Tray Mountain Wilderness
At 4,430 feet, Tray Mountain dominates the southern portion of this rugged Wilderness, which straddles the crest of the Blue Ridge. From up high, fast-flowing streams tumble down narrow gorges and over many waterfalls. About 41 miles of trout streams produce rainbows and browns. Second-growth hardwoods at least 60 years old are the primary forest cover. Deer, squirrels, grouse, and wild turkeys make common appearances, along with the ever-elusive black bear, raccoons, doves, quail, and woodcocks. The Appalachian Trail (AT) follows the crest of the Blue Ridge for 16.5 unusually level miles from Unicoi Gap to Dick's Creek Gap, with a shelter at Tray Mountain.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Georgia |
| Size | 10,343 acres |
| Designated | 1986, by Congress |
| Center point | 34.81° N, 83.66° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 11) |
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 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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Trails
2 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 77 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Trail ↗ | 76.6 | |
| Addis Gap | 0.8 |
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
48 mi from the center point · 652 acres
- PrescribedRx - Rymer Camp
49 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
- 7.2 miTowns County Jail ↗Hiawassee, GA
- 9.9 miKilby, James Henry and Rachel, House ↗Clayton, GA
- 10.2 miStovall, John, House ↗Cleveland, GA
- 11.1 miPine Tree Tea Room ↗Lakemont, GA
- 11.5 miHaywood English Family Log House ↗Clarkesville, GA
- 12.1 miPorter-York House ↗Clarkesville, GA
- 12.1 miGriggs-Erwin House ↗Clarkesville, GA
- 12.1 miFurr-Lambert House ↗Clarkesville, 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 Tray Mountain Wilderness?
10,343 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Tray Mountain Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Tray Mountain Wilderness in?
Georgia.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Tray Mountain Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1986.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Tray 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 Tray Mountain Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 34.815° N, 83.656° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Tray Mountain Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx - Buck Branch at 48 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Tray Mountain Wilderness?
The National Register has 33 listings within 15 miles, including Towns County Jail and Kilby, James Henry and Rachel, 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.