Dugger Mountain Wilderness
The third and newest Wilderness area to Alabama, the Dugger Mountain Wilderness became part of the National Wilderness Preservation System in December of 1999, when President Clinton signed the legislation. This Wilderness is managed to restore and preserve the natural ecological conditions of the area and is administered by the USDA Forest Service. In this unique Wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. The Dugger Mountain Wilderness is named for the nearby Dugger Mountain, which rises to a height of 2,140 feet. Dugger Mountain is one of the highest peak in Alabama and is located in the Talladega National Forest, Shoal Creek District.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Alabama |
| Size | 8,947 acres |
| Designated | 1999, by Congress |
| Center point | 33.87° N, 85.60° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 16) |
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 3 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.
Trails
1 named Forest Service trail enters this wilderness, 150 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Pinhoti NRT ↗ | 149.6 |
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.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 2 miSouthern Railway Depot ↗Piedmont, AL
- 4.9 miShoal Creek Church ↗Edwardsville, AL
- 6.5 miWoods, Alexander, House ↗Jacksonville, AL
- 6.7 miFrancis, Dr. J. C., Office ↗Jacksonville, AL
- 6.8 miTen Oaks ↗Jacksonville, AL
- 7.7 miHenry, Charles B., Barn ↗Jacksonville, AL
- 7.7 miFirst Presbyterian Church ↗Jacksonville, AL
- 12.1 miBagley--Cater Building ↗Anniston, AL
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Alabama and the South
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Dugger Mountain Wilderness?
8,947 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Dugger Mountain Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Dugger Mountain Wilderness in?
Alabama.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Dugger Mountain Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1999.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Dugger Mountain 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 Dugger Mountain Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 33.867° N, 85.601° W. Freedom Riders National Monument is 21 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Dugger Mountain Wilderness?
Freedom Riders National Monument (21 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Dugger Mountain Wilderness?
The National Register has 11 listings within 15 miles, including Southern Railway Depot and Shoal Creek Church.
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.