Finger Lakes National Forest

Camp and pick blueberries at the Blueberry Patch Recreation Site, then enjoy the free-ranging cattle as well as deer and turkey while you drive the mile-square roads.

Description: New York State's only National Forest, this multi-use land is reminiscent of Western National Forests with roadways on one mile square grids and free-ranging cattle. Recreation opportunities include auto access, camping, hiking, cross-country skiing, horseback riding and snowmobiling. Visitors should stop at the Visitor Center for a map with recommendations for areas to visit for wildlife viewing.

Viewing Information: With an extensive network of roads, much wildlife viewing can be done through your car window. Turkey and white-tailed deer are two animals easily observed from the car. A number of ponds dot the Forest and wood duck boxes have been placed to encourage nesting. Some of the ponds have lodges, dams and an active beaver population. Kestrel boxes attract these small birds of prey. In the open areas, look and listen for ring-necked pheasant, Eastern meadowlarks and American woodcock. The latter puts on a fascinating and easy to see and hear courtship display at dusk in the spring. Dusk is a good time to see the striped skunk and red fox along roadways. Listen in the evening for the calls of the screech, barred and great horned owls.

Directions: Located in South Central New York's Finger Lakes Region between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, reach the forest from the NYS Thruway (Interstate 90) Exit 41 to Seneca Falls and then South on Route 414 to Hector. From Ithaca, take Route 79 North to Route 414 North to Hector.

Closest Town: Hector

Ownership: United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service

Telephone: (607) 546-4470

Size: 13,232 acres