Clay Wildlife Management Area, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Nicholas and Fleming Counties, Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund purchased 813 of 8980 total acres.
This wildlife management area is located in the outer Bluegrass Region characterized by rolling hills with a mosaic of large grassland fields and smaller crop fields above mixed hardwood woodland and open ridge-top fields. It is approximately 85% forested and 15% open lands. Part of WMA borders Fleming Creek which is a main tributary of the Licking River. There are two primary lower quality forest types, the calcareous mesophytic and sub-xeric calcareous forest. The sub-xeric forests occur near the ridge tops and is dominated by sugar maple, white ash, shagbark hickory, white, northern red, chinquapin, and black oaks with red maple, hackberry, blue ash, black cherry, tuliptree, black locust, and Ohio buckeye with an understory of bladdernut and plumleaf viburnum. The mesophytic forests occur on lower slopes and are dominated by sugar maple, shellbark hickory, and shumard oak with black maple, Ohio buckeye, Black walnut, American elm, honeylocust, and shagbark, bitternut, and shellbark hickories with and understory of spicebush and plumleaf viburnum. The riparian forest along Fleming Creek is dominated by boxelder, hackberry, honey locust with Ohio buckeye, American hornbeam, black walnut, sycamore, American elm, chinquapin oak, Black cherry, and bitternut and shellbark hickories. More than 143 species of plants, 71 birds, 27 mammals, 12 amphibians, and 9 reptiles have been observed.
Access: From Carlisle take KY 32 north and turn right on KY 3315 onto Cassidy Creek Road. There are two entrances and watch for signs. There are several boat ramps that provide access to the Licking River. Hunting and fishing are allowed following state seasons except it is closed to the public during the quota fox hunting field trials. Open for passive and active recreation; no ATV are allowed. For maps and more information, please visit Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.