Pond Mountain Wilderness
Pond Mountain Wilderness is a 6,937-acre wilderness area in Carter County, Tennessee. It rises from about 1,903 to 4,322 ft. The nearest town is Hampton, 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
Pond Mountain Wilderness map
Pond Mountain Wilderness boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
Agency fire restriction orders for this unit are not tracked here yet. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders before any campfire, stove or target shooting.
County and local burn bans may also apply on private, state, or county land nearby. On federal land, follow the land manager's order; off it, follow the strictest county or local rule that applies. When both touch your trip, obey both.
Common questions
- Hampton, TN is the nearest town, 1.3 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in Pond Mountain Wilderness is about 4,322 ft, and its lowest about 1,903 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is Pond Mountain, about 4,322 ft.
Who manages Pond Mountain Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Service | 6,937 | Not on record | Not on record | Not on record | Watauga Ranger District, 423-735-1500 |
Getting to Pond Mountain Wilderness
- Hampton, TN is the nearest town, 1.3 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-30)
Trailheads at Pond Mountain Wilderness
- Dennis Cove Trailhead (0.28 mi outside the boundary, 2,505 ft), at 36.2643, -82.1231
- Hampton Trailhead (0.3 mi outside the boundary, 1,861 ft), at 36.2853, -82.1521
Trailhead locations: Forest Service recreation sites layer , accessed 2026-09-30. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in Pond Mountain Wilderness
- Pond Mountain summit
- Firescald Knob summit
- Walnut Mountain summit
- Laurel Fork Gorge canyon
- Waycoster Spring spring
Features whose official location is inside the boundary, from the USGS Geographic Names Information System, accessed 2026-09-30. Summit elevations measured on the USGS 3DEP elevation model, which can read a few feet under a surveyed summit height.
Campgrounds in and around Pond Mountain Wilderness
- Watauga Point Recreation Area camping (0.3 miles outside the boundary): its sites, fees, and reservations on campgroundsdb.com.
- Cardens Bluff Campground (0.4 miles outside the boundary): its sites, fees, and reservations on campgroundsdb.com.
- Dennis Cove Recreation Area camping (0.7 miles outside the boundary): its sites, fees, and reservations on campgroundsdb.com.
Public lands next to Pond Mountain Wilderness
- National forestPond Mountain Wilderness lies inside Cherokee National Forest.
- Wilderness areaBig Laurel Branch Wilderness is 0.9 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
Other wilderness areas in Tennessee
- wilderness.net (accessed 2026-09-30)
- prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com (accessed 2026-09-30)
- prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com (accessed 2026-09-30)
- www2.census.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
- apps.fs.usda.gov (accessed 2026-09-30)
The sentences on this page are generated by software from the sourced records above, not written by hand. How this content is made.