Shining Rock is a high mountain in western North Carolina’s Great Balsam range of the Blue Ridge within the Appalachians, near milepost 420 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, with the Art Loeb Trail passing just below its summit. It is the 38th tallest mountain in the eastern United States. Its name comes from a large white quartzite outcrop near the top, whose pale surface stands out against the darker surrounding ridges. Shining Rock also holds a place in Cherokee tradition through a rock associated with the tracks of Tsul 'Kalu and his children. Today it is known as both a prominent peak and the namesake of a well-known wilderness area.