Ketchumville NY State Forest

Quick Bits

Main Activities - Hike, Bike
Distance - 5.4 miles of trails
Quiet - relatively quiet
Surface - soil base, though ruts in places from ATVs at times
Elevation - relatively flat
Pets - pets on leash
Address - Newark Valley, Tioga County, New York State

In a Nutshell

Over five miles of multiuse trails in a primitive area. The forest's variety of trails and environments make it a fun place to wander.

Location and Parking

More details

Located in rural area of northern Tioga County, the Ketchumville State Forest is a relatively new forest. In 1961, there were 153,000 tree seedlings planted on this land acquired in 1941. The original familes that owned the land are also respresented in road names nearby. The Andrews, Bailey, Chamberlain, Waite, and Zimmer families once represented descendants of the Revolutionary War and early settlers. Remnants of the early settlements can been seen in rock walls or foundations or the faint remains of roads. I've been told there are also a few volunteer fruit trees that can be found. The name of the forest comes from the one time hamlet, Ketchumville.

The forest property lines are an odd shape for a total of about 513 acres. The Access Road is essentially a flag pole that leads north and then northwest into the main block of the forest. From this main block there are two other "legs" off of this. The first reconnects to Bailey Hollow Road with the trailhead for the Blue 1 trail. The other leg is north of this and is the Blue 2 loop. About a mile of an unnamed stream (or at least unknown name to me) flows through the forest. This will eventually flow into the Ketchumville Branch of the Nanticoke. In the area of this stream you'll find a small marshy area.

Since the reforestation, the woods provide good shade, though it can be buggy at times. The steepest slopes are along parts of trails Blue 1 and Blue 5.

Links of Interest

• New York DEC Website Page