Taken from a 1993 Forest Service map of bear habitat, shown in green. The orange line is the area proposed for protection in The Wilderness Society's "NC Mountain Treasures. Gray and very dark green show private land. Major trails are shown as dashed lines.

Location: Clay and Macon Counties, wilderness additions proposed around periphery of the existing Southern Nantahala Wilderness.  Tusquitee and Wayah Ranger Districts.

Access:  From US 64, approx.12 miles S of US 23 junction, take Cty 1448 to Standing Indian Campground at Whiteoak Bottoms and use trail system map from here.  Could also go farther S on US 64 and turn left on FS 71 to  Deep Gap where AT crosses.

USGS Topographic Quadrangles:  Rainbow Springs (west), Prentiss (east), Macedonia.  Best information is from 1986 FS trail map of Southern Nantahala Wilderness and Standing Indian Basin in both the Nantahala and Chattahoochee NF's.  John Ray, (author of the Bartram Trail Guide in GA and NC), and two of his pals have undertaken (as of Dec 2001) to write a guidebook to the Chunky Gal Trail and the Rim Trail (in the Tusquitee Wild Area), with descriptions also of the side trails that feed into them.  These trails will all be measured and mapped, and presented in much the same way as the new Bartram Trail Guides.  John Ray says his group will also do maintenance to bring all the described trails into useability.

Features/Description/Potential:  (1994 data)
    This was the NC Sierra Chapter's number one wilderness priority for the 1985 draft of the Forest Plan.  Local opposition to wilderness was fierce in Franklin in the late 70's and early 80's, but this situation seems to have largely reversed since then.
Features:
- Was the largest roadless area in the South
- Popular trail system, inculding the AT
- Some rock outcrops & heath balds at higher elevations
- Prime Black bear habitat and bear sanctuary
- Includes: Scream ridge; Kimsey Creek & Big & Little Indian Creek drainages bordering the Nantahala River; Chunky Gal Mtn. range; Falls Branch; Barkers Creek & Commissioner Creek drainages; NW slopes of
Hightower Bald; Cherry Cove & Grapevine Cove Drainages.
- Chattahoochee NF Southern Nantahala Wilderness is adjacent in GA.

 These 13 wild areas (SPNM/Roadless) areas outside the existing wilderness) are very logical extensions to the existing Southern Nantahala Wilderness Area.  From the west going clockwise around the boundary of existing Wilderness (They are our names, not FS):
 1.  Pigpen Ridge, just N of the W end of the Chattahoochee NF Wilderness in GA. (no logging)  (Tusquitee Ranger Dist.)
 2.  Sharptop Ridge, just E but not connecting with Pigpen, also bordering wilderness in Ga. (bear management, limited logging possible) (Tusquitee Ranger Dist.)
 3.  Muskrat Branch, the largest wild area, (and probably the choicest) including the SE end of Chunky Gal Mt., Ravenrock Ridge, Whiteoak Stamp, and the upper end of Middle Ridge.  The S end connects with wilderness in GA.  The AT runs NNE/SSW along the E side, and includes the Muskrat Creek Shelter. (mostly bear management area with limited logging possible, plus the AT corridor), and the special interest natural area of Whiteoak Stamp and a very fine high mtn. bog) (Tusquitee Ranger District)
     Chunky Gal Mtn., a ridge which extends NW from White Oak Stamp is a logical addition to the wilderness.  Riley Knob, at its W end, is a special interest management area.  An unusual white oak community grows here, influenced by amphibolite and olivine-containing bedrock, which produce a more basic pH soil than the usual acidic granitic rock of most of the forest.  Muskrat Cove, the S side of Chunky Gal Mt., has some very big old trees, including sugar maple, which may even be virgin timber.  Lots of 100+ year stands reported by FS NW of current wilderness. (Tusquitee Ranger Dist.)
4.  Yellow Mt, the NW/SE-running ridgeline and S slopes of Yellow Mt., touching existing wilderness on the SE end. (bear management area, limited logging possible)  Scouting team walked gated FS 71D to E.  The road is gravel and wide enough for two logging trucks to pass side by side.  Found 2 recent clearcuts (Forest Service updated blueline map shows 7 thinning cuts and only one clearcut).  Buck Creek is a large stream and could be an important trout stream.  At lower end of Buck Creek valley saw hemlocks of 3-4' DBH.  Higher up, hemlocks, poplar, basswood, and black cherry to 16-24" DBH.  AT on Yellow Mt. goes through old red oak.  Scouting team felt entire area out to FS road 71 should be made wilderness in spite of cuts observed. (Wayah Ranger District)
 5.,6.,7.,8.  Small areas bordering the NW point of the existing wilderness. (bear management area, limited logging possible)  Scouting team went up Kimsey Creek Trail (FS 29) to Deep Gap, but did not get into the small wild areas which are all at the heads of coves.  Saw small bear, logged areas and logging roads (also shown on blueline map).  The team that did Park Ridge identified 100 species of vascular plants (list on file), some of them uncommon.  Park Creek is designated trout waters. (Wayah Ranger District)
 9.  Small area bordering N-most tip of Wilderness. (Wayah Ranger District)
 10.  Little Indian Creek, just S of #9., with SE boundary on Middle Trail Ridge. (bear management area, limited logging possible)  100+ yr stands on W side.  Scouting team reports pole timber, up to 14-18"DBH along trail S from Standing Indian campground to N boundary of Wilderness.  Large(3-4') old red oaks in John Gap.  Approx. 10 yr-old clearcut on John Branch Trail at N boundary of wild area.  John Branch too small for trout.  Little Indian Creek is a designated trout stream by NC Wildlife Resource Commission, even though a small stream. (Wayah Ranger District)
 11.  Indian Creek, farther S of #10, E of current wilderness, with E boundary on Indian Ridge. About the size of #4 and about 1/5 X #3. (bear management area, with limited logging possible)  100+ yr stands on W Side. Per scouting report, no sign of ORV use for more than .5 mile in from lower end of Big Indian Trail. (Wayah Ranger District)
 12.  Scream Ridge, abutting wilderness to S.  (potential logging area) Some 100+ yr stands. (Wayah Ranger District)
 13.  Barkers Creek, on E side of Wilderness, SE from Pickens Nose with E boundary on Long Ridge.  (no logging possible)  (Wayah Ranger District)

Per FS RARE II maps updated for timber sales through 1991::
- The N portion (Kimsey Creek drainage) of RARE II Area #BL825 (area W of Wilderness but N of wild areas described above) has been roaded and logged recently.  Area of Middle Trail Ridge just S is still uncut, but a timber sale with road is proposed for FY 1992.
- RARE II area #B8025 SE of Pickens Nose is still mostly uncut.
- RARE II area #B8025 of Chunky Gal Mt has had a lot of thinning cuts and some peripheral roading.
FS plans to study the upper Nantahala River for National Wild and Scenic designation.  River corridor is not in existing Wilderness.

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