Bald River Gorge Wilderness
Bald River is a small wild trout stream flowing, cold and clear, northward through the middle of the steep-sided Bald River Gorge and hence down the middle of this Wilderness. The Wilderness ends just before the river plunges dramatically over a 90-foot waterfall, Bald River Falls, and into the Tellico River. Southern Appalachian hardwoods, pine, dog hobble, and other flora cloak the mountain slopes above the river, home to black bears, deer, wild turkeys, and wild hogs. Fall turns the area into a quilt of color. Summer wildflowers are plentiful.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Tennessee |
| Size | 3,791 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 35.31° N, 84.17° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 10) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 9 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
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Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 3 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 1 campground, 1 viewpoint, 1 picnic area. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 1 miBald River Falls ↗Viewpoint
- 1 miHolly Flats ↗Campground
- 2 miWalnut Grove Picnic Area ↗Picnic area
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
5 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 22 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Basin Lead ↗ | 6.2 | |
| Bald River Trail ↗ | 5.6 | |
| Kirkland Creek Trail ↗ | 4.7 | |
| Henderson Mountain Trail | 4.2 | |
| Cowcamp | 0.8 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedRx - Buck Branch
3 mi from the center point · 652 acres
- PrescribedRx - Rymer Camp
20 mi from the center point · 381 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 5.3 miJohnson, Elisha, Mansion ↗Tellico Plains, TN
- 9.1 miGiddens, L. D., and Son Jewelry Store ↗Goldsboro, NC
- 13.1 miMason Temple, Church of God in Christ ↗Memphis, TN
- 14.6 miCalderwood Dam ↗Calderwood, TN
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Tennessee
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Bald River Gorge Wilderness?
3,791 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Bald River Gorge Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Bald River Gorge Wilderness in?
Tennessee.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Bald River Gorge Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Bald River Gorge Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Bald River Gorge Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 35.307° N, 84.174° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Bald River Gorge Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx - Buck Branch at 3 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Bald River Gorge Wilderness?
The National Register has 4 listings within 15 miles, including Johnson, Elisha, Mansion and Giddens, L. D., and Son Jewelry Store.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.