Raven Cliffs Wilderness
Numerous streams and waterfalls, high peaks, and rocky outcroppings combine to create a rugged mountain Wilderness divided between the Chestatee and Chattahoochee Wildlife Management Areas. Elevations range from about 1,800 feet on Boggs Creek to 3,846 feet on Levelland Mountain. A dense forest of hardwoods and scattered pines has recovered from substantial logging operations early in this century. Deer, squirrels, ruffed grouse, black bears, turkeys, and raccoons can be found. Across U.S. 129 lies Blood Mountain Wilderness. This Wilderness receives relatively heavy visitor traffic. The Appalachian Trail follows the crest of the Blue Ridge through this area for 6.6 miles; there's a shelter at Whitley Gap.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Georgia |
| Size | 9,240 acres |
| Designated | 1986, by Congress |
| Center point | 34.71° N, 83.85° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 12) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
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 9 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.
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Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 3 miRavens Cliff Trailhead ↗Trailhead · Open year-round
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
4 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 82 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Trail ↗ | 76.6 | |
| Raven Cliffs | 2.5 | |
| Logan Turnpike | 1.9 | |
| Whitley Gap Shelter | 1.1 |
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 - Rymer Camp
43 mi from the center point · 381 acres
- PrescribedRx - Buck Branch
48 mi from the center point · 652 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
- 0.1 miWalasi-Yi Inn ↗Blairsville, GA
- 1.1 miBlood Mountain Trail Shelter ↗Blairsville, GA
- 5.5 miOld White County Courthouse ↗Cleveland, GA
- 6 miWhite County Jail ↗Cleveland, GA
- 9.2 miStovall, John, House ↗Cleveland, GA
- 9.6 miUnion County Jail ↗Blairsville, GA
- 9.6 miOld Union County Courthouse ↗Blairsville, GA
- 12.6 miRaburn--Casteel House ↗Blairsville, GA
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Georgia
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 Raven Cliffs Wilderness?
9,240 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Raven Cliffs Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Raven Cliffs Wilderness in?
Georgia.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Raven Cliffs Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1986.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Raven Cliffs 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 Raven Cliffs Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 34.714° N, 83.848° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Raven Cliffs Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx - Rymer Camp at 43 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Raven Cliffs Wilderness?
The National Register has 15 listings within 15 miles, including Walasi-Yi Inn and Blood Mountain Trail Shelter.
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.