Pond Mountain Wilderness
If this Wilderness were a dartboard, players would aim for a 4,329-foot bull's-eye known as Pond Mountain, the highest point in the area. Rugged and steep, the terrain has numerous inclines that exceed 60 degrees and support seven major streams. Elevation bottoms out at unusual Buckled Rock (1,900 feet), a 150-foot vertical cliff named for the pattern of bends in the strata near Hampton, Tennessee. Upland hardwoods dominate the tree cover, along with a few cove hardwoods and yellow pines. In the center of the Wilderness you'll find the upright cliffs and rocky outcroppings of the Watauga Scenic Area. This is a rare discovery indeed, with small stands of virgin timber, scarce in Tennessee, including scarlet oak dating from the late 1800s.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Tennessee |
| Size | 6,937 acres |
| Designated | 1986, by Congress |
| Center point | 36.29° N, 82.10° 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 2 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
3 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 7 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Pond Mountain Wilderness Trail ↗ | 4.5 | |
| Hampton-Blueline Trail | 1.4 | |
| High Water Alternate Trail | 0.6 |
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
- 1.4 miSimerly--Butler House ↗Hampton, TN
- 4.7 miWilder, John T., House ↗Roan Mountain, TN
- 5.8 miCarter, John and Landon, House ↗Elizabethton, TN
- 5.9 miU.s. Post Office ↗Elizabethton, TN
- 7.4 miSabine Hill ↗Elizabethton, TN
- 8.7 miElk Park School ↗Elk Park, NC
- 9.9 miHunt, Henson, House ↗Johnson City, TN
- 10.5 miTipton-Haynes House ↗Johnson City, 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 Pond Mountain Wilderness?
6,937 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Pond Mountain Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Pond Mountain Wilderness in?
Tennessee.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Pond Mountain Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1986.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Pond 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 Pond Mountain Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 36.286° N, 82.100° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Are there historic places near Pond Mountain Wilderness?
The National Register has 28 listings within 15 miles, including Simerly--Butler House and Wilder, John T., 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.
- 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.