Cohutta Wilderness is a federally protected mountain wilderness in northwestern Georgia that extends slightly into Tennessee. Designated in 1975 and expanded in 1986, it covers 36,977 acres and, with adjacent protected lands, forms one of the largest contiguous protected landscapes in the eastern United States and the largest federally designated wilderness on the East Coast. Its rugged Cohutta Mountains, high summits, headwater streams, and unusually wet coves create isolated, cool forests rich in biodiversity. The area is notable for the Conasauga and Jacks rivers, extensive old-growth forest, exceptional aquatic life, and remarkable plant and salamander diversity, making it one of the Southern Appalachians’ most distinctive protected landscapes.