USFS · National forest · Kentucky

Daniel Boone National Forest

The Daniel Boone National Forest is a national forest in Kentucky, United States. Established in 1937, it includes 708,000 acres (287,000 ha) of federally owned land within a 2,100,000-acre (850,000 ha) proclamation boundary. The name of the forest was changed in 1966 in honor of the explorer Daniel Boone.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

National Forest2.0 million acresUSFSKY34 campgrounds within 10 mi91 Forest Service sites
Official page at U.S. Forest Service ↗

Facts

Where each comes from ↓
DesignationNational Forest
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateKentucky
Size2.0 million acres (Forest Service administrative boundary (gis_acres))
Forest Service code0802, region 08
Center point37.2905, -83.8724
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 15)

Boundary map

2 outlines

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

30 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary and 4 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

NPS · Inside
Alum Ford Campground
Reservable6 sites
FS · Inside
Barren Fork Horse Camp
First-come41 sites
NPS · Inside
Bear Creek Campground - Ky
Reservable22 sites
FS · Inside
Bee Rock Campground
First-come25 sites
FS · Inside
Bell Farm Horse Camp
First-comeKY
NPS · Inside
Blue Heron Campground
Reservable45 sites
FS · Inside
Boat Gunnel Group Campground
Reservable1 site
USACE · Inside
Buckhorn Campground
Reservable38 sites
Show 4 more

22 more within ten miles are not listed here.

Trailheads and sites

Forest Service directory · 91

The Forest Service lists 91 recreation sites in this forest, among them 29 boat launchs, 15 campgrounds, 13 picnic areas, 6 fishings. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.

Show all 60

The 60 closest to the center point are listed; 31 more are on the Forest Service site.

Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Park System units within 30 miles · Park Atlas
National River & Recreation Area · 5 mi
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
National Monument · 12 mi
Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument
National Historical Park · 19 mi
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
National Monument · 29 mi
Camp Nelson National Monument
National Register listings within 15 miles · 188 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Daniel Boone National Forest?

2.0 million acres.

Source: Forest Service boundary data

Who manages Daniel Boone National Forest?

The U.S. Forest Service.

Source: U.S. Forest Service

What state is Daniel Boone National Forest in?

Kentucky.

Source: How states are assigned

Can I camp at Daniel Boone National Forest?

30 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary, including Alum Ford Campground, Barren Fork Horse Camp and Bear Creek Campground - Ky. 34 in all are within ten miles. Dispersed camping is allowed on most national forest land outside developed sites; check the forest page for closures.

Source: Where to camp

Where are the trailheads in Daniel Boone National Forest?

The Forest Service lists 91 recreation sites here, including 29 boating - motorizeds, 15 campground campgrounds and 13 picnickings. Each one links to its Forest Service page.

Source: Trailheads and sites

How do I get to Daniel Boone National Forest?

A point inside the boundary is at 37.291, -83.872. Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area is 5 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: U.S. Forest Service

How dark is the night sky at Daniel Boone National Forest?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 15 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Which national parks are near Daniel Boone National Forest?

Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area (5 mi), Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument (12 mi) and Cumberland Gap National Historical Park (19 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near Daniel Boone National Forest?

188 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Wendover and Lincoln Hall.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage and code: the Forest Service Enterprise Data Warehouse.
  • States: computed by intersecting the boundary with Census state polygons; a state is listed when it holds at least one percent of the area.
  • Description: Daniel Boone National Forest on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. The article was accepted because its title contains this unit’s name.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, matched by forest code.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.