Pond Pine Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area in the Croatan National Forest of eastern North Carolina, established in 1984 as the state’s smallest federal wilderness area. South of Great Lake, it covers about 1,682 acres of broad pocosin wetland with acidic, waterlogged muck soils, peat, and poor drainage that create a harsh, nutrient-poor environment. Named for the pond pine, the area supports dense shrubs and vines and depends on periodic wildfire to clear growth and release seeds. With no trails, campsites, or development, it is difficult to cross and is valued chiefly for preserving an intact coastal plain wetland habitat and its wildlife.