Cranks Creek Wildlife Management Area
Rate this placeNearby: Stone Mountain Wildlife Management Area And State Natural Area Unthanks Cave State Natural Area Preserve
Last Updated: December 5, 2025
Cranks Creek Wildlife Management Area is a vast 8,000-acre protected area in Harlan County, Kentucky.
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Summary
The area is situated on the Cumberland Plateau and offers various recreation opportunities like hunting, fishing, hiking, and birdwatching.
One reason to visit Cranks Creek is its diverse wildlife, including squirrel, deer, turkey, and elk. The area is also home to several rare and endangered species, such as the Indiana bat, Virginia big-eared bat, and the red-cockaded woodpecker.
Another point of interest in Cranks Creek is the Cranks Creek Lake, which is a popular spot for fishing and boating. The lake has a wide variety of fish species, including bass, crappie, and bluegill.
Cranks Creek is also steeped in history with several old coal mining towns located nearby, such as Harlan and Lynch. Visitors can explore the area's rich coal mining heritage by visiting the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum or the portal to Portal 31, a retired coal mine.
The best time of year to visit Cranks Creek Wildlife Management Area depends on the visitor's preferred activity. Spring and summer are ideal for hiking and exploring the area's flora and fauna, while fall is perfect for hunting and observing migrating birds.
In conclusion, Cranks Creek Wildlife Management Area is an excellent destination for nature lovers, history buffs, and outdoor enthusiasts, with its vast natural beauty, diverse wildlife, and rich coal mining heritage.
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Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Related References
Stone Mountain Wildlife Management Area and State Natural Area
Unthanks Cave State Natural Area Preserve
The Cedars State Natural Area Preserve
Fletcher Ford State Natural Area Preserve
Kentenia State Forest