Hiking Pulpit Rock State Forest

Hiking Pulpit Rock State Forest

#1000islands #ThousandIslands

We can't legitimately call our Pulpit Rock State Forest Blog a hiking blog because we did not actually end up hiking it. We were planning to, but to be honest, we got pretty lost on the way there partly because one of the roads on the map we were using doesn't exist any longer. We did eventually find our way to the 1,603-acre Pulpit Rock State Forest which is located in Antwerp just outside of Oxbow NY. There is a one mile access trail from County Rt 22 leading into the forest, and also the .7 mile Watson Trail accessed from New Connecticut Rd (see link to trail map below).  Because it took so long to get there we never got to hike either of the two trails (though we did see both trailheads). 

What we did get to visit was the adjacent Payne Lake (which has a public access site), and the actual “Pulpit Rock” that the State Forest was named after. Both were well worth the trip, and an excuse for us to go back and hike the State Forest sometime. [To be continued/updated in the future.]

Pulpit Rock State Forest - https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/8013.html
Trail map - https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/39779.html 

Be sure to see...

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Introduction

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Abbé Picquet Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Carnegie Bay Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Cerow Recreation Park Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Chaumont Barrens Preserve

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Chippewa Bay Preserve Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Coyote Flats State Forest

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Downybrook Nature Reserve 

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Foster Blake Woods Preserve

Hiking the Thousand Islands...French Creek WMA 

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Grand Lake Reserve

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Grass Point State Park

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Jacques Cartier State Park

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Kanik Nature Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Keewaydin State Park

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Lonesome Bay State Forest

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Macsherry Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Maple City Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Morgan Island

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Morristown Red Barn Preserve

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Otter Creek

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Pulpit Rock State Forest

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Red Lake Indian River Trail 

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Redwood Hill Preserve

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Rock Ridge Trail 

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Sissy Danforth Rivergate Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Wellesley Island State Park

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Zenda Farms Preserve

Hiking Lonesome Bay State Forest

Hiking Lonesome Bay State Forest

#1000islands #ThousandIslands

Did you know that St. Lawrence County (upstate New York) has 43 State Forests? We have only visited a few so far but figured that the Lonesome Bay State Forest was worth blogging since it is located so close to the river (and Black Lake!).  

In fact, we have heard you can even access it by boat from Black Lake. Like other State Forests it does not have any specific hiking trails. However this beautiful 1,122 acre forest has an approximately 2-mile long access road running right through the middle of it that makes for an easy and lovely hike.  We discovered that you can drive in (at least this time of year) and park at any of several pull offs at the side of the road and just get out and walk this well maintained road. Note that also like other state forests, it is easy to get lost if one wanders off the road (so please don't, or don't blame us if you do). 

But the Alamogin road takes you through a variety of terrains including forest, meadow, and wetland.  From beginning to end, this is a four mile hike with two miles to Black Lake and then back.  Our hike was lovely. And we never saw a single other person or car so it really has the feel of being away from it all (yet is less than five miles from Hammond NY). 

To find Lonesome Bay State Forest from Hammond, head south on Route 37 for .88 mile and turn left onto Route 31. Continue for 2.78 miles and turn left onto Alamogin Road for 1.59 miles. A parking area will be on the right just before a gate (which we would guess is closed seasonally). 

For a map visit the DEC website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/80606.html

Be sure to see...

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Introduction

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Abbé Picquet Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Carnegie Bay Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Cerow Recreation Park Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Chaumont Barrens Preserve

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Chippewa Bay Preserve Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Coyote Flats State Forest

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Downybrook Nature Reserve 

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Foster Blake Woods Preserve

Hiking the Thousand Islands...French Creek WMA 

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Grand Lake Reserve

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Grass Point State Park

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Jacques Cartier State Park

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Kanik Nature Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Keewaydin State Park

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Lonesome Bay State Forest

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Macsherry Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Maple City Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Morgan Island

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Morristown Red Barn Preserve

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Otter Creek

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Pulpit Rock State Forest

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Red Lake Indian River Trail 

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Redwood Hill Preserve

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Rock Ridge Trail 

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Sissy Danforth Rivergate Trail

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Wellesley Island State Park

Hiking the Thousand Islands...Zenda Farms Preserve