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Has anyone hiked in the Upper River Bald Wilderness Study Area in Tennessee? I read an article about it (http://www.blueridgeoutdoors.com/current-issue/features/into-the-wild-2/) and how it was just designated an official wilderness and is isolated from civilization, so would it make for a good backpacking trip? I'm not sure whether they allow camping, but has anyone been there before?

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I haven't hiked here, but all of these NC/Tenn study areas are open to hiking and camping. I have hiked in other study sites and they are primitive and beautiful, but trails can just disappear, so you have to keep your wits about direction. The canopy can get pretty thick, so GPS doesn't always work. Bring a good topo map!
Here's a link: http://www.ncmountaintreasures.org/maps ... _mtns.html

I've hiked the Bald River Gorge which is, I think, a currently protected section of the river. A much smaller wilderness sandwiched between two roads. The terrain is impressive and the trail was in good repair. But I've never been to the upper section described in that article.

I did a post here:

http://www.summitpost.org/canyon/236579 ... Gorge.html

The bad thing about that section of Tennessee/NC is that they built that horrid Cherohala Skyway through what would otherwise have been probably the largest single chunk of roadless area in the mountains. Now it's cut in half by a damned highway used mainly by bikers who tear up and down the road. It should be closed and destroyed and replanted in native flora to wipe out its existence.