Ferris Lake Wild Forest — Attraction in Town of Stratford

Although I agree with the other local guide who said it doesn't seem exactly right to rate a forest, I still wanted to provide some info for others thinking of coming here. For those coming from the south, west, or east, I think FLWF is a nice compromise to get away into the almost-footfills of the Adirondacks, without driving too far and long and having to deal with too much sketchy roads.

We recenltly came across a mention for roadside camping on Pawley-Piseco Rd and decided it was close enough to make a just-one-overight camping trip feasible, and it was! As Rea mentioned, it's not the mountainous landscape you get further into the ADKs, but it's also only about a 10 minute drive from paved roads and civilization and cell signal, so to me it was an okay compromise in this case.

We snagged a really nice campsite right on Canada Creek (with roadside parking adjacent) and saw maybe only 3-4 vehicles go by the entire 24 hours or so we were there. Which was great! If you're looking to get away for a bit but not wanting to need a 4x4 and hours of rough terrain driving, this might be just the thing for you! I thought it...

Camped along Piseco Road with a campsite off the road but very quiet. There are campsites along the creek but they seem to be taken by abandoned tents that have no sign of anyone there for days/weeks. First come first serve with a dirt road leading to most sites. Recommend a high car/SUV as there are many big rocks on the road but if you're careful you'll be okay with a sedan. Black flies were present when we came mid June 2023, bring bugnets, candles and spray. Would give 5 stars however i see the park rangers are not enforcing the 3 day stay limit...

It's not exactly fair to rate a forest, but I would say of all the forests of the southern Adirondacks, this is the most mediocre In terms of tree-quality and general atmosphere. The terrain is (relatively) flat, which has its benefits for ease of hiking, but it is also makes it more swampy. The canopy tends to be very low, with an over abundance of birch and beech, along with softwoods. Further east there are...