Cove (Appalachian Mountains)

In the central and southern Appalachian Mountains of Eastern North America, a cove is a small valley between two ridge lines that is closed at one or both ends.

Geologically, some coves are windows formed by erosion that penetrated through the overlying thrust sheet, exposing the younger limestone beneath.

[4] Animals noted for their abundance and diversity in cove forest habitats include salamanders, birds, and small mammals.

[6] The rich montane subclass is found in protected coves with nutrient-rich soils, typically at elevations of 610 to 1,400 m (2,000 to 4,590 ft), in eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, and southwestern Virginia.

Dominant canopy trees include yellow buckeye, white ash, basswood, cucumber-tree magnolia, tulip poplar, red maple, Eastern hemlock, and black birch.

Miller's Cove in Tennessee is an example of a typical Appalachian cove, an enclosed valley in the mountains.
Cove forest near Baxter Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains.