Curtis Gates Lloyd Wildlife Management Area
Rate this placeLast Updated: December 15, 2025
Curtis Gates Lloyd Wildlife Management Area is a 3,600-acre public land in Crittenden County, Kentucky.
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Summary
It is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy hunting, fishing, hiking, and bird watching. The area has a diverse range of habitats, including wetlands, forests, and croplands, which support a variety of wildlife species, including white-tailed deer, turkey, waterfowl, and songbirds.
One of the main attractions of the park is the lake, which offers excellent opportunities for fishing and boating. The lake is stocked regularly with bass, catfish, and bluegill, and there are several boat ramps and fishing piers available for public use. Visitors can also hike along the park's many trails, which wind through the woods and along the banks of the lake.
Another point of interest is the Lloyd Wetland Management Area, which covers over 600 acres of the park. The wetlands are home to a variety of waterfowl species, including ducks, geese, and herons. Visitors can observe these birds from several observation platforms located throughout the wetlands.
Interesting facts about Curtis Gates Lloyd Wildlife Management Area include its history as a former tobacco farm that was converted to a wildlife management area in the 1960s. The park is named after Curtis Gates Lloyd, a pharmaceutical magnate who owned the land in the early 20th century. Lloyd was an avid naturalist and conservationist, and he dedicated much of his life to studying and preserving the natural world.
The best time of year to visit Curtis Gates Lloyd Wildlife Management Area depends on the activities you are interested in. Spring and fall are popular times for hunting and fishing, while summer is a great time for boating and hiking. Bird watching is excellent year-round, but the best times to see migratory birds are in the spring and fall.
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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.
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