Citico Creek Wilderness
Ever since fire put an end to a devastating logging period, natural splendor has regained a strong foothold in this Wilderness, the largest in Tennessee. You can actually find stands of virgin forest in some of the more isolated regions. Three steep-sided ridges run west from the long, high ridge of the Unicoi Mountains: Brush Mountain, Pine Ridge, and Sassafras Ridge. Narrow steep-walled valleys of streams divide these smaller ridges, draining swiftly westward. Elevations range from 1,400 feet to about 4,600 feet, with only a few of the rugged upper terrain's slopes inclined less than 30 degrees.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Tennessee |
| Size | 16,213 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 35.39° N, 84.05° 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
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 13 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.
Show 4 moreHide
1 more within ten miles is not listed here.
Trails
16 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 94 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Benton Mackaye -Cheoah Rd ↗ | 31.2 | |
| South Fork of Citico Trail ↗ | 10.4 | |
| Fodderstack Mountain ↗ | 10.3 | |
| Flats Mountain Trail ↗ | 6.2 | |
| North Fork of Citico Trail ↗ | 5.4 | |
| Rocky Flats Trail ↗ | 4.5 | |
| Brush Mountain Hiking Trail | 4.4 | |
| Pine Ridge Trail | 3.6 | |
| Cold Springs Gap | 3.5 | |
| Crowder Place Trail | 2.6 |
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
10 mi from the center point · 652 acres
- PrescribedRx - Rymer Camp
29 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
- 0.6 miGiddens, L. D., and Son Jewelry Store ↗Goldsboro, NC
- 3.1 miCalderwood Dam ↗Calderwood, TN
- 5.8 miChilhowee Hydroelectric Development ↗Tallassee, TN
- 9.3 miJohnson, Elisha, Mansion ↗Tellico Plains, TN
- 10.9 miHappy Valley School ↗Maryville, TN
- 11.1 miKerr, Macklin, House ↗Maryville, TN
- 11.8 miGraham County Courthouse ↗Robbinsville, NC
- 12.1 miClark, Langston, Barn ↗Maryville, 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 Citico Creek Wilderness?
16,213 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Citico Creek Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Citico Creek Wilderness in?
Tennessee.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Citico Creek Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Citico Creek 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 Citico Creek Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 35.393° N, 84.051° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Citico Creek Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx - Buck Branch at 10 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Citico Creek Wilderness?
The National Register has 13 listings within 15 miles, including Giddens, L. D., and Son Jewelry Store and Calderwood Dam.
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.