Chickasaw State Forest

Chickasaw State Forest is located in Chester and Hardeman Counties on the Coastal Plain in West Tennessee.

forest scene with a winding asphalt road surrounded by dense trees. The left side features deciduous trees with bright green leaves, while the right side has tall evergreens and scattered white dogwood blossoms. The road curves gently, leading deeper into the tranquil forest under a soft, overcast sky.

Size: 12,754 acres

The Resettlement Administration Program purchased the majority of lands making up the forest in 1938. At the time of acquisition, the lands were highly eroded and degraded by farming and timber harvesting. The entire project area was deeded to the State of Tennessee in 1955 and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Forestry Division assumed responsibility for the portion that is now a State Forest.

There are various educational and demonstration areas highlighted with signs throughout the forest. In addition, there are 115 acres designated as an experimental forest and nursery.

Approximately 63% of the forest is in hardwood types, about 29% is in southern yellow pines, and the remainder is in mixed pine and hardwood cover. The forest is dominated by stands of mature sawtimber. About 35% of the stands are upland hardwoods in excess of 80 years old. Salvage cuts have occurred on 446 acres damaged by a tornado in 1988 and on 300 acres damaged by southern pine beetles in 1986-87.

Two State Parks are located within the forest and there are 8 cemeteries and 4 in-holdings. Recreational activities include hunting, horseback riding, hiking, and camping.

This map shows Chickasaw State Forest in West Tennessee, including its boundaries, internal road and trail network and designated road uses. The forest covers several connected tracts bisected by Tennessee Highway 100 and is accessed via Highway 18, Highway 125, Pleasant Springs Road and connecting county roads.

The forest surrounds Chickasaw State Park in its northeastern portion, and a private in-holding is identified in the central portion of the forest. Roads within the forest are classified by surface condition as suitable for most vehicles, rough and recommended for high-clearance vehicles, or narrow with rough terrain and not suitable for vehicles over 50 inches wide. Public use restrictions are indicated by symbols where applicable and include no horseback riding, no ATVs, no OHVs, foot traffic only and road gates.

Any unmapped trails are closed except to foot traffic only. The map is for general reference and is not intended for navigational use. The information contained in the map is also available in the sections below.

Contact

John Kelley, Area Forester
1865 Firetower Road
Medon, TN  38356
(731) 989-5252