Partridge Run State Forest

General information on hiking includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules & regulations.

Together, Partridge Run State Forest and Partridge Run Wildlife Management Area contain a combined 48 miles of hiking trails. The most notable trail on the property is the New York - New Jersey Long Path (leaves DEC website), which runs across the length of the area, enters the forest from Bradt Hollow Road and exits at Gifford Hollow Road (or vice versa). This trail is marked with green.

General information on primitive camping includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

There are no designated campsites; however, primitive camping is allowed. Campsites must be at least 150 feet away from the nearest road, trail, or body of water. Camping for more than three nights or in groups of ten or more requires a permit from a Forest Ranger. Note: Camping is not allowed on nearby Partridge Run WMA, please respect the different regulations for each property.

General information on fishing includes how-to and safety tips and links to seasons, rules and regulations

There are many opportunities for fishing between the state forest and the WMA. Of the 14 streams, only one unnamed stream about 0.7-mile long supports a sparse population of wild brown trout. The remaining 13 streams totaling 11.5 miles are either dry, intermittent, or too small to support a sport fishery. There are also a number of small ponds and lakes across the complex that support warm-water fisheries.

East-Central NY Fishing provides information on fishing in the area and links to top fishing waters, stocking lists, public fishing access and waters open to ice fishing listed by county.

Wildlife Management Unit: 4H

General Information on hunting includes how-to and safety tips with links to seasons, rules and regulations.

Hunting is permitted on this property in accordance with all game regulations, unless otherwise posted. Two ponds (Becker Pond and Woods Pond) are periodically drained to benefit waterfowl habitat.

Wildlife Management Unit: 4H

General information on trapping includes how-to and safety tips with links to seasons, rules and regulations.

Trapping is permitted on this property in accordance with all game regulations, unless otherwise posted. Two ponds (Becker Pond and Woods Pond) are periodically drained to benefit waterfowl habitat.

General information on snowmobiling includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

The Partridge Run complex of lands contains about 21 miles of snowmobile trails, about four miles of which cross Partridge Run State Forest. These four miles are along the section of the Long Path which crosses Partridge Run State Forest and down Cook Hill Access Road. The snowmobile trails are maintained by the Middleburgh Ridge Runners through a volunteer stewardship agreement.

General information on cross-country skiing includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

There is a ski trail which passes through the northernmost portion of Partridge Run State Forest. This trail passes by parking areas on Beaver Rd, High Point Rd, and Bradt Hollow Rd. Cross-country skiing is permitted on all hiking trails.

General information on snowshoeing includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules and regulations.

There is a ski trail which passes through the northernmost portion of Partridge Run State Forest. This trail passes by parking areas on Beaver Rd, High Point Rd, and Bradt Hollow Rd. Snowshoeing is permitted on all hiking trails.

General information on animals includes links to information about birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians and insects that inhabit or migrate through the state.

The state forest, Partridge Run WMA, Knox (Burke) WMA, and Cole Hill State Forest make up the 6,594-acre Helderberg Bird Conservation Area. The New York Bird Conservation Area (BCA) Program was established in 1997 to safeguard and enhance bird populations and their habitats on state lands and waters. The BCA Program integrates bird conservation interests into agency planning, management and research projects. The diverse cover types including hardwood and conifer (plantation) forests, young regenerating forests, old fields, shrublands, reverting farmland, wooded swamp, shrub wetlands, and numerous ponds and wetlands. Some of the species of interest include American woodcock, ruffed grouse, brown thrasher, eastern towhee, prairie warbler, chestnut-sided warbler, Nashville warbler, blue-winged warbler, as well as a wide variety of forest warblers and songbirds, and winter finches. Woodland raptors include northern goshawk (special concern).

The Helderbergs are in the northeastern corner of the Central Appalachian ecozone. In addition to the notable game species and furbearers found within area, whitetail deer, a variety of both songbirds and birds of prey frequent the property, as well as the occasional black bear.