6 Tick Infested Areas In Kentucky

Tick season in Kentucky peaks from March through November, but the state’s climate and landscape create favorable conditions for multiple tick species throughout much of the year. The state's mix of forested areas, open fields, and rural landscapes provides abundant leaf litter, vegetation, and wildlife that can support stable tick populations.

Surveillance from the Kentucky Department for Public Health identifies several tick-borne illnesses linked to tick bites each year. Understanding the state’s primary tick species and their associated health risks can help people reduce exposure during peak activity periods. Here are several Kentucky landscapes where habitat, wildlife, recreation, or county disease data may increase the chance of tick exposure.

Daniel Boone National Forest

Daniel Boone National Forest covers more than 700,000 acres of oak-hickory woodlands, sandstone cliffs, and river valleys in eastern Kentucky. The forest offers over 600 miles of trails. Its Red River Gorge Geological Area is known for rugged terrain, shaded hollows, and wooded slopes that provide suitable habitat for ticks and the wildlife they feed on.

White-tailed deer and other wildlife in Daniel Boone National Forest serve as hosts for blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis), commonly called deer ticks. This species thrives in wooded habitats and is most associated with Lyme disease. It can also transmit anaplasmosis and babesiosis, both of which are listed among tick-borne disease concerns in Kentucky. Blacklegged tick activity is highest in spring, summer, and fall, when nymphs and adults seek hosts, including humans.

Mammoth Cave National Park

Mammoth Cave National Park is known for its large cave network, forested ridges, sinkhole valleys, and miles of hiking trails. These shaded and humid outdoor areas provide suitable habitat for lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum). Lone star ticks are aggressive biters and are among the most common human-biting ticks in Kentucky.

CDC reporting in 2026 found that tick-bite emergency department visits were higher than usual in many parts of the country. In Kentucky, lone star ticks remain an important species to watch because they can carry ehrlichiosis, an illness that may cause fever, chills, muscle aches, headaches, and digestive symptoms. Lone star ticks are also associated with cytauxzoonosis, often called bobcat fever, a serious and frequently fatal disease in domestic cats. Because Mammoth Cave draws hikers, campers, and pet owners into wooded areas, visitors should use tick precautions during the warmer months.

Livingston County Bluffs

Lone star ticks are also common in wooded bluffs, river valleys, and brushy areas like those found in Livingston County. The Livingston County Bluffs contain dense leaf litter, wooded edges, and wildlife paths used by deer and small mammals. The county’s Bissell Bluff State Natural Area and Newman Bluff also attract outdoor recreation, including hunting during spring turkey season.

This combination of tick habitat, wildlife movement, and human activity can increase the chance of exposure. Livingston County has also reported elevated ehrlichiosis rates, with an average of 146.2 cases per 100,000 people between 2011 and 2023. Because lone star tick nymphs and adults can be active through much of the warmer part of the year, residents and visitors should be aware of tick risks in wooded and brushy terrain.

The Twin Lakes of Grayson County

Grayson County includes forests and shorelines around two reservoirs: Rough River Lake and Nolin River Lake. These lake areas include grassy fields, campgrounds, wooded trails, and recreation spaces that can support American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis). Brown dog ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) may also be a concern around homes, kennels, garages, and areas where dogs spend time.

American dog ticks are a major tick species associated with Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a serious illness that can cause fever, headache, muscle pain, and a spotted rash that may appear several days after a bite. Grayson County recorded 451.07 spotted fever cases per 100,000 people between 2011 and 2023, which makes tick awareness especially important in the area.

American dog ticks thrive in grassy fields, lake edges, and wooded trails. This makes campgrounds, fishing areas, and shoreline paths possible exposure points. Brown dog ticks create an additional concern for people and pets because they can live and reproduce inside homes, kennels, and garages. This indoor adaptability means tick prevention should not stop at wooded areas.

Shelby County

Shelby County is a major agricultural region known as the Saddlebred Capital of the World. It is also one of central Kentucky’s active farming areas, with 1,350 farms and more than 25,000 cattle and calves according to recent data. Its mix of pastureland, wooded creek corridors, and rural edges can create suitable habitat for several tick species, including blacklegged ticks.

Blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) can transmit Anaplasma phagocytophilum, the bacterium that causes human anaplasmosis. Human illness often begins with fever, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue, and may also include neurological or gastrointestinal symptoms. In a county where people regularly work, ride, walk, and spend time around farms, pastures, and wooded edges, tick exposure can be a recurring concern during the warmer months.

The Bluegrass Region

Mason County sits within the northern Kentucky limestone hills along the Ohio River and on the outer edge of the Bluegrass Region. Along with nearby Bracken and Robertson counties, the area includes upland ridges, creek valleys, mixed woodlots, and shaded trails. These landscapes can support blacklegged ticks and are also associated with some of the state’s higher Lyme disease incident rates.

According to Lyme disease incident-rate data from confirmed and probable cases between 2011 and 2023, Mason County reported 83.13 cases per 100,000 people, while Bracken County reported 83.08 cases per 100,000 people. Robertson County reported 172.94 cases per 100,000 people. These figures make the region important to include when discussing tick-borne disease patterns in Kentucky.

The region also includes Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park in Robertson and Nicholas counties. Its wooded ravines, creeks, and shaded trails create conditions where visitors may encounter ticks during the warmer months. As with other outdoor areas in Kentucky, people walking, hiking, camping, or spending time near wooded edges should check for ticks after being outside.

Tick Risks Across Kentucky

People living in or visiting Kentucky face different tick risks depending on where they spend time. The state’s seasonal conditions and diverse habitats mean exposure to ticks remains possible for much of the year. Residents, pets, livestock, hikers, hunters, and campers can all encounter ticks in different settings. Information from the Kentucky Department for Public Health’s tick-borne disease updates can help people identify species, understand disease risks, and monitor activity within the state.