Unaka Mountain rises to around 5,180 feet on the Tennessee-North Carolina border east of Erwin, and the upper reaches of the Cherokee National Forest here protect one of the better examples of Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest. The trees close in above 4,500 feet or so, and the summit area has a mossy, northern character that makes it feel considerably farther from Tennessee than it is.
The Unaka Mountain Wilderness sits within the broader Unaka Range and offers several hiking options. The Unaka Mountain Trail climbs through the wilderness to the summit ridge, with good views back toward the Nolichucky valley and, on clear days, across into North Carolina. The approach from the Erwin side is straightforward via Forest Road 230; the drive up the forest road is itself worthwhile in autumn when the hardwoods in the lower slopes are at full color. This is uncrowded backcountry compared to the Great Smoky Mountains — the payoff for being 45 minutes from Gatlinburg's traffic.