Wolf River State Forest

The forest offers all kinds of passive outdoor activities like hiking, hunting, wildlife viewing, and fishing. Designated use details will be coming soon.

Please note that ATVs/OHVs are not allowed on any Wolf River State Forest trails or gravel roads.

Maps with parking locations are being finalized. In the meantime, the following coordinates are designated parking areas for visitors: 

• Monk House Road: 89.2946454°W 35.1482172°N
• LaGrange Road West: 89.3020976°W 35.1343534°N
• LaGrange Road East: 89.2877232°W 35.1256036°N

Wolf River State Forest is open to hunting under the same statewide seasons applicable to Fayette County (Deer Management Unit 1). This alignment follows TWRA policy that state forests are open “during statewide seasons,” unless otherwise noted.

Access to the forest is by foot traffic only - no motorized vehicles are permitted. Roads remain closed and gated.

Parking is available at designated locations. Maps are being finalized. In the meantime, the following coordinates are designated parking areas for hunters and visitors: 

• Monk House Road: 89.2946454°W 35.1482172°N
• LaGrange Road West: 89.3020976°W 35.1343534°N
• LaGrange Road East: 89.2877232°W 35.1256036°N

This property provides many important benefits and displays unique features.

Diverse Forests

Boasting some of the best bottomland hardwoods in Tennessee, its landscape is incredible, stretching from the riverbanks and riparian zones to the hills and ridges of its higher elevations. The mix of hardwood and pine forests creates a stunning variety of age classes, types, and habitats—making it one of the most complex ecosystems out there. These forests also help protect Memphis’ drinking water and supporting fisheries and wildlife downstream.

This forest has been actively managed for many decades for a wide range of objectives. Treatments from crop tree release to regenerative harvests have occurred on the forest as part of a comprehensive management strategy.

Valuable Research

Wolf River State Forest is home to important research that will inform the future of forestry.It includes one of the only second-generation white oak orchards in the world. This sites is facilitating the improvement of white oak seedling quality. In addition, the forest also contains thousands of trees in a study that is laying new foundations in hardwood forest management.

Wetlands and Waterways

With more than 30 miles of pristine streams and 1,560 acres of wetlands, this forest is a sanctuary for countless plants and animals. Conserving this space ensures cleaner water for generations to come. It is also home to a free-running perennial stream that the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation uses as an environmental pure-water check stream due to its exceptional purity.

This land has deep roots. Once part of the historic Ames Plantation, it’s steeped in significant cultural and archeological history. With over 45 state-registered historical sites, the forest serves as a powerful connection to the past.

Home sites, now swallowed by the forest, dot the forest. They are often indicated by daffodils, which settlers and farmers planted around their homes.

The forest also holds several grave sites, used at various times during the property's history. Another plant - the evergreen periwinkle vine - is often found on or near grave sites. It was often planted 19th-century graveyards, a tradition settlers brought over from the old world.

Researchers, including those from Rhodes College and the Hobart Ames Foundation, have uncovered remarkable stories of the enslaved people who worked and lived here, as well as archaeological sites relevant to their history, including graves.

Taking the time to document, locate, and preserve this diverse history is a special part of what makes the Wolf River State Forest so unique and meaningful.