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...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Tennessee |
| Size | 10,804 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1986, by Congress |
| Center point | 36.3730, -82.0615 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 19) |
Boundary map
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.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 5 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 4.3 miSimerly--Butler House ↗Hampton, TN
- 4.4 miCarter, John and Landon, House ↗Elizabethton, TN
- 5 miU.s. Post Office ↗Elizabethton, TN
- 7 miKettlefoot Fire Lookout Tower ↗Mountain City, TN
- 8.1 miSabine Hill ↗Elizabethton, TN
- 9.1 miWilder, John T., House ↗Roan Mountain, TN
- 9.7 miLong Meadow ↗Surgoinsville, TN
- 10.1 miDungan's Mill and Stone House ↗Johnson City, TN
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
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?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Watauga Point Recreation Area, 0.7 miles out. 5 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Big Laurel Branch Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 36.373, -82.061. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How dark is the night sky at Big Laurel Branch Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 19 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Big Laurel Branch Wilderness?
41 National Register 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.