Here Iron Mountain has double parallel crests hiding the valleys of Big Laurel Branch and Little Laurel Branch. Big Laurel Branch itself, on the western side of the crest, eases out of seclusion and runs into Wilbur Lake on the edge of the Wilderness where sheer rock walls stand above the water and the stream gracefully plunges 50 feet to join the lake. Waterways typically drop steeply over many cascades, slides and short falls down hollows separated by narrow ridges running approximately east and west from the main ridge. The forest cover stands dominated by mixed second growth hardwoods with a few yellow and white pines and eastern hemlocks, and most of the hollows are choked with rhododendron and laurel. Large and long Watauga Lake forms most of the southern Wilderness boundary, and from the lake you can see many of the cliffs along the eastern side of the main crest.
Hunters come for deer and grouse.
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail follows the entire length of the crest of the Wilderness, a distance of about 5.8 miles, with a shelter about mid-way. There are no other maintained trails, but bushwhacking is a possibility and your sense of isolation should be worth the effort, especially in the valley of Big Laurel Branch itself. Along the Wilderness shore of Watauga Lake you'll find at least 10 pleasant campsites accessible by boat. An AT map showing this section of the trail is sold for five dollars by the district ranger. Click here to find out how.