Hall Island State Forest

• Open for recreation: Year-round
• Fee: Free
• Contact Information:
  • DEC Region 7 Altmar Office (M-F, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM), (315) 298-7467; [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 Redfield, Oswego County
• Wildlife Management Unit: 6K
• Map: Hall Island State Forest Map (GeoPDF) - GeoPDF Instructions || Google Earth || DECinfo Locator

Hall Island State Forest encompasses 2,079 acres and is located along the south shore of the Salmon River Reservoir. It is a great place to visit to enjoy recreational activities such as: hunting, hiking, snowmobiling, bird watching, nature viewing, fishing, and camping.

Hall Island State Forest has approximately 14 miles of trails crisscrossing through its property from the eastern end of the reservoir to the western end. The trails take you through both open and wooded wetlands, and are especially great for hiking and snowmobiling. Further adding to the already diverse habitats found in Hall Island State Forest are the wetlands that are scattered throughout the property. These contain both common and rare plant species, and are a favorite site for many different water fowl, including the great blue heron and the pied bill grebe. Within view from the trails, these wetlands provide many opportunities for observing the natural beauty captured within the confines of Hall Island State Forest.

Accessible Features

From the Redfield Island Day Use Area on the Salmon River Reservoir, wheelchair accessible features include the:

• Fishing/viewing platform

See Maps, Directions, and Featured Activities sections on this page for more details on these features. Visit the DEC Accessible Recreation Destinations web page for additional accessible recreation opportunities.

Directions

Hall Island State Forest may be accessed by taking I-81 to exit 36 Pulaski. Follow US Route 13 to Altmar. From Altmar take County Route 22 east toward Bennett's Bridge and then turn right onto County Route 30 for a short distance and then turn left on to Pipeline Road which will lead you to the western portion of the property.

To access the eastern end of the property, follow US Route 13 to Williamstown and turn left on to County RT 17 north. You will follow RT 17 for approximately 8 miles until you reach the Eastern end of the Salmon River Reservoir and parking and access areas to Hall Island State Forest. There are two main trail heads that allow access into the forest; one on Dam Road about 0.4 miles southwest of the intersection of Dam Road and Pipeline Road; the other on Route 17 about 0.4 miles south on County Route 17 of the intersection of Route 17 and County Route 27.

• Dam Road Parking (43.540303°N, 75.914975°W) Google Maps 
• County Route 17 Parking (43.529992°N, 75.820217°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 Hall Island 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 Upper Salmon River Unit Management Plan (PDF) with Maps Part 1 (PDF) and Part 2 (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 us at [email protected].

Nearby State Lands, Facilities, Amenities and Other Information

State Lands and Facilities

• O'Hara State Forest
• Chateaugay State Forest

Where to Find Nearby Amenities

• Gas and food may be found in the nearby communities of Redfield and Williamstown.
• Lodging can be found in the nearby community of Pulaski.

Oswego 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

Hall Island is really not an island, but a long peninsula. The land was once cleared for use by the owners of an old farmstead in the mid 1800's. The land, however, was purchased by the Salmon River Power Company and low lying areas then flooded after the construction of the Salmon River Reservoir dam in 1910-1912. The reservoir was constructed for the purpose of hydroelectric power generation which is still in use.

In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) added hundreds of acres of conifers to the landscape to aid with reforestation. As a result, today, the red pine, white pine, larch and spruce plantations provide both shelter and a rich food source for many different species.

Article 9, Titles 5 and 7, of the Environmental Conservation Law authorized the Department of Environmental Conservation to manage lands acquired outside the Adirondack and Catskill Parks. Management, as defined by these laws, includes watershed protection, the production of timber and other forest products, recreation and kindred purposes. Hall Island was purchased by the State of New York under this program in the 1930's. Today, the land has been transformed into a fully functioning forest and provides a vast array of ecological, economic, and recreational services for hundreds of people each year.