Waterfall Hero Hikes: Citico Creek Wilderness

Citico Creek Wilderness is a rugged 16,226-acre expanse of the Tellico Ranger District of Cherokee National Forest in eastern Tennessee, encompassing the upper drainages of Citico Creek’s north and south forks along with several tributaries that carve steep valleys down from the Unicoi Mountains. Named for an ancient Overhill Cherokee village once located near the creek’s mouth on the Little Tennessee River, the wilderness area was heavily logged in the early 1920s and then scorched by a major fire in 1925, so most of the forest is second-growth, cove hardwoods of poplar, oak, and hemlock in the bottoms, mixed oak-hickory and pine on the ridges Tet it still holds rare pockets of old-growth, including a notable stand of beech and maple near the Falls Branch Falls. Designated as wilderness in 1984, it offers true solitude with minimal trail blazing, excellent trout fishing, and remote backcountry routes that border Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness to the east; the Cherohala Skyway provides easy access to short gems like Falls Branch while deeper loops reward those seeking longer, quieter miles amid the wild southern Appalachians.

Map:

Trails:

Benton MacKae Trail (#2)

Benton MacKaye Trail runs along the eastern end of the wilderness.

Falls Branch Falls Trail (#87)

Falls Branch Falls Trail starts from West Rattlesnake Rock parking at milepost 0.2 on the Cherohala Skyway and leads just over a mile to Falls Branch Falls.