Nantucket State Forest is located in the center of the town, and island, of Nantucket. It was acquired from the Nantucket Civic League as two separate reforestation lots; the South Pasture parcel in 1913 and the North Pasture parcel in 1919. The South Pasture is accessed via Rugged Road, Ticcoma Way, and Lovers Lane; and the North Pasture via Polpis, Milestone, and Hinsdale roads.

Forest management, including the establishment of pine plantations, began in the late 1920s or early 1930s (Mason 2003). It was believed that softwoods would be economically viable to produce, and additional plantations were established in the 1950s or 1960s. However, storm and insect damage, disease, and weak local markets for the forest’s wood made commercial forestry unfeasible. In 1980, consideration was given to converting the forest’s pine plantations to hardwoods and red cedar to meet local demand for firewood, fence posts, and pilings. This was not done. Instead, forest management shifted toward passive recreation, forest aesthetics, the protection and enhancement of wildlife habitat, and the protection of rare plants.

The 1980s and 1990s saw a municipal presence in the forest. In 1980, the Town of Nantucket and the DEM entered into a joint management agreement for the forest, allowing municipal departments to help implement the 1980 management plan. In 1991, municipal bike paths were extended through the forest. Five years later, 17.07 acres were sold to the town for the creation of a public water supply system; this was the first change in the size of the forest since the acquisition of the North Pasture parcel.

In 2010, the forest underwent a major transformation when construction began on an 18-hole disc golf course. The course, which opened in 2012, covers nearly all of the South Pasture and adjacent municipal water supply land. Disc golf is perhaps the most popular and best-known recreational activity in the forest and has become emblematic of Nantucket State Forest.