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Tennessee
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Tennessee State Parks

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Tennessee
West Region
Chickasaw State Forest
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CHICKASAW STATE FOREST
CHICKASAW STATE FOREST
Chickasaw State Forest is located in Chester and Hardeman Counties on the Coastal Plain in West Tennessee. The Resettlement Administration Program purchased the majority of lands making up the forest in 1938; the lands at the time of acquisition 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. 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.

Two state parks surrounding lakes occur within the forest. There are various educational and demonstration areas highlighted with signs throughout the forest. In addition, there are 115 acres of forest set aside as an experimental forest and nursery. There are 8 cemeteries and 4 in-holdings. Large salvage cuts have occurred as a result of 446 acres of forest being blown down by a tornado in 1988 and 300 acres damaged by southern pine beetles in 1986-87. Hunting has been a traditional use of the forest. Other recreational activities include horseback riding, hiking, and camping.
History of the Area
Chickasaw State Forest is located in western Tennessee, spanning over 14,000 acres. This forest has a rich history that dates back thousands of years.

Prior to European settlement, the land that now comprises Chickasaw State Forest was home to various indigenous tribes, including the Chickasaw people. The Chickasaw were one of the larger Native American tribes in the southeastern United States and had established communities in the region. They relied on the forest for hunting, gathering, and other livelihood activities.

With the arrival of European settlers in the 18th century, the Chickasaw and other tribes faced displacement and conflicts over land ownership. The United States government eventually forced the Chickasaw people to cede their lands through treaties, including the Treaty of Pontotoc Creek in 1832.
Camping
1. Primitive camping is available at the Chickasaw State Forest.
2. Campsites are first:come, first-served with no reservations required.
3. There's a designated horse camp for equestrian enthusiasts.
4. Camping permits can be obtained from the Forestry Division office in Jackson, Tennessee.
5. Each site has fire rings and picnic tables but lacks water or electricity hookups.


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Location
Chickasaw State Forest is located near Henderson, Jackson
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Trails
1. The North Chickasaw Trail: A 20-mile loop trail featuring a lake, primarily used for hiking and horseback riding.

2. South Chickasaw Loop: An easy-to-moderate difficulty level trail spanning around 4 miles with beautiful wildflowers along the path.

3. Lake Placid Walking Path: This is an approximately one mile long paved walking path that circles scenic Lake Placid in Henderson County.

4. Forked Pine Campgrounds Trails: These are short trails of about half-a-mile each leading to campsite areas within the forest area; ideal for family camping trips or picnics.

5. Mossy Ridge Red Trail (Percy Warner Park): Although not directly located inside Chickasaw State Forest, it's nearby at roughly 25 miles away offering a challenging hike over its length of nearly five miles.

6. Overnight Backpacking Route: Approximately six-and-half mile route designed specifically for overnight backpackers looking to experience wilderness survival skills training sessions during their stay in this state park region.

7. The Treadwell Mountain Bike Course: It's an intermediate-level mountain bike course stretching across three kilometers through varied terrain including both flat sections and steep inclines/declines as well as several technical features such as jumps and berms.

8. Bridle Paths: There are also numerous bridle paths throughout the forest which can be utilized by hikers who want more rugged experiences on less maintained routes ranging from two up till ten kilometres depending upon individual preferences regarding distance/difficulty levels.

Visitor Comments, Memories and Reviews
February 20 hunters eden by dragonfly
park review stars; one to five A friend and I have camped there for the last 35 years. A week, sometimes two during Nov, and April.
October 11 What a beautiful piece of Tennessee!!! by Jennstar74
park review stars; one to five What a beautiful place sooo close to home. It took us about an hour to get there....we stayed in the tent area....#20....loved our view...met some really nice people...our kids had an awesome time. We will be going back!
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Directions
From Memphis, take I-40 East towards Nashville for about 85 miles.

Take exit 108 and turn right onto TN-22 N.

Drive on TN-22 N for approximately five miles until you reach the forest entrance on your left-hand side.

If coming from Nashville, head westward along I-40 W to Exit 126 toward Huntingdon/Parsons.

Turn left onto US Highway 641/TN69 after exiting the freeway. Continue straight through three traffic lights in Parsons city center area.


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Tennessee State Parks

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