Appalachian Mountains

The Appalachian Mountains are the older of North America's two continental divides, and as such, are significantly smaller than the younger Rockies in the west. The Appalachians dominate the eastern part of North America, and are named for a Native American village encountered by Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in Florida. For more information on the region, its history and geology, see the Wikipedia entry on the Appalachian Mountains.