Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness
Joyce Kilmer acquired some fame as a journalist, serving on the staff of the New York Times from 1913 to 1918, but most people remember him as the author of the poem "Trees" ("I think that I shall never...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| States | North Carolina, Tennessee |
| Size | 19,246 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1975, by Congress |
| Center point | 35.4106, -83.9787 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 10) |
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
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 21 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
9 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 scenic Driving. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 4 miJoyce Kilmer Road NCSR #1134 ↗Scenic Driving
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
23 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 126 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Benton Mackaye -Cheoah RD ↗ | 31.2 | |
| Slickrock Creek ↗ | 12.6 | |
| Belding ↗ | 11.4 | |
| Fodderstack Mountain ↗ | 10.3 | |
| Stratton Bald ↗ | 7.5 | |
| Haoe Lead ↗ | 6.5 | |
| Deep Creek ↗ | 6 | |
| North Fork of Citico Trail ↗ | 5.4 | |
| Hangover Lead ↗ | 5.2 | |
| Naked Ground | 4.4 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 0 miGiddens, L. D., and Son Jewelry Store ↗Goldsboro, NC
- 1.1 miCalderwood Dam ↗Calderwood, TN
- 4.5 miChilhowee Hydroelectric Development ↗Tallassee, TN
- 6.9 miGraham County Courthouse ↗Robbinsville, NC
- 9.3 miHappy Valley School ↗Maryville, TN
- 9.7 miKerr, Macklin, House ↗Maryville, TN
- 11 miClark, Langston, Barn ↗Maryville, TN
- 11.2 miShaddon Mill Site ↗Maryville, TN
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness?
19,246 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness in?
The boundary crosses North Carolina and Tennessee.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1975.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Horse Cove Campground, 0 miles out. 21 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
Where are the trailheads in Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site here, including 1 scenic driving. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 35.411, -83.979. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is 27 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How dark is the night sky at Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 10 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Which national parks are near Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness?
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (27 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness?
20 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Giddens, L. D., and Son Jewelry Store and Calderwood Dam.
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.