Leaf Wilderness
Located in southern Mississippi, the Leaf Wilderness is one of the smallest areas in the National Wilderness Preservation System. It lies primarily in the floodplains of the Leaf River, featuring a spruce-pine forest and an oak-gum-cypress river bottom, with a dense understory of dogwood, redbud, persimmon, blueberry, and honeysuckle. On the western side, a small upland section is shaded by loblolly and shortleaf pines, with sloughs and part of an oxbow lake adding to the varied landscape. Poison oak is present. White-tailed deer and wild turkeys are among the wildlife that attract hunters during the fall months.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Mississippi |
| Size | 993 acres |
| Designated | 1984, by Congress |
| Center point | 31.02° N, 88.78° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 12) |
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.
Fire nearby
- WildfireA G Taylor Lane
37 mi from the center point · 118 acres · 90% contained
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
- 7.1 miLeaf River Bridge ↗McClain, MS
- 9.6 miVernal Presbyterian Church ↗Lucedale, MS
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Mississippi
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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 Leaf Wilderness?
993 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Leaf Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Leaf Wilderness in?
Mississippi.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Leaf Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1984.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Leaf Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 31.015° N, 88.782° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Leaf Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest A G Taylor Lane at 37 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Leaf Wilderness?
The National Register has 2 listings within 15 miles, including Leaf River Bridge and Vernal Presbyterian 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.
- 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.