The Welcome Center is the starting point for your Forest adventure. Pick up trail maps, information on upcoming programs, camping and Horine Reservation permits, and browse the gift shop, before setting out to explore the Forest.

The Welcome Center is a great example of finding new uses for historic buildings. Constructed in 1916, the building was a schoolhouse until 1928. It served as a church until the 1940s before being purchased by Jefferson County Fiscal Court in 1950. After decades as little more than a storage building, then a brief stint as a maintenance facility, the potential of this historic structure was realized through an extensive renovation in the early 1990s.

Today, the downstairs features a gift shop, stone fireplace, reservation office, and restrooms. Gift shop items range from books such as Tom Barnes’ Wildflowers and Ferns of Kentucky to nature-themed t-shirts and bandanas (“May the Forest be with You” is a best-seller)! Upstairs is a 30-seat meeting room available for rent.