Unicoi Mountains - Protected Areas Within The Unicoi Mountains

Protected Areas Within The Unicoi Mountains

Along with the Cherokee National Forest and the Nantahala National Forest, several designated areas protect various parts of the Unicoi Mountains.

  • The Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness, designated as a wilderness area in 1975. It consists of 17,394 acres (70.39 km2), 13,562 of which are located in North Carolina, with the rest lying just across the border in Tennessee. The Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest consists of roughly 3,800 acres (15 km2) of old growth hardwood forest along the Santeetlah Creek watershed. The forest's namesake, Joyce Kilmer, was a poet and journalist killed in World War I.
  • The Citico Creek Wilderness, designated as a wilderness area in 1984, protects the upper watershed of Citico Creek and consists of 16,226 acres (65.66 km2).
  • The Bald River Gorge Wilderness, designated as a wilderness area in 1984, consists of 3,721 acres (15.06 km2). It protects the Bald River and its immediate watershed.
  • The Gee Creek Wilderness, designated as a wilderness area in 1975, consists of 2,493 acres (10.09 km2). It protects the Gee Creek watershed on the eastern slopes of Starr Mountain.
  • The Upper Tellico Off-Road Vehicle Area, purchased in 1980. The upper watershed of the Tellico River in the southeastern Unicois is criss-crossed by multiple old logging roads and paths popular with 4x4 enthusiasts. In 2009, the U.S. Forest Service announced a decision to permanently close the Tellico Off-Road Vehicle Area when studies showed that erosion along the trails was damaging valuable brook trout waters along the river.

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