Hammond Hill State Forest

Hammond Hill State Forest is a popular area year-round for its network of trails suitable for hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, mountain biking, and horseback riding.

The forest was established between 1935 and 1950 in an effort to reduce soil erosion problems, produce forest products, and provide recreational opportunities. Nearly half of the forest (1799 acres) was acquired by the State from the federal government. Most of the property was former pasture or tilled acreage that was suffering from poor agricultural practices. The Conservation Department (now DEC) planted this land with 708,000 pine, spruce, larch, maple, cherry, ash and oak seedlings between 1935 and 1940 using Civilian Conservation Corps labor. Today, almost 100% of the area is forested, the soil has been improved, and the harvesting of forest products supports all management activities, including recreation.

• More info from NYS DEC
• Also see the history of New York's state forests

FLT Map M18