Hanging Bog Wildlife Management Area is a beautiful lush forested area that is great for bird watchers and nature lovers. The Civilian Conservation Corps built the man-made pond in the 1930s. It is called a bog due to the floating vegetation that grows on top. Even in winter, when we visited, this wildlife management area was a stunning representation of New York’s untouched woodlands.
Visiting Hanging Bog
As I mentioned, we visited in the winter during a brief thaw. There is a parking area on New Hudson Road with an observation deck looking out over the bog. This is a beautiful area that is great for picnicking. There is a trail that circles the bog, but it is very poorly marked, and even in winter, we kept losing the trail and eventually gave up before we got good and lost. We plan to return when we can get there early in the day and not have to worry about getting back to our vehicle before dark.
I can’t stress enough how beautiful this natural area is! There aren’t many places that even in the winter, with the naked trees and barely any snow on the ground, can brag of being so lovely. If you are into wildlife and nature photography, Hanging Bog is a fantastic destination.
This is a popular hunting location due to the vast amount of wildlife. I recommend planning your visit accordingly and avoiding hiking during hunting season.
I haven’t seen anything about people paddling on Hanging Bog, even on the DEC website. It seems like a great place to canoe or kayak. The parking area would be a perfect place to launch. This has been added to my “to-do” list, so I will update this article if I get the opportunity.
Out and About with Nova
I have come to discover that Nova isn’t super picky when it comes to visiting places; she likes them all. But she gets genuinely excited when our destination involves some sort of water. She went complete bizerk about Hanging Bog and jumped right into the water. If we had let her she would have hiked forever here. She was definitely bummed when we turned around and headed back.
Dogs are welcome at Hanging Bog but must be leashed. Also, please be respectful of other visitors and clean up after your pets. (That also means not leaving little bags of poop on the ground.)
Getting to Hanging Bog
Have you visited Hanging Bog? What did you think of it? What is your favorite natural area in New York State? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below.