Lewis County

Lewis County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 27,087.[1] It is named after Morgan Lewis, the Governor of New York when the county was established. Its county seat is Lowville.

Lewis County is located in northwestern New York State, slightly east of due north from Syracuse. The eastern part of the county is in the Adirondack Park. A good portion of the Tug Hill Plateau is in the western part of the county. The county is home to the Black River Valley.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_County,_New_York

Lowville

Lowville

Today's orthophoto is of Lowville in Lewis County, with the black river snaking around in the east. North of the village is the Lowville Demostration Area and the DEC Region 6 headquarters.

Smith Road Campsite 1

There are three major dead-end roads in the Independence River Wild Forest, which each have 10 campsites on them. This review focuses Smith Road Campsite 1, which is the nearest campsite to the end of Smith Road, near where it intersects Number 4 Road. This campsite is located where the old ranger’s cabin was located, and there is a trail in the woods, to the location of the long-removed Number 4 Firetower.

Rankings: Campsites are ranked from 0 to 10, based on the described attributes.

Overall 8 Lack of Enforcement Presence 6
Scenic Beauty 5 Facilities 7
Cleanliness 9 On-Site Attractions 2
Privacy 8 Nearby Attractions 5
Layout 10 Cellphone and Data Services 8

Rainy Morning

Location:
  • Roughly 1/8th mile south of Number Four Road at Smith Road, Number Four, NY
  • Roughly 18 miles east of Lowville
  • N 43.85489 W 75.19837
Cost:
  • No charge
  • 3-nights maximum stay at this site except by FREE camping permit for up to 2-weeks which can be obtained from Forest Ranger John Scanlon at 315-376-3225, Cell: 315-542-4773 (more info).
Facilities:
  • 6 hardened gravel campsites.
  • Stone fire ring.
  • Open, grassy field.
  • No outhouses.
  • Good cellphone, modest 3G data service.
Vehicles:
  • Small trailer
  • Large trailer
  • Tent
Attractions on Site:
  • Former site of Number Four Firetower. The fire tower has been moved to the Lowville Demostration site.
Attractions Nearby:
  • Francis Lake (5 miles east on Stillwater Road)
  • Stillwater Lake (12 miles east on Stillwater Road)
  • Otter Creek Trail System – Equestrian, Off-Roading, Open Lands, Mountain Bike (20 mi south-east)
  • Lowville village (18 miles north west)
  • Lowville Demonstration Site (22 miles north west)
  • Tug Hill State Forest/The Gulf (45 miles north west)
Sanitation:
  • Water from Otter Creek – Boil before drinking or cooking
  • No outhouses – Dig hole in woods, burn toilet paper
  • Burn combustible garbage, take cans home for recycling
  • Make sure firepits and campsite are clean before leaving
Restrictions on Use:
  • 3-nights maximum stay at this site.
  • Except by FREE camping permit for up to 2-weeks which can be obtained from Forest Ranger John Scanlon at 315-376-3225, Cell: 315-542-4773 (more info).
  • Seasonal use road, the last 1/8 mile from Number Four Road.

Watkins Glen - Montour Falls 1898