- Cohutta Wilderness
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Cohutta Wilderness IUCN Category Ib (Wilderness Area)
Location Fannin / Murray / Gilmer counties, Georgia / Polk County, Tennessee, USA Nearest city Crandall, Georgia Coordinates 34°52′32″N 84°37′32″W / 34.87556°N 84.62556°WCoordinates: 34°52′32″N 84°37′32″W / 34.87556°N 84.62556°W Area 36,977 acres (150 km2) Established 1975 Governing body U.S. Forest Service The Cohutta Wilderness was designated in 1975, expanded in 1986, and currently consists of 36,977 acres (149.64 km2). Approximately 35,268 acres (142.72 km2) are located in Georgia in the Chattahoochee National Forest and approximately 1,709 acres (6.92 km2) are located in Tennessee in the Cherokee National Forest. The Wilderness is managed by the United States Forest Service in Tennessee and is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
The Cohutta Wilderness is the second-largest wilderness in Georgia. With more than 60,000 visitors each year, it is also the largest, most heavily used wilderness in the Southern Appalachians.[1] In May, 2006, the Forest Service announced new limits on the use of the Wilderness, explaining:
"Overuse from visitors is causing resource impacts that are threatening the very qualities that made this area worthy of wilderness designation. Changes in the management of the Cohutta are necessary to reverse this trend to preserve the wilderness environment and provide future generations with the enjoyment of a true wilderness experience".[2]
Among the new regulations will be limits on the number of people allowed in a single group and on the use of camp fires.
The headwaters of the Conasauga River are located within the Wilderness, where the river starts as small cold stream from a spring at around 3,600 feet (1,100 m) and flows north toward Tennessee. The Benton MacKaye Trail traverses the Wilderness. The Cohutta Wilderness borders the Big Frog Wilderness which is also located in Georgia and Tennessee. The name Cohutta is derived from the Cherokee word cohutta, which means "frog" or could mean "a shed roof supported on poles".[3]
See also
References
- ^ Excerpt from "Why Wilderness," published by The Wilderness Society
- ^ May 12, 2006 Forest Service Press Release
- ^ Georgia Place Names by Kenneth K. Krakow, 3rd Edition (accessed November 2, 2006)
External links
- Wilderness.net entry for the Cohutta Wilderness
- Sherpa Guides entry for the Cohutta Wilderness
- Consauga River Alliance - Cohutta Wilderness
Protected Areas of Tennessee Federal National ParksChickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park · Fort Donelson National Battlefield · Fort Donelson National Cemetery · Shiloh National Cemetery • Shiloh National Military Park • Stones River National Battlefield • Stones River National CemeteryAppalachian National Scenic Trail • Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail • Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail • Trail of Tears National Historic TrailChickasaw • Cross Creeks • Hatchie • Lake Isom • Lower Hatchie • Reelfoot • Tennessee
Wilderness AreasBald River Gorge • Big Frog • Big Laurel Branch • Citico Creek • Cohutta • Gee Creek • Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock • Little Frog Mountain • Pond Mountain • Sampson Mountain • Unaka Mountain
Natchez Trace Parkway • Obed Wild and Scenic RiverState Big Ridge • Booker T. Washington • Cove Lake • Cumberland Mountain • Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail • Davy Crockett Birthplace • Fort Loudoun • Frozen Head • Harrison Bay • Hiwassee/Ocoee • Indian Mountain • Norris Dam • Panther Creek • Pickett • Red Clay • Roan Mountain • Sycamore Shoals • Warriors' Path
Bicentennial Capitol Mall • Bledsoe Creek • Burgess Falls • Cedars Of Lebanon • Cordell Hull Birthplace • David Crockett • Dunbar Cave • Edgar Evins • Fall Creek Falls • Harpeth River • Henry Horton • Johnsonville • Long Hunter • Montgomery Bell • Mousetail Landing • Old Stone Fort • Port Royal • Radnor Lake • Rock Island • Sgt. Alvin C. York • South Cumberland • Standing Stone • Tims Ford
Big Cypress Tree • Big Hill Pond • Chickasaw • Fort Pillow • Meeman-Shelby • N. B. Forrest • Natchez Trace • Paris Landing • Pickwick Landing • Pinson Mounds • Reelfoot Lake • Ross Cross Landing • T.O. Fuller
Bledsoe • Cedars of Lebanon • Chickasaw • Chuck Swan • Franklin • Lewis • Lone Mountain • Martha Sundquist • Natchez Trace • Pickett • Prentice Cooper • Scott • Standing Stone • Stewart
Honey Creek * Piney Falls • Laurel-Snow • North Chickamauga Creek Gorge • Stinging Fork Falls • Virgin Falls
Other OtherTennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (web) - Tennessee Department of Agriculture {web} Categories:- IUCN Category Ib
- Protected areas of Fannin County, Georgia
- Protected areas of Gilmer County, Georgia
- Protected areas of Murray County, Georgia
- Protected areas of Polk County, Tennessee
- Wilderness Areas of Georgia (U.S. state)
- Wilderness Areas of Tennessee
- Protected areas established in 1975
- Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
- Cherokee National Forest
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