Turkey Hill Wilderness

You might expect to find a few gobblers running about these hills, but you will have to settle for deer, which hunters do not seem to mind, along with snakes, stinging insects, ticks, and chiggers. A forest dense with hardwoods and pine covers the relatively gentle hills, as well as steeper slopes to the north and east. Turkey Hill Wilderness belongs to the Bannister Wildlife Management Area on the Gulf Coastal Plain. Turkey Hill anchors the southeastern corner, peaking at 298 feet above sea level, and the wide, flat ridge tops around it exceed 300 feet in some places. From Forest Service Road 307 on the southern boundary, the fairly easy to follow Wash Branch Trail runs north along Wash Branch near the center of the area and over a ridge, a distance of about 3.5 miles. Other trails, some of which fade out on ridges, access the eastern and western portions. You can usually find water in Sandy Creek, Clear Branch, and Wash Branch. Maximum length of stay is 14 days within any 30-day period, and caching equipment or supplies for more than 24 hours is prohibited.