Yellowwood Lake is a 133-acre body of water located within Yellowwood State Forest in Brown County, Indiana. The lake, completed in 1939, reaches depths of approximately 30 feet and features a boat ramp at its southern end. Only electric trolling motors are permitted on the water, ensuring a quiet paddling environment.

The lake can experience choppy conditions at times, though it generally provides flat, sheltered water suitable for beginner paddlers. A state property permit ($5) is required for access. The Forest Office provides kayak, rowboat, and paddleboat rentals between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday (May 1-October 31) and Monday through Friday (November 1-April 30), weather permitting.

A 4.5-mile hiking trail loops around the lake, offering varied perspectives of the surrounding landscape including ravines and forested shoreline. The lake sits within a largely undisturbed forest environment that hosts over 400 bird species and diverse wildlife. Swimming is not permitted in the lake.

Facilities include a boat launch ramp, picnic areas with tables and grills, and primitive campgrounds along the eastern shore. The lake is surrounded by challenging hiking trails and natural areas, making it part of a larger outdoor recreation complex that includes nearly 24,000 acres of state forest land.

The lake was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Project Administration during the Great Depression era, alongside other infrastructure still in use today. Its position on the edge of glaciation has created a distinctive topography of narrow ridges and steep slopes around the water body. The forest and lake are named for the yellowwood tree (Cladrastis kentukea), a rare species in this region known for its yellow heartwood and periodic white spring blooms.