Beaver Dam State Forest

Beaver Dam State Forest (Broome-Tioga #2) encompasses 1,148 acres and is located in the town of Richford on the border of Northern Tioga and Broome County. It is a popular area for recreational activities that can be enjoyed in a wild forest area, such as hunting, hiking, snowmobiling, bird watching, nature viewing and fishing from the small brook.

History

Article 9, Titles 5 and 7, of the Environmental Conservation Law authorizes the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to provide for the management of lands acquired outside the Adirondack and Catskill Parks. Management is defined as watershed protection, the production of timber and other forest products, recreation and kindred purposes.
Most of the land encompassing what is today known as Beaver Dam State Forest was purchased between 1939 and 1942. Prior to this point, the land had been cleared of the natural vegetation and used for agriculture by early European settlers and Revolutionary War Veterans. However, because the soils common in the area are typically thin, somewhat steep and acidic, they are not fit for intensive farming. Harsh winters and short growing seasons further compounded the issue and provoked many farmers to abandon their properties in pursuit of greener pastures out in the Midwest. Fortunately, the State Reforestation Act of 1929 and the Hewitt Amendment made it possible for the abandoned farmland to become productive once more through the planting of trees. Hundreds of young men found work, and the fruits of their labor is made evident by the forested landscape that now covers the land. Today, Beaver Dam State Forest provides diverse ecological, economic, and recreational services for the people of New York State.

Field Notes

Primitive and wild, Beaver Dam State Forest is home to a variety of habitats that allow an abundance of plant and animal life to flourish. As the name suggests, beavers are frequently seen along the small brook that peacefully winds through the woods. In addition to the beavers, a wide variety of song birds, amphibians such as salamanders, deer, red and gray squirrels, rabbits, ferns and wildflowers can be seen by the patient nature observer.
The forest's dense cover is generously provided by the protective limbs of northern hardwoods, red pines, Norway spruce and oaks. Wild flowers, mosses, ferns and berries can all be found gently concealing the world beneath them, releasing a sweet, earthy scent into the forest air. It is inside this woodland shelter that the sounds of the outside world fade, and slowly one is transported into a rich, serene haven unbound by the chains of time, and free from the influences of the modern world.

Trails

Beaver Dam State Forest has 1.8 miles of formal snowmobile trails running through its boundaries. The snowmobile trails are maintained by DEC Adopt-A-Natural Resource volunteers. The 1.5 mile Public Forest Access Road, which is accessible from Sears Rd., can be traveled by car, bike, or foot. At this time, there are no plans to create additional formal recreational trail networks.

***Never Go Out On the Trails Alone***

Directions:

From I-81 Take exit # 8 toward NY RT 79 West. Travel west on NY RT 79 for about 9 miles until you reach Michigan Hill Road and take a right (if you reach the hamlet of Richford you've gone too far). Head north on Michigan Hill Road for about 3/4 of a mile, then make a right on Sears Road. Follow Sears Rd. for about 3/4 of a mile- the entrance to the Public Forest Access Road will be on your right.

State Forest Regulations

For your safety and protection of the resource, the following regulations are in place:

All State Forests are Carry in Carry Out facilities
Unauthorized cutting of live trees or new trail building is prohibited
No camping within 150 feet of open water, roads, or trails Groups of ten or more persons or for stays longer than three nights must obtain a permit from a DEC Forest Ranger
Use only dead, fallen wood for camp fires
All fires must be extinguished with water and the coals must be raked until cool to the touch
Human waste should be buried in a shallow hole 4-6 inches deep and at least 150 feet from water, trails, and campsites and covered with leaf litter and dirt
Keep pets under control and on leash while other forest users are around
Unauthorized use of motorized vehicles is prohibited. This includes cars, trucks, motorcycles
and ATV's.

Important Numbers:

State Forest Office ( M-F 8 am- 4 pm): 607- 753 -3095
Emergencies: 911
Forest Ranger: 607-565-3548