USFS · Wilderness area · North Carolina

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...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Birkhead Mountains Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateNorth Carolina
Size5,065 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1984, by Congress
Center point35.6049, -79.9210
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 15)

Boundary map

1 outline

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.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

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.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 16 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

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

Can I camp at Birkhead Mountains Wilderness?

No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How do I get to Birkhead Mountains Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 35.605, -79.921. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How dark is the night sky at Birkhead Mountains Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 15 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 Birkhead Mountains Wilderness?

16 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Pisgah Community Covered Bridge and Harrington-Dewar 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.