Madison County, NY 📍

Madison County, situated in central New York State, is home to a population of 73,442 as per the 2010 census. This county is a pivotal part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area. Positioned east of Syracuse, slightly north of Binghamton, and west of Albany, Madison County holds the honor of housing the state’s geographic center in Pratts Hollow, within the Town of Eaton. With Oneida Lake and Oneida Creek framing part of its northern border and Chittenango Creek defining the western boundary, Madison County boasts picturesque landscapes.

This page focuses on free camping opportunities on state land within Madison County, extending an invitation for outdoor enthusiasts to explore the region’s diverse offerings, including hiking, biking, kayaking, and various outdoor pursuits.

📽️ Videos

Good Morning – December 22, 2021

|

Good morning! Happy Days are Getting Longer ☀️ !

I mean we add about 8 seconds of daylight today although maybe it will be fairly cloudy do it will not be super noticeable.

Cloudy and 29 degrees at the Stoney Pond State Forest. ☁ There is a southwest breeze at 9 mph. 🍃. Things will start to thaw out at Friday around 11 am. 🌡️

So far the wind hasn’t picked up yet, 🌅 but as the sun rises it seems like the breeze is picking up. I could stay at this campsite another night although it sounds like it might be quite windy 🌬️ and maybe snowy ☃ later on so I’m thinking of heading back east where I could camp a little more protected from the breeze. Red skies this morning.

After cleaning the pilot light, camp stove and just running things hard 🔥 all my propane appliances are working perfectly again. The stove and heater are full output, the pilot light is burning cleanly and strong. The key 🗝 was to just run things a lot and using a Q tip with rubbing alcohol in the pilot light. I’ll have to remember to keep some q tips and rubbing alcohol in my truck. Good for cleaning cuts too.

Weather Update – December 21, 2021

|
Today.
Feels like …
January 5th.

Decreasing Clouds

Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny.

Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.

and

33 degrees , 4:31
sunset.
Tonight.
Feels like …
December 10th.

Mostly Clear

Mostly clear.

South wind 7 to 11 mph.

and

24 degrees , 14 max wind chill, 7:31
sunrise.
Wednesday.
Cold !

Chance of Snow Showers and Breezy

A slight chance of snow showers before 9am, then a chance of snow showers after 3pm. Partly sunny.

Breezy, with a southwest wind 9 to 14 mph becoming west 16 to 21 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 34 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

and

31 degrees , 13 max wind chill, 4:32
sunset.
Wednesday Night.
Feels like …
December 29th.

Snow Showers is likely and Breezy

Snow showers likely, mainly between 7pm and 1am. Mostly cloudy.

Breezy, with a northwest wind 18 to 23 mph decreasing to 11 to 16 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 39 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of around an inch possible.

and

19 degrees , 7 max wind chill, 7:31
sunrise.
Thursday.
Cold !

Partly Sunny

Partly sunny.

West wind 6 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.

and

30 degrees , 7 max wind chill, 4:33
sunset.
Thursday Night.
Feels like …
December 7th.

Chance of Snow Showers

A chance of snow showers, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy.

Chance of precipitation is 30%.

and

25 degrees , 7:31
sunrise.
Friday.
Feels like …
December 26th.

Mostly Cloudy

Mostly cloudy.

and

35 degrees , 4:33
sunset.
Friday Night.
Feels like …
November 20th.

Chance of Snow then Snow

Snow, mainly after 1am. Low around 30. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

and

30 degrees , 7:32
sunrise.
Christmas Day.
Feels like …
December 26th.

Rain/Snow

Rain, possibly mixed with snow. High near 35. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

and

35 degrees , 4:34
sunset.
Saturday Night.
Feels like …
December 7th.

Chance of Snow Showers and Breezy

A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy.

Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

and

25 degrees , 11 max wind chill, 7:32
sunrise.
Sunday.
Cold !

Chance of Snow Showers and Blustery

A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy.

Blustery. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

and

29 degrees , 10 max wind chill, 4:34
sunset.
Sunday Night.
Feels like …
December 21st.

Mostly Cloudy

Mostly cloudy.

and

21 degrees , 13 max wind chill, 7:32
sunrise.
Monday.
Feels like …
January 15th.

Partly Sunny

Partly sunny.

and

32 degrees , 13 max wind chill, 4:35
sunset.
Thematic Map: Normans Kill Watershed
Thematic Map: Susquehanna Watershed

Good Morning – December 21, 2021

|

Good morning! Happy First Day of Winter ☃️ !

Kind of a cool and gray winter day out here in Central NY. Warm enough things are kind of foggy from the ice and snow melt from the past weekend. A very typical day for December when there isn’t snow in Upstate NY.

Mostly cloudy and 29 degrees at the Stoney Pond State Forest. ☁ There is a northwest breeze at 8 mph. 🍃. Things will start to thaw out at around noontime. 🌡️

I was hoping for better weather for today but December can be tough. 😕 When it’s not super cold and snowy, it tends to be cloudy. But I’m glad to at least get away for a few more days before the year is done. 🥧

It’s just nice to be away, 🚜 see some of the rural and wild country of Madison County even if it’s damp, gray muddy and smells like cow manure. 🐮

Today I want to run to Cazenovia and get some isopropyl alcohol and q tips to try to clean the heater a bit better. ♨ Then do some hiking around the village and maybe some of that great rail trail before heading back to camp ⛺.

It’s the first day of winter 🌨 so I don’t necessarily have a lot of time to dilly-dally around. But I’ll make the most of it. Hopefully it will clear out this afternoon and be fairly decent.

Thematic Map: Lands of the Oneida Indian Nation

Sunset Times …

|

Sunset Times …

  • Albany – 4:24 pm
  • Allegheny National Forest – 4:47 pm, 23 minutes later then Albany
  • Blenheim, NY – 4:27 pm, 3 minutes later then Albany
  • Dolly Sods, WV – 4:58 pm, 34 minutes later then Albany
  • Fox Lair – 4:22 pm, 2 minutes earlier then Albany
  • Kelly Stand, VT – 4:15 pm, 9 minutes earlier then Albany
  • Massena – 4:20 pm, 4 minutes earlier then Albany
  • Moose River Plains – 4:24 pm
  • Montauk – 4:22 pm, 2 minutes earlier then Albany
  • Jamestown – 4:47 pm, 24 minutes later then Albany
  • Staten Island – 4:32 pm, 8 minutes later then Albany
  • Syracuse – 4:32 pm, 8 minutes later then Albany