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  1. #1

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    NY > Western / Central / Upstate > Good places to try a winter hang?

    Hi all, I'm assembling my pulk and hope to get in at least one trial outing this season. I'm located in the Rochester, New York area and I'm wondering if there are any good locations in the area for a winter hang on state land? I'm searching and finding primitive campsites in state forests, etc. but no real clues about whether there might be suitable trees in the area. If you've hammock-camped on state lands in Western / Central New York, please chime in and let me know spots that you liked! Thanks!
    "I'll circle in the helicopter with the camera while Jim flushes out the wild rhino on foot." -Marlin Perkins

  2. #2

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    You've probably come to the right place to ask. Aren't the guys from Hang Your Own Hang from up there?

    I'm way down state from you and I haven't solved the "are there good trees" in any particular campground without going to the place and looking for myself. You can try using Google Earth to zoom into an area but I don't think it will give you enough detail to see tree spacing and flat ground.

  3. #3
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    I have hammock camped in the Finger Lakes National Forest and the Ossian State Forest. I think most State Forests that allow camping (and I think most do, check DEC website before, and to download a map). One of the guys who used to host Hang your own Hang podcast, organized a hang at a shelter in Darian lake state park a couple of years ago. I would have gone but it was Thanksgiving weekend.

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  4. #4
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    Oh, and I too am in the Rochester area (Fairport to be specific).

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  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bobonli View Post
    I'm way down state from you and I haven't solved the "are there good trees" in any particular campground without going to the place and looking for myself. You can try using Google Earth to zoom into an area but I don't think it will give you enough detail to see tree spacing and flat ground.
    Thanks, you can some info about hills from the terrain images, and the satellite images help a lot. However I'm not sure how much of the green is now dead ash trees. We've lost a ton of them where we live. Some of the nearby public lands are actually a little scary to hike on a windy day.

    Quote Originally Posted by EdgeAle View Post
    I have hammock camped in the Finger Lakes National Forest and the Ossian State Forest. I think most State Forests that allow camping (and I think most do, check DEC website before, and to download a map). One of the guys who used to host Hang your own Hang podcast, organized a hang at a shelter in Darian lake state park a couple of years ago. I would have gone but it was Thanksgiving weekend.
    Thanks, that's great info -- Ossian was one of the spots I was looking at. It has primitive campsites so they are already expecting cars to be parked overnight. It's a little closer than FLNF. I winter camped in FLNF a few years ago (Blueberry Patch) but in a tent, and it was only a few steps from the car. My recollection is that there were some flatter trails around that would be good for a pulk.

    Another possibility I just stumbled on is Sonyea State Forest near Dansville. That's the closest spot to Rochester that I've found, and there's a hammock-camping video posted on YouTube. It looks very scenic and pretty reasonable for hanging but not sure how steep the trails are for the first time out with a pulk. Water is available from Canaseraga Creek if it doesn't freeze over.
    "I'll circle in the helicopter with the camera while Jim flushes out the wild rhino on foot." -Marlin Perkins

  6. #6
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    i am from Rocester area also. I have camped at Chatauqua state park in the summer. It's a decent park. Marked campsites are near the parking area. There's afew trails , a creek, and a gorge to explore. I have not done a winter hang yet.
    State parks allow dispersed camping usually so if hiking is what you want to do then it's wide open. State parks are quite woody so you shouldn't have a problem finding tree. I have been looking at FLNP, Robert H. Treman, Sonyea, and Ossian to camp at. If you haven't tried Andy Arthur's website it is a good resource. He has coordinates that I plugged into google earth to check out some areas.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Petry View Post
    If you haven't tried Andy Arthur's website it is a good resource. He has coordinates that I plugged into google earth to check out some areas.
    Thanks, Petry. I had seen Andy Arthur come up in one of my searches, but hadn't checked it out yet. Nice maps.
    "I'll circle in the helicopter with the camera while Jim flushes out the wild rhino on foot." -Marlin Perkins

  8. #8
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    Let me go through my notes and maps and get back to you. There are a ton of state forests, especially in Allegany and Cattaraugus counties but that would be a longer drive from the Rochester area. I've spent a considerable amount of time in the Naples area but it's pretty hilly for a pulk - I'm usually just snowshoe backpacking down that way (Hi Tor Wilderness Area) or on the FLT near Swain. I've tried a pulk there but it's a rough go on steep trails. You can camp anywhere off the FLT with the usual rules (so many feet off the trail and away from water sources and buildings).

    You're going to find plenty of trees everywhere. I haven't had an issue hanging in any state forest. I stay away from state parks because they usually require registration/payment (and don't make it easy) and the rangers will track you down if you leave a car overnight.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marlin View Post
    .

    Another possibility I just stumbled on is Sonyea State Forest near Dansville. That's the closest spot to Rochester that I've found, and there's a hammock-camping video posted on YouTube. It looks very scenic and pretty reasonable for hanging but not sure how steep the trails are for the first time out with a pulk. Water is available from Canaseraga Creek if it doesn't freeze over.
    Sonyea likes like a good choice. I haven't been there but looking at the map, it has a few established campsites and the Gennesse Vally greenway goes through it. As that is a bike path, it probably won't be too tough for a pulk.

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  10. #10
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    Chiming in from Buffalo. I do most of my backpacking/.hanging along the Finger lake Trail, usually down in Allegheny area which would probably be a couple hour drive for you. A little closer, Letchworth State park has a trail on the East side of the river which is a side trail off the FLT. I believe it starts up at the Mt Morris Dam. Couple years ago I started at the dam and hiked south. Believe there are two lean-to's along the way. Think we did a total of about 20ish miles over two days.
    Another hike I've done is part of the Conservation Trail which starts at Niagara Falls and goes to the PA border. The first probably third of it is bike trails/road walking, but when you get to I think just east of Akron there starts to be areas you can camp. This past Thanksgiving weekend I did a section in Darien Lake State Park. It was just over a mile hike from the parking lot going south to the lean-to. If temps start getting warm, its a very muddy trail FYI.
    Let you know if I think of anything else.

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