 The spike station is a standard NCGS bronze disk stamped "SPRUCE PINE NCDOT 4170 ft" set into the top of a round concrete monument 30 cm in diameter projecting 5 cm above ground located directly underneath the Spruce Pine Lookout and Firetower, which was constructed in 1958 as part of the Forest Service's efforts to detect woodland fires.Unmanned and standing 68.9 feet in height, today it serves as a communications transmission facility.By vehicle, the mountain top is 5.1 statute miles from uptown Little Switzerland and the Blue Ridge Parkway.