DuPont State Forest - Bridal Veil Falls |url=http://www.dupontforest.com/explore2028.html |work=Friends of DuPont Forest |access-date=November 23, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Hunger Games: Filmed in Henderson County's Dupont State Recreational Forest |url=http://www.historichendersonville.org/hunger-games.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120901120338/http://www.historichendersonville.org/hunger-games.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=September 1, 2012 |work=Henderson County Travel & Tourism |access-date=November 23, 2013}}</ref> On February 12, 2019, the forest added {{convert|402|acre|ha}} from Conserving Carolina, part of a section called the Continental Divide Tract that connects with other public lands. {{convert|314|acre|ha}} was added to the forest in 2019.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2019/02/15/dupont-state-forest-nc-adds-402-acres-along-eastern-continental-divide/2869299002/ |title=402 acres added to DuPont State Recreational Forest along Eastern Continental Divide |work=Asheville Citizen-Times |date=February 15, 2019 |access-date=February 15, 2019}}</ref>

== History == Before 1996, the area that is DuPont state forest today, known as Buck Forest, was owned by Dupont, who ran a plant on the property, until it was sold to Sterling Diagnostic Imaging. The remainder of the land was sold to the state of North Carolina, which created DuPont State Forest. However, the original state forest was much smaller than it is today. Later, in 2000, {{convert|500|acre|ha}} were added to the forest.

In 1999, Sterling held a private bid for {{convert|2,223|acre|ha}} out of the {{convert|2,700|acre|ha}} the company had acquired. The state and several conservation groups tried to obtain it, but were unsuccessful.

The property was eventually acquired by a developer named Jim Anthony. When the property was sold, Sterling prohibited the land from being used for private development. Anthony stated that he was not planning to develop the property, even though it was obvious based on the improvements he was making to the property. The conservation groups also learned around this time that the restrictions were unenforceable, and that the Landowner could do whatever they wanted with the land.

Despite the efforts of the conservation groups, Anthony continued to develop the property, and eventually divided it into lots. Following this, on October 23, 2000, Governor Jim Hunt and the North Carolina Council of State voted to condemn the property. The state paid Anthony $24 million USD for the property, then it was absorbed into DuPont State Forest.

In 2019, Conserving Carolina gave the forest several hundred acres of land in the continental divide tract.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Adams |first=Kevin |title=North Carolina Waterfalls |publisher=John F. Blair |year=2016 |pages=151}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=History of the DuPont State Recreational Forest |url=https://www.dupontforest.com/about/history/ |access-date=August 25, 2020 |website=DuPont State Recreational Forest |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Recreation== Nearly {{convert|83|mi|km}} of multi-use trails and roads thread through the forest.<ref name=ForestReport2014 /> The forest is widely used for many recreational activities, including mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, swimming (where permitted), wading, and kayaking. Destinations include mountaintop views (such as from the summit of Stone Mountain, and Cedar Rock), lakes (such as Lake Imaging, Lake Julia, Lake Dense, and Fawn Lake), and waterfalls, including: * Bridal Veil Falls * Grassy Creek Falls * High Falls * Hooker Falls * Triple Falls * Wintergreen Falls

Popular mountain biking trails include Ridgeline, Big Rock, Cedar Rock, and Airstrip trails. The Airstrip trail starts from near a small unused (or emergency use) airplane landing area. The Ridgeline trail is particularly noted for its long continuous, winding and uninterrupted run, with a mild downhill grade.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://brevardnc.com/play/mountain-bike-dupont-state-forest/ |title=» Mountain Bike DuPont Forest, trail guide Visit Brevard NC |website=brevardnc.com}}</ref> <gallery mode=packed heights=165> File:Big Rock Summit 02.jpg|View from "Big Rock" File:Cedar Rock Summit 04.jpg|Near Cedar Rock summit (elevation {{convert|3074|ft|m}}),<ref name="Trail Guide">Trail Guide, DuPont State Forest Recreational Forest, 3rd edition. Pisgah Map Company, 2015. {{ISBN|978-0-9857133-0-0}}.</ref> at intersection of Cedar Rock and Big Rock trails </gallery>

==Nearby state parks== The following state parks and state forests are within {{convert|30|mi|km|0}} of DuPont State Recreational Forest: * Caesars Head State Park (South Carolina) * Chimney Rock State Park (North Carolina) * Devils Fork State Park (South Carolina) * Gorges State Park (North Carolina) * Headwaters State Forest (North Carolina) * Holmes Educational State Forest (North Carolina) * Horsepasture State Natural River (North Carolina) * Jones Gap State Park (South Carolina) * Keowee-Toxaway State Park (South Carolina) * Paris Mountain State Park (South Carolina) * Pisgah View State Park (North Carolina) * Poe Creek State Forest (South Carolina) * Table Rock State Park (South Carolina)

== See also == * Pisgah National Forest (also popular in western North Carolina for hiking and mountain biking) * Holmes Educational State Forest (Managed by DuPont State Recreational Forest<ref name=ForestReport2014 />)

== References == {{Reflist|refs=

<ref name=ForestOverview>{{cite web |url=http://www.ncleg.net/documentsites/committees/BCCI-6615/January%2023,%202014/1-23-14%20DACS%20NCFS%20Natural%20Assets.pdf |title=NC Forest Service Natural Assets |date=January 23, 2014 |publisher=North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services |format=PDF |access-date=September 24, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name=ForestReport2014>{{cite web |url=http://www.ncleg.net/documentsites/committees/ERC/ERC%20Reports%20Received/2014/Department%20of%20Agriculture%20and%20Consumer%20Services/2014-Oct%20Dupont%20Rec%20Forest%20Rpt.pdf |title=DuPont State Recreational Forest Fiscal Year 2014 Legislative Report |date=October 1, 2014 |publisher=North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services |format=PDF |access-date=September 24, 2015}}</ref>

<ref name="HelsleyJones2007">{{cite book |author1=Alexia Jones Helsley |author2=George Alexander Jones |title=A Guide to Historic Henderson County, North Carolina |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dFwsbCpyaH8C&pg=PA142 |year=2007 |publisher=The History Press |isbn=978-1-59629-275-8 |page=142}}</ref>

}}

== External links == * {{Official website|http://ncforestservice.gov/Contacts/dsf.htm}} * [http://www.dupontforest.com/ Friends of DuPont Forest website]

Category:DuPont State Forest Category:North Carolina state forests Category:State forests of the Appalachians Category:Protected areas of Henderson County, North Carolina Category:Protected areas of Transylvania County, North Carolina Category:Mountain biking in the United States Category:Protected areas established in 1997 Category:1997 establishments in North Carolina