Holmes Educational State Forest is a 235-acre protected area in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Henderson County, North Carolina, managed by DuPont State Recreational Forest. Its rugged landscape includes hardwood forest, rhododendron, and flame azalea. The state bought the land in 1938 for a tree nursery built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, then used a federal grant in 1972 to convert it into an educational state forest. It opened in May 1977 and was dedicated to Dr. John S. Holmes, North Carolina’s first forester. Its primary role is education, with ranger-led outdoor classes, self-guided interpretive trails, hiking trails, a picnic shelter, and a group campground.