The wilderness contains the entire upper drainage of Citico Creek, which consists of the north and south forks and at least eight tributaries.

Diverse cove hardwood forests — which include yellow poplar, white oak, red oak, and hemlock — are found in the bottomlands along stream beds.

The ridge slopes are covered by a mixed hardwood-pine forest consisting primarily of white oak, red oak, and hickory in moist areas and substantial stands of white pine, pitch pine, and shortleaf pine on drier slopes and ridgecrests.

[4] Citico Creek Wilderness is bordered on the east by the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness and on the north by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (on the other side of the Little Tennessee River).

The Bald River Gorge Wilderness is located immediately to the southwest.