Permits
No permits or fees are currently required to hike or backpack in the Cohutta Wilderness. That can change. Confirm current requirements with the Conasauga Ranger District before a trip, especially for a large group or an extended stay.
Bikes and vehicles
Bicycles and motorized vehicles of every kind are prohibited inside the designated wilderness, by federal law under the Wilderness Act of 1964. That rule does not apply to the Forest Service roads that ring the wilderness and reach most of the trailheads. Those roads are gravel, narrow, and sometimes gated seasonally. A few trails in this guide sit partly or entirely outside the wilderness boundary, where bikes are legal. Each trail page states which applies.