Tibbits Forest
The 893-acre Tibbits State Forest was donated to New York State in 1953 by Reverend John K.Tibbits as a memorial to his family who had owned the land for over 150 years.
Nearby, is Tibbits Mansion which is now part of Hoosac School. During the 1800’s travelers on the turnpike, which later became Route 7, had to be aware of the “Shingle Hollow Desperadoes” who lie in wait in the forest.
Today, New York Route 7 divides the Forest into two sections. There are about four miles of hiking and logging trails. An old logging road starts gradually up the hill from the parking spot on Route 7. To the left is the “Nature Trail” and to the right a two mile hike around the back side of the hill following another logging road.
If you head west from the start of the “Nature Trail”, you will find easy walking for about 1.5 miles as it parallels Route 7 and Shingle Hollow Creek. The forest has groves of pine, hemlock, and white oak. Ferns and wildflowers thrive throughout.
For those outdoor enthusiasts, the trails lend themselves to hiking and cross-country skiing along with trail rides. For hunters, the forest offers many opportunities to hunt for a large variety of wildlife. For anglers, try fishing Shingle Hollow, a NYS classified trout stream with trout spawning designation.