The wood is a mixture of conifer and broadleaf trees, with some open ground and a Forestry Commission nursery.

Wykeham Forest is located on the Tabular Hills, some 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Scarborough, in North Yorkshire.

[8] In 1950, a large portion of the eastern side of the forest covering 29.4 acres (11.9 ha) was designated an SSSI.

[17] In March 2021, it was announced that the nursery at Wykeham Forest, one of the largest of its kind in England,[18] would be closed by April 2022, and all seed operations would be transferred to another Forestry Commission site at Delamere in Cheshire.

[22] Many footpaths, including the Tabular Hills Walk, converge at Highwood Brow viewpoint (682 feet (208 m)) at the northern end of the forest.

Its elevated spot, with a gap in the trees, offers views across Troutsdale, the Hackness valley, and the River Derwent.

[28] Wykeham Forest is known to be a good observation site for the honey buzzard, one of only four locations in England listed by the RSPB.