John Tully State Forest
Size: 2,131 acres
John Tully State Forest in Lauderdale County was purchased by the state on August 29, 2002. The land was part of a substantial tract of prime forestland and wildlife habitat acquired from the Anderson-Tully Corporation, a Memphis-based timber management and lumber company.
Anderson-Tully had owned the property since 1902 and managed it for timber production. Most of the forest was harvested extensively in the years prior to purchase by the state.
As the only State Forest representing western Tennessee's physiogeographic region, it is dominated by Mississippi River alluvial bottomland hardwoods and holds some of the state's best hunting and fishing lands.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency also provides stewardship of the forest as a wildlife management area.Funding was provided by a joint effort of the State of Tennessee, the USDA Forest Service's Forest Legacy program, the Nature Conservancy, and various other private sources including the National Wild Turkey Federation, Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation, and Wildlife Forever, Inc.
This map shows John Tully State Forest in West Tennessee, including its boundaries, trail system and designated road and trail uses. The forest covers about 2,130 acres and is accessed via Sam Taylor Road and Highway 87. Trails and roads are designated for all traffic — hiking, biking, horseback riding and motorized vehicles — non-motorized use, which is open to hiking, biking and horseback riding, or no traffic. Gates are located at several access points, and a parking area is located along Campground Road. The forest is bordered by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency land to the north and west, and a private in-holding is located in the northwestern portion of the forest.
The information contained in the map is also available in the sections below. This map was most recently updated in April 2026.
Contact
Shawn Posey, Area Forester
3570 Ebenezer Loop
Somerville, TN 38068
(901) 465-7349