Wiley Brook State Forest

The forest is named after the stream and its tributaries that run though many sections of the forest. All of the surface water in Wiley Brook State Forest flows south to the Susquehanna River. Wiley Brook is a tributary to Yaleville Brook, which flows into the Susquehanna River near the village of Bainbridge. The branches of Wiley Brook in the state forest represent the beginnings of the stream, and are unlikely to support any game fish, such as brook trout.

The highest elevation in the forest is approximately 1,840 feet and is located in the far northeastern corner of the forest.The lowest elevation is about 1,440 feet and is found in the eastern, central section of the forest. Wiley Brook State Forest is bordered by a mix of privately owned woodlands and agricultural lands.

The forest cover in Wiley Brook State Forest is generally a mixture of either native or planted conifers with northern hardwood species. The northern hardwoods include: beech, birch, maple, oak, cherry, ash and basswood. Native conifers include white pine and hemlock. Planted conifers include red pine, scotch pine, white pine, Japanese larch, Norway spruce and white spruce. All of the conifer plantations in Wiley Brook State Forest where planted by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) between 1931 and 1940.

More than 600 acres, or approximately 50%, of Wiley Brook State Forest was planted by the CCC. At the rate of 700 per acre, this adds up to more than 400,000 trees that were planted to reforest the unproductive agricultural lands of the 1800s. Many of these plantations are now mature, and are being converted to native forest cover, including northern hardwoods and hemlock.

• Info from NYS DEC
• Learn more about the history of New York's state forests

FLT Map M25