Charles Baker State Forest

Charles Baker State Forest is named after the first District Forester who administered it. This property totals over 9,400 acres in southeast Madison County and makes up the core area for the Brookfield Trail System. This highly acclaimed horse and snowmobile trail system has over 130 miles of trails set throughout three state forests (Charles Baker State Forest, Brookfield Railroad State Forest, and Beaver Creek State Forest) that make up the Brookfield unit management area. These three forests collectively provide 13,750 acres of public reforestation lands for multiple recreation purposes.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/8225.html

Campsite 3

Up on Cherry Ridge. Nice campsites with picnic tables, fire rings, and a set of two outhouses off of the loop. Looks like a place I definitely want come back and camp in nicer weather, possibly on a trip out to the Finger Lakes or Pennsylvania.

Taken on Saturday April 9, 2011 at Charles Baker State Forest.

Plowed Brown Road

Brown Road and Truck Trail 8, near the Cherry Ridge Camping Area. While it's great that it was plowed all the way back here -- to provide access to a private inholding, there was no way to reach Cherry Ridge. I was disappointed, although the camping down at Moscow Hill Camping Area wasn't that bad.

Taken on Saturday April 9, 2011 at Charles Baker State Forest.

End of Truck Trail 8

I would have had to driven up the unplowed Truck Trail Number 8 to have reached the Cherry Ridge Camping-area. While the snow and ice was well packed where the snowmobiles had been driven, and I had a snow-shovel, I decided I would not risk getting stuck.

Taken on Saturday April 9, 2011 at Charles Baker State Forest.

Campsite 1

Up on the Cherry Ridge Camping Area, where there are eight campsites, separated by a nice wooded privacy buffer. This is the area I had hoped to camp at, but being shaded by the trees and at 1800 feet elevation, there was still a lot of snow left. I was tempted to try to drive up the snow and ice to get here, but decided I didn't want to risk getting stuck.

Taken on Saturday April 9, 2011 at Charles Baker State Forest.

Clear Cut

Along Fairgrounds Road. If I had though about it, I should have climbed up there, and peered down into the valley below.

Taken on Saturday April 9, 2011 at Charles Baker State Forest.