A recent land acquisition will reportedly enhance New York’s popular Cranberry Lake Wild Forest and improve paddling opportunities in a place known for some of the best paddling, hiking, and skiing in the Northeast.
This week, officials in New York announced the state has acquired 965 acres along the Oswegatchie River in the town of Clifton in St. Lawrence County. The acquisition connects portions of the Cranberry Lake Wild Forest, preserving 2.3 miles of the river and providing the public with new and enhanced paddling and fishing opportunities.
The 25,671-acre Cranberry Lake Wild Forest in the northwest Adirondacks is an area known for its authentic wilderness. It features old growth forests, remote ponds, and an interesting glaciated landscape. The forest consists of four parcels to the west, northwest, and east of Cranberry Lake, which is the third-largest lake in Adirondack Park. It includes 26.9 miles of foot trails, 12.6 miles of ski trails, a 0.4-mile canoe carry, and three Adirondack lean-tos.
It is also home to the Cranberry Lake 50, a 50-mile hiking challenge circumnavigating the lake. (If you try it, don’t forget to bring a map.)
Identified as a priority project in the State’s 2016 Open Space Conservation Plan, the acquisition consolidates portions of the Cranberry Lake Wild Forest, connecting the Buck Mountain and Webster Tracts and the Cranberry Forest and Conifer-Emporium Conservation Easements, while preserving the open space character of approximately 2.3 miles of the Oswegatchie River and approximately three miles of other classified trout streams on the property, including Peavine Creek and Thomas Brook.
Visitors can access the property through the 4.5 miles of road frontage along New York State Route 3 and Tooley Pond Road. Established car-top boat launches provide access to the river from Tooley Pond Road.
DEC purchased the 965.8-acre parcel from The Conservation Fund using $870,000 from the State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF).
Learn more about the 965 acres purchased in the land deal in the video below.