Rich Hole Wilderness

Rich Hole Wilderness includes the 1,336-acre Rich Hole National Natural Landmark, an example of mature southern Appalachian cove hardwood forest. The Wilderness consists primarily of Brushy Mountain and portions of Mill Mountain with their drainages, the North Branch of Simpson Creek and Alum Creek. The area exhibits a mature hardwood ecosystem with large old hemlocks in the drainage bottoms, and chestnut oaks and yellow pines on the south-facing slopes. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, iron ore was mined from some of the hillsides in this area, and trees were cut to make charcoal for the iron ore furnaces. Traces of this activity, including an old mountain homestead with a small orchard, remain today. A major wildfire burned in the Wilderness and adjacent lands in April 2012, and visible evidence of its effects is evident throughout. The six-mile Rich Hole Trail passes through the southern half of the Wilderness, most of it along the North Branch of Simpson Creek.