Birkhead Mountains Wilderness
Most people haven't even heard of the Uwharrie Mountains, much less seen these ancient volcanic landforms, considered the oldest range on the North American continent. Although eroded by eons of time and weather, the Uwharries are still the highest uplift in the eastern half of North Carolina. Elevations range from about 450 feet on drainage bottoms to around 950 feet on Cedar Rock Mountain in the northeastern section. Birkhead Mountains Wilderness marks their northern end. Covered primarily in old-growth hardwoods, the Wilderness consists of several long, wooded ridges and surrounding drainages of moderately steep terrain. An understory of wildflowers, shrubs, ferns, mosses, and other plant species flourish on their sodden banks.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | North Carolina |
| Size | 5,065 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 35.60° N, 79.92° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 15) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees
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
No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.
Trails
4 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 12 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Birkhead Mountain ↗ | 5.5 | |
| Robbins Branch | 3.1 | |
| Thornburg | 1.7 | |
| Hannah'S Creek | 1.4 |
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.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 2.6 miPisgah Community Covered Bridge ↗Pisgah, NC
- 2.9 miOne Plaza Center ↗High Point, NC
- 3.5 miHarrington-Dewar House ↗Holly Springs, NC
- 6.3 mi
- 6.4 miSunset Theater ↗Asheboro, NC
- 6.5 miAcme-McCrary Hosiery Mills ↗Asheboro, NC
- 6.5 miRandolph County Courthouse ↗Asheboro, NC
- 6.7 miMount Ebal Methodist Protestant Church ↗Denton, NC
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for North Carolina
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
- Great Day Hikes on North Carolina's Mountains-To-Sea TrailFriends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and Jim Grode, 2020Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Birkhead Mountains Wilderness?
5,065 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Birkhead Mountains Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Birkhead Mountains Wilderness in?
North Carolina.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Birkhead Mountains Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Birkhead Mountains Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 35.605° N, 79.921° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Birkhead Mountains Wilderness?
The National Register has 18 listings within 15 miles, including Pisgah Community Covered Bridge and One Plaza Center.
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.