USFS · Tennessee

Big Laurel Branch Wilderness

Numerous streams drain from a major northeast-southwest-trending ridge crest in Big Laurel Branch Wilderness, which includes the completely forested southern end of Iron Mountain. Hidden behind Iron Mountain's double parallel crests are the valleys of Big Laurel Branch and Little Laurel Branch. The former, on the western side of the crest, eases out of seclusion until it runs into Wilbur Lake on the edge of the Wilderness. Sheer rock walls herald the blue jewel, and Big Laurel Branch gracefully plunges 50 feet to join the lake. Waterways here typically plummet over cascades, slides, and short falls into hollows (choked with rhododendron and laurel) separated by narrow ridges that run east-west from the main ridge.

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).

Wilderness10,804 acresUSFSTNDesignated 19864 campgrounds within 10 mi
Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Big Laurel Branch Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateTennessee
Size10,804 acres
Designated1986, by Congress
Center point36.37° N, 82.06° W
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 19)

Boundary map

1 outline

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground

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

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Big Laurel Branch Wilderness30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 3.78 inches of precipitation, 1.9 inches of snowFebruary: 3.76 inches of precipitation, 2.1 inches of snowMarch: 3.97 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowApril: 3.81 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowMay: 4.43 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 5.16 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 5.86 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 4.20 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 3.00 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 2.80 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowNovember: 3.36 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowDecember: 3.90 inches of precipitation, 1.8 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 35.9°F averageFebruary: 39.2°F averageMarch: 46.6°F averageApril: 55.5°F averageMay: 64.2°F averageJune: 71.2°F averageJuly: 74.5°F averageAugust: 73.7°F averageSeptember: 67.9°F averageOctober: 57.0°F averageNovember: 45.9°F averageDecember: 39.2°F average0 in2 in4 in6 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Elizabethton, 10 miles from the center point at 1,487 feet, station USC00402806 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 48 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 6 inches a year on the same inches scale. The station sits about 2,000 feet lower than the center point, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

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

Campsite Atlas →

None of the 4 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.

FS · 1 mi
Cardens Bluff Campground
Reservable43 sites
FS · 4.6 mi
Dennis Cove Campground
Reservable14 sites
FS · 7 mi
Little Oak Campground
Reservable66 sites
FS · 9.8 mi
Jacobs Creek Campground
Reservable29 sites

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 41 in all · Register Atlas

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 Big Laurel Branch Wilderness?

10,804 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Big Laurel Branch Wilderness?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Big Laurel Branch Wilderness in?

Tennessee.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Big Laurel Branch Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1986.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Big Laurel Branch 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 Big Laurel Branch Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 36.373° N, 82.061° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Are there historic places near Big Laurel Branch Wilderness?

The National Register has 41 listings within 15 miles, including Simerly--Butler House and Carter, John and Landon, House.

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.
  • 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.