Clark State Forest
| Clark State Forest | |
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 Map of the U.S. state of Indiana showing the location of Clark State Forest
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| Location | Clark County, Indiana, USA |
| Nearest city | Henryville, Indiana |
| Coordinates | 38°34′0″N 85°47′45″W / 38.56667°N 85.79583°WCoordinates: 38°34′0″N 85°47′45″W / 38.56667°N 85.79583°W |
| Area | 24,000 acres (97.12 km2) |
| Established | May 1903 |
| Governing body | Indiana Department of Natural Resources |
Clark State Forest, located just north of Henryville, Indiana in the United States, is Indiana's oldest state forest, formed in 1903 as a forest research facility and a nursery and later expanded by the Works Progress Administration. Originally 2,028 acres (8 km²) of total land area, it is now almost 24,000 acres (100 km2) and is bisected by Interstate 65. It features three trails used exclusively for hikers trails: two internal trails, and the 59-mile (95 km) Knobstone Trail. There are nine horse trails, and five miles (8 km) of mountain bike trails. Two nature preserves are also situated within the forest. The forest also contains a 100-yard (91 m) outdoor gun range.
A concern around the turn of the 20th century was that many woodworking facilities in Indiana would be forced to close due to dwindling timber supplies. This wood was used by furniture makers and shipbuilders such as the Howard Shipyards. The timber industry was a major part of southern Indiana's agricultural income, but thousands of acres had been deforested. In response to the problem, the state of Indiana decided to establish a series of state forests to ensure the continued existence of timber for woodworking facilities, and to allow Indiana to maintain its ability to export hardwood. The Indiana General Assembly in 1901 created the Indiana State Board of Forestry.
In May 1903, the Indiana state government purchased 2,028 acres (8.21 km2) of forest in the north of Clark County, noted for its knob features (isolated conical hills), for use as Indiana's first state forest, at a cost of US$16,000. Seedlings were planted at Clark State Forest, many of which were to be later moved to other parts of the state. This practice allowed more productive use of the land within the forest, and facilitated the teaching of the art of forestry. Charles C. Deam, a botanist who in 1909 became Indiana's state forester, was in charge of making the state forest an experimental laboratory for 20th-century forest care. Between the opening of the forest, and 1935, over 150 different tree types were tested, many of which survive yet.
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