Wolf Creek State Forest
Wolf Creek State Forest is the 11th and newest property in the Kentucky State Forest system. It consists of 464 acres and is located in Breathitt County about 20 miles east of Jackson, just off Hwy 30 on Wolf Creek Road. The property was purchased in 2026 using funds from the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Imperiled Bat Conservation Fund and Kentucky Heritage Lands Conservation Fund. The entrance road and parking lot were paid for through a grant from the Rocky Mountain Conservation Fund. The property is mostly forested with young hardwood timber but does have a few small openings due to a minimal amount of mining and grazing. Tree species include maples, poplar, hickory, and oaks that range from 6"-16" diameter at breast height. This young forest will be managed to produce healthy, high-quality timber for future harvests. Timber stand improvement techniques such as crop tree release and mid-story removal will be used to achieve this goal.
Wolf Creek State Forest is managed under the same general guidelines as the other state forests. The management goals include having multiple uses and is open to the public for recreational purposes. This will include hiking, biking, hunting, wildlife viewing etc. Game species for hunting include elk, black bear, turkey, and squirrels. It will be open to foot traffic only with no motorized vehicles allowed.
Directions: From Hazard, take Hwy 15 north 25 miles to Hwy 30 at Quicksand. Go east on Hwy 30 17 miles to Wolf Creek Rd. then north 1.5 miles to the parking area on the left. The property lies on both sides of Wolf Creek Rd.
