Tray Mountain Wilderness
Encyclopedia
The Tray Mountain Wilderness was designated in 1986 and currently consists of 9702 acres (39.3 km²). The Wilderness is located within the borders of the Chattahoochee National Forest in Habersham
, Rabun
, Towns
and White
counties, Georgia
and is managed in the Chattooga Ranger District
. The Wilderness is managed by the United States Forest Service
and is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System
.
The highest elevation
in the Tray Mountain Wilderness is the 4430 feet (1,350.3 m) peak of Tray Mountain and the wilderness includes part of the Soque River
. The Appalachian Trail
passes through the Wilderness for 16.5 unusually level miles, following a ridge
. The Tray Mountain Wilderness is located near the Mark Trail Wilderness
, which is located across State Route 75 to the west.
Habersham County, Georgia
Habersham County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 15, 1818, and named for Colonel Joseph Habersham. As of 2000, the population was 35,902. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 42,272. Clarkesville is the county seat.Chartered in 1823, the...
, Rabun
Rabun County, Georgia
Rabun County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 15,050. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 16,519...
, Towns
Towns County, Georgia
Towns County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on March 6, 1856. As of the 2000 census, the population was 9,319. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 10,894. Its county seat is Hiawassee.-History:...
and White
White County, Georgia
White County is a county located in the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 22, 1857, from part of Habersham County. The county was named for Newton County Representative David T. White, who helped a Habersham representative successfully attain passage of an...
counties, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and is managed in the Chattooga Ranger District
Chattooga Ranger District
The Chattooga Ranger District is one of the five ranger districts of the Chattahoochee National Forest. The district is spread through portions of Banks, Habersham, Lumpkin, Stephens, Towns, Union and White Counties in Georgia...
. The Wilderness is managed by the United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
and is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System
National Wilderness Preservation System
The National Wilderness Preservation System of the United States protects federally managed land areas designated for preservation in their natural condition. It was established by the Wilderness Act upon the signature of President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3, 1964...
.
The highest elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
in the Tray Mountain Wilderness is the 4430 feet (1,350.3 m) peak of Tray Mountain and the wilderness includes part of the Soque River
Soque River
The Soque River and its watershed are located entirely within the county boundaries of Habersham County in northeast Georgia. The Soque is a tributary of the Chattahoochee River. Portions of the river run along State Route 197.The highest point in the watershed occurs on Tray Mountain...
. The Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
passes through the Wilderness for 16.5 unusually level miles, following a ridge
Ridge
A ridge is a geological feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for some distance. Ridges are usually termed hills or mountains as well, depending on size. There are several main types of ridges:...
. The Tray Mountain Wilderness is located near the Mark Trail Wilderness
Mark Trail Wilderness
The Mark Trail Wilderness was designated in 1991 and currently consists of . It is named in honor of Mark Trail, a daily newspaper comic strip created by the American cartoonist Ed Dodd. The Wilderness is located within the borders of the Chattahoochee National Forest in White, Towns, and Union...
, which is located across State Route 75 to the west.