Bear Swamp

Trail Overview

Seasonal two-track that winds through the Bear Swamp State Forest. During Spring and Fall, the trail is very wet with water crossings up to four inches. During the summer it provides a scenic trek through a deciduous forest. Trail has some rocks over four inches, and in the fall and spring can have significant ruts that would require a vehicle with good ground clearance.

Photos of Bear Swamp

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Difficulty

Water crossings up to four inches are common in the spring. In the fall, the trail is rutted and wet.

History

This state forest is part of the New York reforestation lands. The peak of farm settlement was around the Civil War era, and slowly declined until the Great Depression of 1929, which hastened farm abandonment. Most of the State Forest was abandoned farmland bought in the 1930s. The large amount of open land was planted with coniferous trees - red pine, Norway spruce, and larch. Thus the term "reforestation lands" was aptly applied to these state forests.

Technical Rating