Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness

Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness spans nearly 20,000 acres of federally protected backcountry in North Carolina. This is true wilderness — no roads, motors, or mechanized travel are permitted. What you'll find is primitive terrain where hiking and backpacking are the primary ways to move through the landscape. The area draws visitors seeking solitude and a genuine backcountry experience away from developed infrastructure.

Visiting means embracing wilderness rules and Leave No Trace principles. There are no maintained facilities, no mechanized support, and no shortcuts. You navigate by map and compass, camp in designated areas, pack out everything you pack in, and accept that help is far away. Access is on foot only, and the season runs from spring through fall, with winter conditions making travel difficult. This is a place for experienced backcountry users who understand and respect the wilderness boundary between human use and wild land.