Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest covers 3,800 acres of old-growth forest in the Unicoi Mountains, one of the largest remaining tracts in the eastern United States. More than 100 tree species grow here — the oldest which are over 400 years old were alive well before the founding of the United States. The tallest trees stand more than 140 feet tall while the massive tulip poplars measure 20 feet around at the base.
The forest was spared from logging in the 1930s and dedicated in 1936 as a memorial to Joyce Kilmer, the poet killed in action in France during World War I. His best-known poem is “Trees.”
The only way to explore the forest is on foot. A two-mile figure-eight trail loops through the largest of the old growth, passing creek crossings, mossed-over logs, and stands of hemlock and beech. The lower loop is the easier of the two while the upper loop climbs higher into the cove but rewards the effort.
A restroom and picnic tables sit at the trailhead.
Joyce Kilmer is about a 30-minute drive from Robbinsville. The road in is paved to the parking area. Stop by the Welcome Center at 474 Rodney Orr Bypass for a trail map before you head out.