Potato Hill State Forest

• Open for recreation: Year-round
• Fee: Free
• Contact Information:
  • DEC Region 7 Cortland Office (M-F, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM), (607) 753-3095; [email protected]
  • Search, rescue, wildfire, and enforcement matters: 911- or - 1-833-NYS-RANGERS (1-833-697-7264) 
    A local Forest Ranger is a valuable source of information for the state land you would like to visit.
• Location: Town of Caroline, Tompkins County
• Wildlife Management Unit: 7R
• Map: Potato Hill State Forest Map (GeoPDF) - GeoPDF Instructions || Google Earth || DECinfo Locator

Potato Hill State Forest encompasses 900 acres of land. It is a popular retreat for recreational activities including hunting, hiking, snowmobiling, camping, bird watching, and fishing. The 6-acre pond located on the northern portion of the forest offers peaceful scenery as well as valuable habitat for waterfowl, various mammals, snakes, salamanders, frogs, and aquatic invertebrate insects such as dragonflies.

Potato Hill State Forest provides a variety of different cover types and habitats that allows for a wide variety of plants and animals to flourish. Nature observation and hunting opportunities are abundant, with more than 53 species of mammals predicted or confirmed in the area, including red and gray fox, snowshoe hare, white tailed deer, fisher and northern flying squirrel.

Directions

Potato Hill State Forest may be accessed by taking NY Route 79 to Level Green Road, which runs along the western border of the forest. There is also access to the forest by taking Level Green Road to Blackman Hill Road, where there is an unpaved parking area for up to eight vehicles.

Parking is limited, but available from the shoulder of the road.

• Blackman Hill Road parking area (42.356657°N, -76.26149442°W) Google Maps 

All coordinates provided are in decimal degrees using NAD83/WGS84 datum.

Rules, Regulations and Outdoor Safety

Practice Leave No Trace Principles when recreating on state land to enjoy the outdoors responsibly; minimize impact on the natural resources and avoid conflicts with other users.

All users of Potato Hill State Forest must follow all State Land Use Regulations and should follow all Outdoor Safety Practices for the safety of the user and protection of the resource.

Planning and Management

DEC manages these lands in accordance with the management activities described in the Tri-County Uplands Unit Management Plan (PDF) with Tri-County UMP Maps (PDF). In addition to management objectives, the UMP contains detailed information on natural features, recreational infrastructure, geology, natural and human history, habitats, wildlife, fisheries and much more.

If you have questions and/or comments about this UMP, please email [email protected].

Forest Management

DEC foresters are charged with the responsibility of managing state forests to enhance and maintain a diverse and healthy forest ecosystem for society and wildlife. As such, forest management is strategically employed to develop a balanced mix of young, middle-aged, and old (late successional) forest types that will continue to provide ecological, economic and recreational services for many generations.

Nearby State Lands, Facilities, Amenities and Other Information

State Lands and Facilities

• Shindagin Hollow State Forest
• Andersen State Forest

Where to Find Nearby Amenities

• Gas, food, dining and lodging may be found in the nearby community of Ithaca.

Tompkins County Tourism Office can provide information about other recreation, attractions and amenities in this area.

Numerous guidebooks and maps are available with information on the lands, waters, trails and other recreational facilities in this area. These can be purchased at most outdoor equipment retailers, bookstores, and on-line booksellers.

Additional information, outdoor equipment, trip suggestions and guided or self-guided tours may be obtained from outdoor guide and outfitting businesses. Check area chambers of commerce, telephone directories or search the internet for listings.

Consider hiring an outdoor guide if you have little experience or woodland skills. See the NYS Outdoor Guides Association for information on outdoor guides.

History

Originally cleared for pastureland by European settlers and Revolutionary War Veterans, the land that is now Potato Hill State Forest offered limited reward for most farming attempts. The upland soils of the Allegheny Plateau are characteristically thin, steep and acidic. When combined with harsh winters and short growing seasons, the land proved unproductive and farms were abandoned as settlement was attempted elsewhere.

The State Reforestation Law of 1929 and the Hewitt Amendment of 1931 set forth new legislation that authorized the Conservation Department (now DEC) to acquire land, by gift or purchase, for reforestation areas. These state forests, consisting of no less than 500 acres of contiguous land were to be "forever devoted to reforestation and the establishment and maintenance thereon of forests for watershed protection, the production of timber and other forest products, recreation and kindred purposes" (Article 9, Title 5, Environmental Conservation Law).

The majority of Potato Hill State Forest was acquired in 1938 and 1940, with two additional purchases in 1975 and 1980. The name of this forest attests to the large scale planting of potatoes in the area by early Irish Immigrants. The highest Tompkins County production recorded was 316,334 bushels in 1845. By 1865, Tompkins County production had dropped to 166,300 bushels, but potatoes were still raised on a decreasing scale until the 1960's. Previous owners of the land included the Kendall, Hotaling, Royce, Cortright, Delola and Michaud families, as well as the Federal Land Bank.

Since soil erosion was a serious problem on the newly acquired farmlands, a massive tree planting campaign began. The labor used to create these tree plantations was provided by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a work program established by the Roosevelt Administration to create jobs. The Slaterville Springs Camp S-125, hand planted more than 602,000 tree seedlings on Potato Hill State Forest between 1939 and 1941. In 1965, the Caroline Center Youth Camp hand planted an additional 2,000 trees. Almost all the seedlings planted were softwood species, with Norway spruce, red pine and white pine being the most frequently planted species.