Unaka Mountain Wilderness
This Wilderness spills down the western slopes of the Unaka Mountains, which form part of the boundary between Tennessee and North Carolina. Birch, beech, maple, oak, cherry, poplar, hickory, pine, hemlock, spruce, and fir forest the slopes. Some of the hemlocks are almost 100 years old, but loggers worked their way through most of the original forest prior to designation. The deciduous trees paint a glorious fall tapestry best appreciated from high elevations such as the 4,800-foot Unaka Mountain Overlook. More than 10 waterfalls tumble down 20-foot-plus drops along seven major streams. The Limestone Cove Trail, about 3.2 miles total, climbs steeply then levels off slightly along an old logging road to the top of Stamping Ground Ridge.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Tennessee |
| Size | 4,472 acres |
| Designated | 1986, by Congress |
| Center point | 36.14° N, 82.30° 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 1 federal campground within ten miles sits inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
4 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 14 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Stamping Ground Horse Trail ↗ | 5.2 | |
| Rattlesnake Ridge Trail | 3.6 | |
| Limestone Cove Trail | 3.2 | |
| Rock Creek Falls Trail | 1.5 |
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
- 4.3 miBrown, A.r., House ↗Erwin, TN
- 4.3 miClinchfield Depot ↗Erwin, TN
- 9.2 miTipton-Haynes House ↗Johnson City, TN
- 9.4 miHunt, Henson, House ↗Johnson City, TN
- 10 miSimerly--Butler House ↗Hampton, TN
- 10.4 miClarksville Iron Furnace ↗Erwin, TN
- 10.5 miRobin's Roost ↗Johnson City, TN
- 10.5 miMontrose Court Apartments ↗Johnson City, TN
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Tennessee
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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 Unaka Mountain Wilderness?
4,472 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Unaka Mountain Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Unaka Mountain Wilderness in?
Tennessee.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Unaka Mountain Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1986.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Unaka 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 Unaka Mountain Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 36.144° N, 82.304° W. Andrew Johnson National Historic Site is 28 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Unaka Mountain Wilderness?
Andrew Johnson National Historic Site (28 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Unaka Mountain Wilderness?
The National Register has 32 listings within 15 miles, including Brown, A.r., House and Clinchfield Depot.
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.