It is on the backroads and not much to see but the visiting center is super inviting and interesting. The people who work there really care about the place. read more

Before visiting here I had no idea what an old growth forest was. I love history and I love the outdoors and this is combination of both. I you love nature or just like to hike you should go check this place out. Our guide, Curtis and everyone we encountered there had so much knowledge of every plant and animal in Eastern Kentucky and the Appalachian region. read more

This forest is a true gem for anyone who wants a glimpse of what the mountains of Kentucky used to be. Half the 500-plus acres is designated old growth forest, which is about as common as a steak at a KFC. We loved our very peaceful two-hour hike, especially the tall timbers. Understandably, they are very protective of these forests, so access is only allowed through guided tours. But the tours are highly informed and free, courtesy of the commonwealth of Kentucky. Be sure to call ahead of time to make plans, since the full time staff consists of two hardy souls that tend to the whole property in addition to babysitting any tourists. Notably, they don't get a lot of visitors here, so don't be surprised if your guided tour is private and exclusive. As for all you smartphone nerds out there, good luck checking into this place. The landscape that has helped save the timber for generations also turns your phone into a lump of coal. Be sure to pay close attention to the directions to get here. By all means, the trip is worth the effort. read more

Lilly Cornett Woods may be off the 'Hazard KY' path but it is well worth trip. Their are trees that one can hike to that have been alive since the Pilgrims landed. The old growth forest has been preserved for 100's years by the Cornett family. The trail must be accessed with a guide and there are two and four hour hikes. The hikes are of moderate intensity. Predominantly flat in the beginning walk and then climbs up through the Forrest. Our guide, mr. Phil Jones, was knowledgeable and courteous. Along the shorter hike we viewed white pine, Hemlock, and an American Chestnut, all of Which were 100's of Years old. There is no charge. Bring water, hiking or tennis shoes and water. Great history beauty in this old growth Forrest. read more

Part of the Cumberland Plateau, these 554 acres of undisturbed "old growth forest" which require a guided tour bring to life the ecological research, natural heritage and outdoor hiking recreation that truly set the stage for sustainability conversations. The guided tour (call ahead) will exposure you to biological diversity of wildflowers and shrubs (red azaleas, trout lily, purple phacelia, partridge berry, pink lady's slipper and white laurel) a closed canopy of 200, 300 and 500 year old trees (white oak, hemlock, white pine, American chestnut, yellow buckeye and hickories) and animals (small mammals, reptiles, warblers, hawks, barrels owls). Bring hiking shoes, walking stick, and water to spend 1, 2 or 4 hour treks through the woods with little or no evidence of human disturbance. read more

We visited Lilly Cornett on the a beautiful weekend September 27 and 28, 2014 for our annual siblings weekend. While I was up for the challenge of the 4 hour hike through the old growth woods, it was a bit more challenging walk than I anticipated. Our guide, Andy, was extremely patient with me, the middle age, overweight woman in the group. He stopped when he saw me lagging behind and waited as long as I needed before he continued the hike. He never seemed irritated or annoyed with me. The other 8 people in the group were able to make this moderate challenging hike with less effort. I was so glad I made the hike. Seeing the tall old trees and huge rocks make me stop and wonder who walked the beautiful area before me. I hope that anyone who visits this awesome woods are as lucky as I to have a great guide like Andy. read more

Being from Indiana, myself, my wife and 2 kids were visiting family in southeast Kentucky and were finally going to visit Lilly Cornett Woods. My two sons were finally old enough to go on the hike so we jumped at the oppurtunity to visit. We tried to call and make an appointment but no one would answer the phone, so we drove about an hour on the off chance that we could go on a hike without an appointment. This was on a Monday, so we figured we might get lucky and they wouldn't be busy or booked up, but we were going in knowing that there was a chance that we wouldn't be able to hike. After some wrong turns (even though we followed the road signs) we finally made it to the visitor center. We pulled I to the gravel parking lot to see that we were the only vehicles there. We walked up to the visitor center and as we suspected, there was no one there and no signage saying when a guide would be returning. We signed the guest book and looked around for a bit. The visitor itself is very old and is in somewhat rough shape. We were standing at the desk looking through the brochure and material from the roof began falling on our heads, albeit nothing big or heavy, just dust and small wooden pieces, but still a little disconcerting. It was also very, very dark. I'm not sure of the lights weren't working or if they just weren't on. The educational displays we very old as well and the information contained spelling errors which is odd seeing as how this place is managed by a university...oh well. All in all, the visitor center was, as my children described it, very dark and creepy! All the rest of that afternoon and the next day, I tried calling to make a appointement for a hike so that we could come back down a nd actually enjoy the forest instead of just the visitor center. For the entirety of that Monday and Tuesday, I couldn't get an answer and I even left a voicemail but it was never returned. I know that they were open because the visitor centers doors were propped open and acoupme of lights were on. We were very disappointed as my wife and I had been waiting for a long time to go on a tour of the woods when our had gotten to the right age to take the tour. Although my review is on the visitor center and the unwilligness of the staff to return and answer phone calls, we will not be trying to return to take the tour. If they don't want our business, we will definitely not be giving it to them! read more