This area was owned, railroaded, and intensively logged by private timber companies up until the 1920’s. The US Government bought these lands and began restoration and stewardship work to protect the watersheds and bring back a healthy forest. Wildfires were controlled, trees were planted and managed, trout were stocked, and visitor access was provided for enjoying the land and streams. In 1975, Congress passed legislation adding the Cohutta Wilderness to the National Wilderness Preservation System. At 36,977 acres, Cohutta is the largest National Forest Wilderness in the southeast; Big Frog Wilderness, 7993 acres, adjoins the area to the north.
Laws direct the Forest Service to administer the lands for the use and enjoyment of the American people in such manner as will leave the lands unimpaired for future use as wilderness. Wilderness character is to be preserved, restricting management and use, so that no motorized vehicles or other forms of mechanical transport are allowed. Exceptions to those rules are allowed under extreme life or death emergencies.
Clicking on the Conasauga/Jacks Rivers area of the map with the yellow dot will take you to a detailed area map with a specific Cohutta Wilderness issue location.
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