The Finger Lakes National Forest, positioned along the ridges between Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, offers scenic beauty and unlimited recreational opportunities any season of the year. Whether you are a hiker, cross country skier, camper, fishing or hunting enthusiast, snowmobiler, horseback rider, mountain biker, or wildlife watcher, the Forest can provide the recreational experience you are seeking!
The most popular season is autumn when the trees and pastures are ablaze with color. Hunter ejoy the woods and brush lands of the forest during this time. Summer is a popular time for camping, hiking, horseback riding, bicycling, and fishing. Winter brings out cross country skiers, snowmobiles, and snowshoe enthusiasts. In spring, the Forest bursts forth from the grip of winter with emerging leaves on the trees, bird flyway activity, and numerous wildflowers that are visible along many of the Forest trails and pastures. The first fishing days are enjoyed by a lot of people.
Spring is also mud season, which is usually short but intense. Going "off-road" and hiking on wet trails is not encouraged during this time.
Finger Lakes National Forest - Hector Ranger District Office Information
Centrally located between the Rochester and Middlebury Ranger Districts, the Chittenden Brook area offers many recreation opportunities for a variety of abilities. Trails meandering next to beautiful brooks and traveling through tall trees make this an attractive area for visitors.
The area includes a 7.5 mile trail network designed for cross country ski and snowshoe use and open to summer hiking. The trail network serves as a connector to the Long Trail National Recreation Trail as well as the Brandon Gap Backcountry Recreation Area known for winter skiing and boarding.
The area also includes a 17 site campground open Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day. The campground and access road cannot accommodate trailers over 18 feet. This campground is best suited for tent camping.
The Moosalamoo National Recreation Area, encompassing 15,857 acres, is a premier recreation destination that includes hiking trails, mountain bike trails, cross country ski trails, snowmobile trails, the Robert Frost Trail and camping areas at Silver Lake and Moosalamoo campgrounds.
Moosalamoo Campground is a small, remote campground located at the base of Mt. Moosalamoo, near Voter Brook. Located within the heart of the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area, the campground is located in close proximity to over 70 miles of trail managed for hiking, biking, cross-county skiing, horseback riding, and snowmobiling.
Silver Lake Campground is a small, primitive campground located on Silver Lake. Silver Lake is only accessible by hiking 0.6 miles down the Goshen Trail or on the Service Road.
There are 15 campsites irregularly spaced along a wooded road. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring with a grill. Please note: drinking water access is currently closed to protect public health. There is no garbage service available, please carry out what you carry in.
Hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, a snowmobiling opportunities are all avaialble in the Silver Lake Area Trails.
Greendale campground is a small remote campground located along Greendale Brook in Weston, VT.
There are 11 campsites available in a wooded campground setting. Each site has a picnic table, a fire ring with a grill, and a parking spur. Most sites can accommodate small to medium campers as well as tents. There is also a barrier-free vault toilet.
The campground offers easy access to the Greendale Loop, a 4.0 mile hike through a mixed forest of northern hardwood and conifer trees with long stretches bordering scenic streams.
Grout Pond Recreation Area is 1,600 acres of the Green Mountain National Forest set aside for year-round recreation. Grout Pond is a very popular destination for camping, hiking, canoeing, and fishing.
Over 10.0 miles of multipurpose trails are available through relatively flat, low-lying terrain. The trails are marked with blue diamond blazes, are available for year-round hiking, but can be extremely wet and muddy at times. Trails connect with a more extensive trail system of nearby Somerset Reservoir.
In winter, the trails are open to ungroomed skiing and are rated easy to more difficult. Snowmobiles are restricted to Forest Road 262 and a portion of the West Trail. These trails are marked with orange diamond blazes.
