Including Hudson River Special Management Area, Shelving Rock Special Management Area, and the Hall Hill Road, Hilderbrandt Road and Veile Pond Road Conservation Easement Tracts
- Open for Recreation: Year-round
- Fee: Free
- Contact Information:
- DEC Region 5 Warrensburg Office: (M-F, 8:30AM - 4:45PM), (518) 623-1200; [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: Towns of Bolton, Chester, Hague, Horicon, Lake George, Lake Luzerne, Queensbury and Warrensburg in Warren County; the Towns of Dresden, Fort Ann and Putnam in Washington County; and the Towns of Ticonderoga and Schroon in Essex County
- Wildlife Management Unit: 5G, 5H and 5J
- Map: Lake George Wild Forest North Map (GeoPDF) - GeoPDF Instructions || Lake George Wild Forest East Map (GeoPDF) || Lake George Wild Forest South Map (GeoPDF) || Google Earth || DECinfo Locator
The 72,508-acre Lake George Wild Forest is located in the southeastern portion of the Adirondack Park and is part of the Adirondack Forest Preserve. It is one of the most popular areas of the Adirondacks because of the numerous and varied outdoor recreational opportunities and the proximity to large population centers and Lake George. Parts of the wild forest sit on both sides of the lake.
The property contains miles of marked trails available to explore, allowing the public to easily access a variety of majestic natural attractions such as Black Mountain, Shelving Rock, and Prospect Mountain. Enjoy year-round activities on Lake George, and popular fishing and camping locations at Lily Pond, Jabe Pond, Gay Pond and Palmer Pond. The wild forest is a popular area for motorized recreational uses and ice fishing, and serves as an important link with the adjoining snowmobile trail network.
The Shelving Rock Area is a part of the wild forest on the eastern shore of Lake George. The area includes primitive campsites along Shelving Rock and Dacy Clearing Roads and a day use area that extends along Shelving Rock Brook to Shelving Rock Bay on Lake George.
The 5,550-acre Hudson River Special Management Area, also known as the Hudson River Recreation Area, or sometimes simply Buttermilk, is located on the eastern shore of the Hudson River in the Lake George Wild Forest. The unit had hiking trails and hand launches.
Hall Hill Road, Hilderbrandt Road and Veile Pond Road Conservation Easements allow snowmobiling under the Upper Hudson Woodlands Interim Recreation Management Plan. View this plan in the Planning and Management section below.
Trail Information for the Eastern Adirondacks provides general information regarding backcountry and seasonal conditions; specific notices regarding closures and conditions of trails, roads, bridges and other infrastructure; and links to weather, state land use regulations, low impact recreation and more.