Kasoag 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 Williamstown, Oswego County
• Wildlife Management Unit: 6K
• Map: Kasoag State Forest Map (GeoPDF) - GeoPDF Instructions || Google Earth || DECinfo Locator

Kasoag State Forest encompasses 1,057 acres. While it is remote and somewhat primitive, it is a great place for activities that can be enjoyed in a forest setting such as hiking, hunting, trapping and fishing. Fish Creek and Indian Camp Brook join within the property to form a diverse swamp habitat that attracts many different rare and common species of plants and wildlife.

Of particular significance, glacial features known as eskers can be found within the property. These are narrow, sinuous, steep-sided ridges that are only found in areas that were once glaciated. Those in Kasoag State Forest can often be found through and alongside wooded areas.

Directions

Kasoag State Forest is accessed by taking NY I-81 to exit #34. Continue toward NY Route 104 east. At the intersection with NY Route 13, turn right, then take an immediate left onto NY Route 30a. Continue for approximately 1.0 mile and turn left onto NY Route 30. Follow Route 30 for another 1.0 mile and then turn onto CC Road. In approximately 1.0 mile you will enter the forest, parking is available but limited to the shoulder of the road.

• CC Road (43.4638747°N, 75.9064171°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 Kasoag 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 accepted comments on the draft Fish Creek Unit Management Plan (UMP) through Sunday, July 31, 2022. For questions and comments about this UMP, please email [email protected].

History

The land that is now Kasoag State Forest was originally formed millions of years ago as massive glaciers that had once covered the region began to recede. The last glacier, the Wisconsin Glacier receded twelve thousand years leaving behind, shale and sandstone rocks, giving the area its defining moderately rocky and highly acidic characteristics. The forest is located in the Tug Hill Plateau region of New York State.

Unfortunately for many farmers in the area, soil and weather conditions are not fit for intensive agriculture. Excessive erosion and prolonged freezing and wet periods made farming very difficult. As rail and waterways expanded, access to better crop land was more easily obtained, causing many farmers to abandon their properties in New York in search of greener, warmer land in the Midwest.

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 Kasoag State Forest was purchased by the state under this program in parcels during the 1930s. During this period, lands that had once been cleared of timber for farm land was restored to forests. The planting of trees created new job opportunities for hundreds of young men, and Kasoag State Forest today provides diverse ecological, recreational, and economic benefits for both society and wildlife.

Kasoag State Forest is comprised of mature natural hardwood and northern hardwood-hemlock cover types. The predominant species include red maple, black cherry, white ash, sugar maple and hemlock. There are also conifer plantations throughout the forest consisting of mainly white pine, red pine, and larch and spruce plantations that were mostly planted by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. It is a locally held belief that the CCC built a camp adjacent to Indian Camp Brook, and evidence of a small man-made pond exists there that seemingly testifies to this truth.

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
• Happy Valley Wildlife Management Area

Where to Find Nearby Amenities

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