List of New York wild forests

{{Short description|None}}

{{See also|List of New York state forests}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

Image:Small Island in Lower Saranac Lake.jpg, part of Saranac Lakes Wild Forest.]]

Lands designated as "wild forest" in New York are managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as part of the Forest Preserve.

Management

Wild forests are intended to retain an essentially wild and natural character, however management facilitates a greater amount of recreational use than areas designated by the state as wilderness, which feature an increased sense of remoteness and solitude.{{cite web |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/7811.html |title=State Land Classifications |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |access-date=May 26, 2016}} Most are located within the boundaries of Adirondack Park or Catskill Park.

List of New York wild forests

class="sortable wikitable"

! scope="col" width="*;"|Forest

! scope="col" width="*;"|County or counties{{cite book |title=Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations of the State of New York |chapter=Title 9, Chapter I, Subchapter A, Part 384: Listing of State Parks, Parkways, Recreation Facilities, State Land and Historic Sites (Facilities), DEC Facilities |url=https://govt.westlaw.com/nycrr/Document/Iacb396e5e88511e088df0000845b8d3e?viewType=FullText&originationContext=documenttoc&transitionType=CategoryPageItem&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 |publisher=WestlawNext |access-date=May 18, 2016}}

! scope="col" width="*;"|Park

! scope="col" width="*;"|Area

! scope="col" width="40%" class="unsortable"|Notes

Aldrich Pond

| Herkimer, St. Lawrence

| Adirondack

| {{convert|26702|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/aldrich.pdf |title=Aldrich Pond Wild Forest Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=February 1995 |page=1 |access-date=June 9, 2016}}

|

Balsam Lake Mountain

| Ulster

| Catskill

| {{convert|13500|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/cpslmp.pdf |title=Catskill Park State Land Master Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=August 2008 |pages=64–70 |access-date=June 9, 2016}}

|

Black River

| Herkimer, Lewis, Oneida

| Adirondack

| {{convert|121506|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/brwfamend2.pdf |title=Draft Amendment to the 1996 Black River Wild Forest Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=January 2016 |page=1 |access-date=June 9, 2016}}

|

Blue Mountain

| Essex, Hamilton

| Adirondack

| {{convert|37800|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/bluemt.pdf |title=Blue Mountain Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=May 1995 |page=iv |access-date=June 10, 2016}}

|

Bluestone

| Ulster

| Catskill

| {{convert|2895|acre|km2|sortable=on}}

|

Champlain Islands

| Clinton, Essex

| Adirondack

| {{convert|4|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/lcimcump.pdf |title=Lake Champlain Islands Complex Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=August 2015 |page=6 |access-date=June 9, 2016}}

| Includes four small islands (Garden Island, Cole Island, Sheepshead Island, and Signal Buoy Island) in Lake Champlain.

Colgate Lake

| Greene

| Catskill

| {{convert|1500|acre|km2|sortable=on}}

|

Cranberry Lake

| St. Lawrence

| Adirondack

| {{convert|24111|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite web |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/34715.html |title=Cranberry Lake Wild Forest |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |access-date=June 10, 2016}}

|

Crystal Lake

| Sullivan

|

| {{convert|497|acre|km2|sortable=on}}

|

Debar Mountain

| Franklin

| Adirondack

| {{convert|83405|acre|km2|sortable=on}}

|

Delaware

| Delaware

| Catskill

| {{convert|27800|acre|km2|sortable=on}}

| Created in 2008 through re-classification of Cherry Ridge-Campbell Mountain Wild Forest and Middle Mountain Wild Forest.{{cite web |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/51914.html |title=Delaware Wild Forest - Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |access-date=June 7, 2016}}

Dry Brook Ridge

| Delaware, Ulster

| Catskill

| {{convert|8900|acre|km2|sortable=on}}

|

Elm Ridge

| Greene

| Catskill

| {{convert|1355|acre|km2|sortable=on}}

|

Ferris Lake

| Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer

| Adirondack

| {{convert|147454|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/fldrtump.pdf |title=Ferris Lake Wild Forest Draft Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=October 2006 |page=1 |access-date=June 9, 2016}}

|

Fulton Chain

| Herkimer

| Adirondack

| {{convert|15140|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/fcwfumpamen2.pdf |title=Fulton Chain Wild Forest Unit Management Plan Amendment |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=October 3, 2006 |page=1 |access-date=June 10, 2016}}

|

Grass River

| St. Lawrence

| Adirondack

| {{convert|1274|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/grasseamend.pdf |title=Grass River Wild Forest Unit Management Plan Amendment |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=February 2004 |page=1 |access-date=June 9, 2016}}

|

Halcott Mountain

| Greene

| Catskill

| {{convert|4760|acre|km2|sortable=on}}

|

Hammond Pond

| Essex

| Adirondack

| {{convert|45558|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/hammondamend.pdf |title=Draft Amendment to the 1988 Hammond Pond Wild Forest Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=May 2016 |page=3 |access-date=June 9, 2016}}

