Cascade Valley
NY State Forest

Quick Bits

Main Activities - Hike
Distance - 0.6 non-maintained multipurpose trail.
Quiet -  very quiet (except if near  quarry and they are working or  high winds and wind turbines are noisey)
Surface -  no trails, vegetation can  hide stumps and  fallen trees creating tripping hazards
Elevation - very steep at spots
Pets - Yes
Address - Cascade Valley Road, WIndsor, NY

In a Nutshell

Over 500 acres of mixed forest with great rock outcrops to explore. Bushwhacking required but worth it.

Location and Parking

More details

This State Forest is 533 acres and was acquired as a single purchase in 1937. The map claims there is a multi-purpose trail, but that is being generous as it is not maintained. However, it does give a good reference point when exploring and bushwhacking. The forest has a mixture of softwoods and hardwoods; some crowded and some open understory; some flat and some very steep terrain. 

There are a few stone and concrete foundations left in the forest from prior to it's purchase. These are fun to explore, just watch for the drop in some cases. 

The rock outcrops are very cool. Several large sections of these, some which overhang, looking like wind and water have shaped them. Some may be dens for various animals. I've see a few that are loaded with porcupine scat (not the cleanest housekeepers), though not sure those dens are still active.

A few notes for safety. The cell service is very spotty. And since there are no real trails, if you're using a mobile phone for navigation, you'll want to download the maps ahead of time. A paper map and compass would be good also. You need to watch your footing especially after spring has sprung and prior to fall. Without trails, there are areas where ferns, goldenrod or other plants will hide rocks, stumps, and fallen trees creating tripping hazards. There are also some very steep sections near the rock outcrops which can be slippery with all the leaves, especially when wet. This is a popular hunting area, so use extreme caution during hunting seasons or just stay away.

It is remote and mostly quiet. I say mostly because you may run into two sources of noise. The first during the week is quarry activity and heavy machinery. Adjacent to the forest, to the east, is a quarry area. If you climb the ridge in the northeast section of Cascade Valley, you'll see a lot of open sky to the east. That's the quarry. The other possible source of noise is one of the several wind turbines in the region. When it gets windy in some circumstances, you'll hear a periodic sound kind of like a large truck downshifting or a jake brake being engaged. More distinguishable at higher elevation.