Henderson County is located in the
Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern North Carolina, on the border with South Carolina. The Eastern Continental Divide, which lies along the crest of the Blue Ridge, passes through the county. The northwestern slope of the Divide is known as the Blue Ridge Plateau and the southeastern slope as the Blue Ridge Escarpment. These two physiographic features have unique characteristics that account for wide variations in the county's climate. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.6%) is water. The county's largest body of water is Lake Summit, a reservoir impounded by the Duke Power Company for hydroelectric generation. The county's major streams are the
French Broad River (whose conjunction with the
Holston River forms the
Tennessee River, flowing into the Ohio River, the Mississippi River, and eventually the Gulf of Mexico),
Mills River,
Green River, Little River, Mud Creek, Clear Creek, Cane Creek,
Hungry River, and the headwaters of the
Broad River (which flows into the
Congaree River of South Carolina and eventually into the Atlantic Ocean). The lowest point in the county is found along the Broad River at approximately 1,394 feet at the boundary between Henderson and Rutherford Counties in North Carolina. The high point is located on Little Pisgah Mountain at approximately 5,278 feet along the Henderson-Haywood County boundary in North Carolina (Note that a second Little Pisgah Mountain at 4,412 feet is located at the boundary between Henderson and Buncombe counties in North Carolina). According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.57%) is water.
Landscape and climate Due to its geographic setting along the Eastern Continental Divide and its extreme topographic variation, Henderson County presents a wide variation in temperature and precipitation conditions. The highest elevations occur along the northwest and northern boundaries of the county and within the Blue Ridge Escarpment, a rugged area of peaks and narrow valleys that rise from the Piedmont to the continental divide and the Blue Ridge Plateau. The lowest elevations occur within the valleys of the escarpment and in the broader valleys of the Blue Ridge Plateau. The mean annual temperature of the county is , with a range from depending on the elevation, with higher temperatures occurring at lower elevations and lower temperatures in the higher mountains. The month of July is the hottest in the county, with a mean temperature of and a mean range of . The coolest month is January with a mean temperature of and a mean range of . Precipitation is also correlated to elevation, with higher precipitation normally occurring at higher elevations and lower precipitation in the valleys. The mean annual precipitation of Henderson County is , with a mean range of . March has the highest mean precipitation of , with a mean range of . The lowest precipitation occurs in October, with a mean value of and a mean range of .
Agriculture Henderson County's topographic and climatic diversity make it ideal for a great variety of commercial crops and agricultural products. Parts of the county between the Pisgah National Forest on the northwest and the boundary with Polk County on the southeast are often referred to locally as the Crest of the Blue Ridge Agricultural Area in recognition of the region's unique growing conditions. At the present time the fruit and berry types being raised include apples, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupes, cherries, grapes, peaches, plums, raspberries, strawberries and watermelons. A special word should be said for Henderson County's apple production. Since World War II, apples have been the most important agricultural crop in the county; In addition to fruits and berries, a number of commercial vegetable crops are raised in Henderson County, including asparagus, green beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, corn, cucumbers, egg plants, greens, herbs, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, onions, peas, peppers (bell and hot), potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, spinach, squash (winter and summer varieties), tomatoes, turnips, and zucchini. Meat, eggs, and dairy products are also important, with beef, fish, goat meat, mountain trout, pork, poultry, sweet and hard cider, wine and cheese being produced in commercial quantities.
National protected areas •
Blue Ridge Parkway (part) •
Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site •
Pisgah National Forest (part)
State and local protected areas •
Chimney Rock State Park (part) •
Dupont State Forest Game Land (part) •
DuPont State Recreational Forest (part) •
Florence Nature Preserve •
Green River Game Lands (part) •
Holmes Educational State Forest (part) •
Pisgah National Forest Game Land (part)
Major water bodies •
Broad River •
French Broad River •
Green River •
Hungry River •
Lake Summit •
Little Hungry River •
North Pacolet River •
South Fork Hoopers Creek •
South Fork Mills River Adjacent counties •
Buncombe County – north •
Rutherford County – northeast •
Polk County – east •
Greenville County, South Carolina – south •
Transylvania County – west •
Haywood County – northwest
Major highways • • • • • • • • • • • • ==Demographics==