Field Guide To The Cohutta Wilderness by Javier Velazquez
A Field Guide to the Cohutta Wilderness by Javier Velazquez is a book I have wanted to exist in the world for so long that a couple years ago, I started sketching out whether I could write it myself. I am deeply grateful to the author for putting in the time and effort to create a proper field guide to the natural and environmental history of the Cohutta Mountains.
The Cohutta Wilderness is the second largest Wilderness Area in Georgia and the largest Mountain Wilderness Area in the state (i.e., exclude the Okefenokee). When you combine it with the adjacent Big Frog Wilderness in Tennessee, it becomes the largest Wilderness Area east of the Mississippi River. It’s also unique because it contains the westernmost high-elevation mountains until you reach the Rockies. Even though the Cohuttas don’t rise super high compared to other ranges, they are incredibly important for their wildlife, flora, and fauna.
PSA – since you’re reading this post, you would love the Cohutta Wilderness Trail Volunteers. We help the USFS maintain the trails in the Cohutta Wilderness. Come out to any event! We’re a small but dedicated group – and would love to have you out! See the events here!
The Cohuttas are slightly different mountains than the rest of the Southern Appalachians. They’re not the metamorphic granite of the Blue Ridge in central and northeast Georgia. Instead, they’re meta-sedimentary rock with more interesting pH levels that allow a unique diversity of plant life to flourish. The sharper ridges, different boulder fields, and varied geological features all contribute to their character. These are some of the oldest mountains on Earth.
Even though parts may appear damaged from the 2016 Rough Ridge Fire, the Cohuttas have a deep beauty that comes only to old mountains with a stable ecosystem that’s been in place for a very long time.
What I Liked
This field guide goes into all the reasons why different parts of the Cohuttas are so interesting and special. Velazquez covers the human history, especially the industrial logging that came through in the 1920s and 30s, the Forest Service reclamation in the 1960s, and finally the Congressional Wilderness designation in the 1970s that was finalized in the 1980s.
The Cohutta is one of the best places in the Eastern United States. It’s not as big as the Great Smoky Mountains, but it feels wilder and more remote than anywhere else you can be in the Eastern Woodlands.
The artwork is lovely and the formatting is well done. It was obviously a deep passion project, and I’m glad it exists in the world.
What I Did Not Like
The book appears to have been published by a small publisher, so the pages and cover aren’t as crisp as a major publishing house would produce. But this is a minor complaint for a specialized field guide.
Wrap-up
If you have any interest or connection to the Cohutta Wilderness, this book absolutely deserves a place on your bookshelf. For hikers, naturalists, or anyone who spends time in these mountains, it’s the reference guide that’s been missing.
A Field Guide to the Cohutta Wilderness by Javier Velazquez is the definitive natural and environmental history of Georgia's largest Mountain Wilderness Area. The book covers the unique geology, diverse plant life, and human history of these ancient mountains, from industrial logging to Congressional Wilderness designation. Essential for anyone who hikes or explores the Cohutta-Big Frog Wilderness complex.
- Comprehensive coverage of geology, ecology, and human history of the Cohuttas
- Lovely artwork and well-done formatting throughout
- Fills a major gap for a specialized field guide that didn't previously exist
- Small publisher production means pages and cover aren't as crisp as major publishers
- Limited appeal beyond those specifically interested in the Cohutta Wilderness
- Visible impacts from 2016 Rough Ridge Fire may affect some areas described
