New York has over 400 state forests. Nestled in the southern tier, is a collection of 14 state forests all within a few miles of each other. Driving through this untouched natural setting is truly incredible and you never know what you are going to see.
We love taking little road trips, and exploring our beautiful state. We always end up stumbling upon some gorgeous scenery, animals, or some unique hidden gem. On this little road trip, we decide to head to the southern tier and visit this intense cluster of state parks. It was a rainy day and we were able to explore this wooded paradise without having to encounter another person. These state forests are all within a 10 by 15-mile radius.
New York State is made up of 63 percent forest, covering 18.9 million acres. This particular area, around the Route 86 corridor (Southern Tier Expressway) near Hornell, has forests full of creeks, ponds, and small lakes. These forests are beautiful and the drive is completely worth it. It is very easy to get lost on this drive but why not. It is so worth it just to drive through nothing but woods and hills as far as the eye can see.
We saw a number of beaver dams, deer, and wild turkeys and we can upon one of the ponds, we saw two Great Blue Herons nesting. I’d never seen a heron nest before, nor did I realize that they nested so high up in trees. For some reason, as they seem to be shorebirds, I assume they nested on the shore. It really was an incredible thing to witness.
We came upon a few things in the woods that we weren’t expecting, such as a large metal stegosaurus. Although given the setting, it might not be completely inconceivable. Between the misty rain, thick woods, and fog, it didn’t seem like seeing weird stuff in the forest wasn’t outside the realm of possibility.
Although you are not completely outside civilization, if you plan on just taking a drive and getting lost in and among these state forests, you will want to make sure that you have a full tank of gas. (and of course, snacks – It’s not a road trip without snacks.)
It was fun just to lose ourselves within these almost connecting state forests. There are so many within such a small area. It was difficult to keep track of exactly what forest we were in without glancing at the GPS, which we tried not to do.
State Forests
Canacadea State Forest, Bully Hill State Forest, Turnpike State Forest, Phillips Creek State Forest, Vandermark State Forest, Palmer’s Pond State Forest, Kerr Valley Creek State Forest, Jersey Hill State Forest, Hiltonville State Forest, Klepnocky State Forest, Gillies Hill State Forest, Gas Spring State Forest, Slader Creek State Forest, and Keeney Swamp State Forest.
This was an incredible little road trip and the rainy weather added just that little bit of mystical fascination. People always think that you need to travel far away to experience an incredible vacation. I believe that you can take small vacations every day by enjoying the simple things such as the sunshine, smelling the fresh rain, and appreciating the beautiful surroundings.