Indiana State Forests and Fish And Wildlife Areas

Indiana maintains a series of properties called State Forests. These areas are protected forestlands and are considered mixed use areas. The State Forests are mostly located in the southern third of the state, as this portion of the state historically was more heavily forested than the central and northern portion, which tended more towards flatter, prairie type terrain.

State Forests, as stated above, are considered mixed use areas. This is because, unlike the State Parks, logging and hunting, as well as recreational activities such as hiking, fishing, camping, picnicking and horseback riding.

The Indiana policy regarding State Forests is reproduced below:

State Forest Management Policy:
Your state forests are managed under the policy of multiple use in order to obtain benefits from recreation, timber production and watershed protection. They are open to the public for hunting during season and are actively managed for healthy fish and wildlife populations. Recreational development will not take precedence over natural resource conservation and protection and will continue to be structured on the natural rather than the "built" environment.

There are currently thirteen State Forests and Recreation Areas. Morgan Monroe, near Martinsville, is the largest at 24,000 acres. Selmier State Forest, near North Vernon, is the smallest at 355 acres. Clark State Forest, near Henryville, is one of the prettiest, especially on the autumn.

Wyandotte Caves, near Leavenworth, has the distinction of being the location of Wyandotte Caves. These caves are very pretty and are open to tours by the public. There are several cave here, two of which may be toured, Wyandotte and Siebert caves.

Two of the State Forests Clark and Jackson are located in an area of Indiana called the knobs. These steep, high hills feature some fantastic vistas of the surrounding area. Skyline Drive, located in Jackson, is a narrow, paved road which climbs up into the knobs and rides the ridge of the high hills. A picnic shelter house and several overlooks are hallmarks of this scenic drive.

Indiana State Forests are valuable, mixed use properties which help protect the forests and wildlife of our state.

Yellowwood State Forest

Morgan-Monroe State Forest

Hoosier National Forest

Selmier State Forest

Indiana State Fish And Wildlife Areas

Crosley State Fish And Wildlife Area


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