Sugar Hill State Forest is another of New York’s beautiful, underappreciated State Forests. This state forest has many recreational opportunities for nature lovers looking to get out and enjoy the great outdoors.
Our first visit was on a winter morning. It was breathtakingly gorgeous: a thin coating of ice covered every single surface, making the forest sparkle. It was almost magical. There wasn’t a soul around. I imagine that with all the outdoor activities available at Sugar Hill, that is not the case in the summer.
Sugar Hill Fire Tower
There is a fire tower at Sugar Hill (located in the Sugar Hill State Recreation Area) that you can climb (although not in the winter when it’s closed) for a superb view of the surrounding area. The 68-foot Tower sits at an elevation of 2,096 feet and was built in 1941 by the Civilian Conservation Corps and was in use until the 1980s. While the cabin at the top is closed, you can still climb up and get a great view.
In the winter, the road to the fire tower is closed (the road is only open from the 3rd Monday in May throught the 3rd Monday in October), however, there is a parking lot at the beginning of the road, where you can park and take a short walk to the tower.
We returned to visit the fire tower and campground in the fall. We were not only able to drive all the way up to the fire tower, but we were also able to climb it. This fire tower isn’t quite as tall as its counterparts, but it is still substantial. If you have a problem with heights, you might want to admire it from the ground.
The view form the top is gorgeous, especially in the Fall, as the leaves were changing colors across the forest and in the distant hills. I was even able to enter the very top of the tower. Although, the windows are old and not the best for taking pictures of the view.
Templar Falls
There is a gorgeous double drop waterfall also located in Sugar Hill State Forest. The best part is, if you are all tired out from hiking, you don’t have to expend much effort to see these falls. They are located right along side of the road and the trail to them is super short. I have written a more extensive article about Templar Falls, where you can learn more about visiting.
Primitive Camping
There are lots of primitive camping opportunities available at Sugar Hill State Forest, more than I have seen at most of New York’s State Forest. You can even take your horses camping here, which is not something you run into every day. Please note: there are no reservations at Sugar Hill. It is first come, first serve. If you arrive and there are no sites available, you will need to find another place to camp.
These are all carry-in/carry-out campsites; please leave no trace.
The Sugar Hill Recreation Area (Located where the Fire Tower is)
This is the largest camping area in Sugar Hill and is by far the least “primitive” of all the camping available in Sugar Hill State Forest, with restrooms and potable water, pavilions, and 26 campsites with flat concrete camping pads with picnic tables and fire rings. There are also picnic facilities here with tables and grills.
There are open horse stalls and an accessible mounting platform for those who decide to bring their horses along. Equestrians need to present a current negative Coggins test.
The Lower Evergreen Hill Rec Area
This is a smaller campground with 3 campsites with picnic tables and fire rings. There is also an open horse stall and a privy.
Individual Campsites
There are 19 primitive campsites spread out throughout Sugar Hill State Forest. Some of these have parking areas of some sort. However, there are no toilet facilities at any of these sites.
Primitive Backcountry Camping
Backcountry Camping is permitted at Sugar Hill State Forest. Campsites must be at least 150 feet away from the nearest road, trail, or body of water.
Lean-to Camping
There are Adirondack-style lean-tos at four different locations. Like all the campsites at Sugar Hill, there are no reservations; Lean-tos must be shared to their capacity on a first-come, first-use basis.
- Buck Settlement Lean-to on the Finger Lakes Trail north of Templar Road and near Glen Creek;
- Parks Hollow Lean-to on Mohawk Trail, north of Sugar Hill Road;
- Twin Lean-to’s (Sugar Hill Lean-to #1 and #2) – on Seneca Trail, south of the Sugar Hill Rec Area;
- VanZandt Lean-to – on Seneca Trail, east of Tower Hill Road.
Six Nations Trails System
This almost 40-mile trail system is open to all sorts of recreation, such as hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, and snowmobiling.
Since these trails are often used by people on horseback, it is important to remember to practice trail etiquette here for your safety. Hikers always yield to horses and need to move off the trail (especially if you have a dog. – Make sure that your dog is leashed and under control.)
Getting to Sugar Hill State Forest
3360 Tower Hill Rd, Watkins Glen
Google Map Link
Have you visited Sugar Hill State Forest? I would love to hear what you thought of this beautiful state forest.