Pickett State Forest
NOTE: Temporary usage restrictions on roads and trails in the northwest portion of the forest have been extended until February 1, 2025.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s (TDA) Forestry Division is instituting temporary restrictions for 120 days to repair roads and forest trails destroyed by off-road vehicles.
To facilitate repairs, a gate has been installed where Redmond Rim Road and Redmond Mountain Road split, restricting motorized traffic north of that point.
All trails, roads, access points, and areas north of the gate are closed to all motorized traffic and camping.
Access north of the gate is restricted to people on foot or horseback during scheduled visiting hours.
Hunting north of the gate is allowed by foot traffic only and only in accordance with TDA and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency rules.
Law enforcement will patrol the area to ensure compliance with motorized vehicle restrictions.
Failure to comply is a violation of state law and may result in civil penalties and/or criminal charges.
This order expires Feb 1, 2025 unless extended or otherwise rescinded by the State Forester.
About Pickett State Forest
Size: 20,887 acres / 8,453 ha.
Pickett State Forest is located in northeastern Tennessee in Pickett and Fentress Counties near the Kentucky-Tennessee border. The eastern side of the forest is adjacent to the Big South Fork Recreation Area.
This forest originated from a land donation to the state by Stearns Coal and Lumber Company in 1933. It became a State Forest in 1935. At the time of donation, most of the merchantable sawtimber had been removed and the area had been repeatedly subjected to fire and grazing.
About 53% of the forest is hardwood types, 24% is pine types, and 21% is mixed hardwood and pine. Almost the entire forest (95%) is in trees older than 40 years and most of the area is well stocked. Basal area averages about 80 square feet per acre and 60% of that is hardwood. There are also three unregulated areas (916 acres) that have been set aside to protect the integrity of view sheds and water quality.
There are 46 known archaeological sites on the forest. The forest has been the site of research projects conducted by various universities.
Hunting has been a traditional use of the forest. In addition, there are 35 miles of hiking trails and certain forest roads are available for horseback riding. All types of OHVs use unimproved roads. Rock climbing, bird watching, and swimming are also popular activities.
Pickett State Forest Road Use Map
Pickett State Forest Firewood Collection Map