|

Horseshoe Lake

| Franklin, St. Lawrence

| Adirondack

| {{convert|21336|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/bogriver.pdf |title=Bog River Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=November 12, 2002 |page=3 |access-date=June 9, 2016}}

|

Independence River

| Herkimer, Lewis

| Adirondack

| {{convert|76574|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/irwfamend2.pdf |title=Independence River Wild Forest Unit Management Plan Amendment |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=October 2011 |page=1 |access-date=June 10, 2016}}

|

Jessup River

| Hamilton

| Adirondack

| {{convert|47350|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/jrwfinal.pdf |title=Jessup River Wild Forest Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=August 2006 |page=1 |access-date=June 9, 2016}}

|

Kaaterskill

| Ulster

| Catskill

| {{convert|8550|acre|km2|sortable=on}}

|

Lake George

| Warren, Washington

| Adirondack

| {{convert|71133|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/lgwfdf.pdf |title=Lake George Wild Forest Draft Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=November 2006 |page=2 |access-date=June 11, 2016}}

|

Moose River Plains

| Hamilton, Herkimer

| Adirondack

| {{convert|64322|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite web |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/53596.html |title=Moose River Plains Complex |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |access-date=June 11, 2016}}

|

Overlook Mountain

| Ulster

| Catskill

| {{convert|590|acre|km2|sortable=on}}

|

Phoenica

| Ulster

| Catskill

| {{convert|7315|acre|km2|sortable=on}}

|

Raquette River

| St. Lawrence

| Adirondack

| {{convert|3057|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/rbwfinal.pdf |title=Raquette Boreal Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=December 2006 |page=9 |access-date=June 10, 2016}}

|

Rusk Mountain

| Greene

| Catskill

| {{convert|3900|acre|km2|sortable=on}}

|

Saranac Lakes

| Essex, Franklin

| Adirondack

| {{convert|79000|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite web |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/22593.html |title=Saranac Lakes Wild Forest - Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |access-date=June 11, 2016}}

|

Sargent Ponds

| Hamilton

| Adirondack

| {{convert|49768|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite book |title=Eastern New York All-Outdoors Atlas & Field Guide |date=September 1, 2012 |publisher=Sportsman's Connection |isbn=9781885010780 |page=59 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X8tSCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA59 |access-date=June 10, 2016}}

|

Shaker Mountain

| Fulton, Hamilton

| Adirondack

| {{convert|40500|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/smwfump.pdf |title=Shaker Mountain Wild Forest Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=January 2006 |page=2 |access-date=June 11, 2016}}

|

Shandaken

| Ulster, Greene

| Catskill

| {{convert|5376|acre|km2|sortable=on}}

|

Split Rock Mountain

| Essex

| Adirondack

| {{convert|3383|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/srwfinal.pdf |title=Split Rock Mountain Wild Forest Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=May 2005 |page=5 |access-date=June 11, 2016}}

|

Sundown

| Sullivan, Ulster

| Catskill

| {{convert|30500|acre|km2|sortable=on}}

|

Taylor Pond

| Clinton, Essex, Franklin

| Adirondack

| {{convert|45637|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/tpmcump.pdf |title=Taylor Pond Management Complex Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=February 2013 |page=4 |access-date=June 11, 2016}}

|

Vanderwhacker Mountain

| Essex, Warren, Hamilton

| Adirondack

| {{convert|91854|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/vmwfplanonly.pdf |title=Vanderwhacker Mountain Wild Forest Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=April 2005 |page=1 |access-date=June 11, 2016}}

|

Watson East Triangle

| Herkimer, Lewis

| Adirondack

| {{convert|13417|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/watumpfinal.pdf |title=Watson's East Triangle Wild Forest Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=December 2010 |page=1 |access-date=June 11, 2016}}

| Also known as Watson's East Triangle Wild Forest.

White Hill

| St. Lawrence

| Adirondack

| {{convert|9932|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/whwfplanonly.pdf |title=White Hill Wild Forest Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=December 2006 |pages=1–2 |access-date=June 10, 2016}}

|

Wilcox Lake

| Fulton, Hamilton, Saratoga, Warren

| Adirondack

|style="white-space: nowrap;" | {{convert|124643|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/wldraft.pdf |title=Wilcox Lake Wild Forest Unit Management Plan |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=December 2006 |page=4 |access-date=June 10, 2016}}

|

Willowemoc

| Sullivan, Ulster

| Catskill

| {{convert|15900|acre|km2|sortable=on}}

|

Wilmington

| Essex, Clinton

| Adirondack

| {{convert|16938|acre|km2|sortable=on}}{{cite report |url=http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/wwfdrftamend.pdf |title=Wilmington Wild Forest Draft Unit Management Plan Amendment |publisher=NYS Department of Environmental Conservation |date=2015 |page=2 |access-date=June 11, 2016}}

|

See also

References

{{reflist|22em}}