Irish Wilderness

Irish Wilderness
IUCN Category Ib (Wilderness Area)
Location	Oregon and Ripley counties, Missouri, United States
Nearest city	Fremont, Missouri
Coordinates	36°43′51″N 91°10′30″W
Area	16,277 acres (66 km2)
Established	1984
Governing body	U.S. Forest Service

The Irish Wilderness is a 16,227-acre (66 km²) wilderness area in the U.S. state of Missouri. The United States Congress designated it a wilderness in 1984. The Irish Wilderness is located within the Eleven Point Ranger District, of the Mark Twain National Forest, 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Alton, Missouri. It was named after an Irish Catholic Priest, John Joseph Hogan, founded a settlement of about forty Irish families here starting in 1858; the settlement was wiped out during the American Civil War and has remained a wilderness ever since. The Irish Wilderness is one of eight wilderness areas protected and preserved in Missouri.

Hiking is popular on the White's Creek Trail, an 18.6 miles trail throughout the wilderness. Attractions include Fiddler and Bliss Springs, along with overlooks of the Eleven Point River. The Karst topography of the area creates very scenic views along this trail.

U.S. Wilderness Areas do not allow motorized or mechanized vehicles, including bicycles. Although camping and fishing are allowed with proper permit, no roads or buildings are constructed and there is also no logging or mining, in compliance with the 1964 Wilderness Act. Wilderness areas within National Forests and Bureau of Land Management areas also allow hunting in season.

See also

• Bell Mountain Wilderness
• Devils Backbone Wilderness
• Hercules-Glades Wilderness
• Paddy Creek Wilderness
• Piney Creek Wilderness
• Rockpile Mountain Wilderness

External links

• History of Irish Creek Wilderness PDF
• Wilderness.net
• TopoQuest map