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Adirondack Wild Forests I Camped in 2011

Andy | October 25, 2011

This past year, I got up to nine different Adirondack Wild Forests as part of my explorations of the Adirondack Park. Did a lot of hiking, kayaking, and camping. The map below shows the Adirondack Park’s various units.

I camped in Aldrich Pond (1 night), Black River (4), Debar Mountain (3), Ferris Lake (5), Independence River (2), Moose River Plains (3), Taylor Pond (2), Vandwhacker Mountain (1), and Wilcox Lake (4). My preference for certain Wild Forests over others, is not just based on scenic beauty or activities to do, as much as closeness to Albany and compatability with weekend plans.

I saw quite a bit of Adirondack Park for sure.

Aldrich Pond (1 night)

Camped one night on Streeter Lake Road in Aldrich Pond Wild Forest near the hamlet of Oswagatchie. Paddled part of Little River and Streeter Lake.

Black River (4 nights)

Camped two nights at Wolf Lake Landing Road. Paddled around Woodhull Lake, hiked over to Remsen Falls.

Camped two nights at North Lake. Sat down by the lake, enjoyed the moonlight. Explored Atwell and part of South Lake.

Debar Mountain (3 nights)

I camped for two nights at Mountain Pond near Paul Smiths, NY, while visiting the Saint Regis Canoe Area.

Then coming back from North Country, I decided to spend a night at Jones Pond, which is between Rainbow Lake and Paul Smiths.

Ferris Lake (5 nights)

I did two weekend trips up to Ferris Lake Wild Forest. The first was during Memorial Day Weekend, which was pretty wet and rainy for most of the weekend. The second was during the mid-summer on a super oppressive, hot and humid day out. While I explored Edick Roadside Camping, and also Good Luck Lake, both times I roadside camped on Piseco-Powley Road, three nights at PR 9, one night at PR 4, and one night at 11.

Independence River (2 nights)

Camped two nights at Independence River Wild Forest on Smith Road, at field Campsite 1. There are ten campsites on this road, including one with an outhouse. Several of them are located in old logging load pads, that are now mowed as fields for camping. Nothing particularly fancy here.

Moose River Plains (3 nights)

Planned to spend a week at Moose River Plains, brakes failed on third day up there. Still got three days of fall camping in along Cedar River – Limekiln Lake Road. Camped one night at Campsite 24, and two at Campsite 57 this year.

Taylor Pond (2 nights)

Camped up at Union Falls for two nights in the fall, while hiking and exploring several locations in Clinton County and eastern portion of the North Country.

Vandwhacker Mountain (1 nights)

Camped one night at Cheney Pond at the Vanderwhacker Wild Forest.

Wilcox Lake (4 nights)

Camped three nights up off of NY 8 — one at an old Gravel Pit along the East Sacandaga River in April when the snow was still there, two nights at Fox Lair Campsite, and one night at Hope Falls Road, which is off of NY 30, near Northville.

NY State Nature and Historical Preserve

Andy | October 7, 2011

New York State has the well known Forest Preserve in Adirondacks and Catskills (provided for in Section 1) and State Forests and Wildlife Management Areas (provided for in Section 2) outside of the Blue-line designated Forest Preserve Boundaries. Yet, on November 4, 1969 the voters of New York State admended the consitution to add a new section that called for a new type of land — The State Nature and Historic Preserve — now managed by the new Department of Environment Conservation.

Article XIV Section 4:Protection of natural resources; development of agricultural lands.

The policy of the state shall be to conserve and protect its natural resources and scenic beauty and encourage the development and improvement of its agricultural lands for the production of food and other agricultural products.

The legislature, in implementing this policy, shall include adequate provision for the abatement of air and water pollution and of excessive and unnecessary noise, the protection of agricultural lands, wetlands and shorelines, and the development and regulation of water resources.

The legislature shall further provide for the acquisition of lands and waters, including improvements thereon and any interest therein, outside the forest preserve counties, and the dedication of properties so acquired or now owned, which because of their natural beauty, wilderness character, or geological, ecological or historical significance, shall be preserved and administered for the use and enjoyment of the people.

Properties so dedicated shall constitute the state nature and historical preserve and they shall not be taken or otherwise disposed of except by law enacted by two successive regular sessions of the legislature.

Since 1969, only 35 facilities have been added to the State Nature and Historic Preserve. While most of these properties are not contigous, they consist of some the most interesting public lands in NY State.

Zoom in to see the specific properties.

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Here is a list of the properties, sorted by alphabetical order.

State Nature and Historical Preserve	Acres
ALBANY PINE BUSH PRESERVE	1581.3
BARE HILL UNIQUE AREA	400.9
BOG BROOK UNIQUE AREA	131.7
BRANDOW POINT UNIQUE AREA	62.9
CAMILLUS FOREST UNIQUE AREA	351.5
CARPENTER FALLS UNIQUE AREA	38.2
CASTLE ROCK UNIQUE AREA	130.2
CROTON GORGE UNIQUE AREA	20.9
DAVID A. SARNOFF PINE BARRENS PRESERVE	2,572.5
EDGEWOOD OAK BRUSH PLAINS PRESERVE	729.6
HAWK WATCH TRAILWAY	5.0
HENDERSON SHORES UNIQUE AREA	890.3
JUNIUS POND UNIQUE AREA	105.1
KOWAWESE UNIQUE AREA	165.0
LABRADOR HOLLOW UNIQUE AREA	1464.4
LITTLE GALLOO ISLAND UNIQUE AREA	44.8
LONG ISLAND PINE BARRENS	581.2
MIDDLE GROUND FLATS UNIQUE AREA	372.4
MOUNT LORETTO UNIQUE AREA	211.0
NELSON SWAMP UNIQUE AREA	889.7
NEVERSINK RIVER UNIQUE AREA	6,579.9
OLD WESTBURY CONSERVATION-UNIQUE AREA	31.7
ONONDAGA ESCARPMENT UNIQUE AREA	52.3
RAYWOOD UNIQUE AREA	316.5
REINSTEIN WOODS NATURE PRESERVE AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER	270.6
ROME SAND PLAINS UNIQUE AREA	1,786.3
RUSH OAK OPENINGS UNIQUE AREA	230.6
SALMON RIVER FALLS UNIQUE AREA	112.4
SPLIT ROCK UNIQUE AREA	34.1
SQUAW ISLAND UNIQUE AREA	0.2
THE GULF UNIQUE AREA	605.5
ZOAR VALLEY UNIQUE AREA	995.6
Total State Nature and Historical Preserve	21,764.5

Where to Camp in Black River Wild Forest

Andy | September 30, 2011

I have spent a lot of this past summer exploring the Black River Wild Forest, and decided it would be a good to share my experiences and some of the roadside and other campsites I’ve discovered along the way. As of September 2011, Lands and Forests in Albany doesn’t have these campsites in the central inventory, so all of this campsite data is based on personal exploration of these campsites.

North Lake.

Some of the best camping in the Black River Wild Forest is North Lake in Atwell. There are 22 campsites — many of them vehicle accessible along this man made lake. The southern end of the lake has some private houses and cabins on it, but it still is relatively pristine and beautiful. Most sites have outhouses and fire pits. Some but not all sites have limited wood supply. All sites designated.

Motors are allowed on this lake — as are on all wild forest lakes — so don’t be surprised to hear a jet ski or small boat on there. There are no public boat ramp on lake, so only hand launched boats can get on the lake.