Almost 20,000 acres of the Cherokee National Forest officially became part of America’s protected wilderness on March 12, when the president signed into law a package of wilderness bills totaling 1.7 million acres nationwide that harbor historic treasures, critical wildlife habitat and awe-inspiring vistas. In Tennessee, citizens have been advocating for additional wilderness lands for more than a decade. The law expands the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock, Big Frog, Little Frog Mountain, Big Laurel Branch, and Sampson Mountain wilderness areas, and creates the new 9,000-acre Upper Bald River Wilderness Area. Premier hiking spots like 4.5 miles of the Appalachian Trail and nearly 15 miles of the Benton MacKaye Trail are now permanently protected, as are rare stands of old-growth forest and mountain streams prized by anglers and paddlers. tnwild.org
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