R. Milton Hick Memorial State Forest

Discover

A short loop and a longer ridge route give R. Milton Hick Memorial State Forest a useful shape for a walking visit. The 1,293-acre property lies in Roseboom, Otsego County, where a cross-country ski network is also available for summer hiking. Its woodland includes mature hardwoods, planted conifers and younger growth. The routes provide a way into that setting, while the changes among different kinds of tree cover offer a theme beyond completing the mileage.

DEC describes 4.75 miles of ski trails, with choices that include a roughly two-mile loop and a longer loop of about three miles. The longer option climbs a small ridge and offers views toward the west. These alternatives let a visitor choose a particular route rather than regarding the network's full mileage as one compulsory circuit. Perry Hill Road supplies the documented trailhead parking reference and a starting point for relating those choices to the current map.

The trails are maintained by the Susquehanna chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club. That stewardship connects a present recreation opportunity with ongoing work by people who care for the route. The summer walking and winter skiing descriptions refer to the same woodland network, so the experience naturally changes with season and surface conditions. A route selected for its ridge view can remain the focus without assuming a groomed track or identical footing throughout the year.

The state's ownership history reaches back to the 1930s, when land here was purchased to reforest marginal and abandoned farmland. That background helps explain why planted trees form one part of a more varied forest. Mature mixed hardwoods and softwood plantations stand alongside younger stages of growth and areas of forestry work. The property is a place to consider the cycle of forest management, with different stages contributing to its present character.

Young spruce plantations provide a specific habitat example. DEC identifies their value for rabbits, linking a particular form of vegetation with wildlife cover. That relationship can be observed through the stand itself, even when animals remain unseen. Compare the form of young conifers with other visible woodland without entering new plantings. The difference among stands is part of the forest's story, rather than evidence that every patch has the same age or management history.

Water adds another set of features. A pond lies east of LaFleure Road, and two classified trout streams cross Perry Hill Road near the northern and southern ends of the forest. Keep these water settings distinct from the ridge walk when choosing an objective. They help explain why a single public property can contain several different subjects for observation, but their presence does not establish a continuous pond-and-stream trail linking every feature.

A separate 1.7-mile snowmobile corridor crosses the northwestern corner, signed and maintained by the Milford Snow Trekkers. This is another route system with its own purpose, alongside the loops used for walking and skiing. R. Milton Hick is most easily appreciated when those elements remain clear: a choice of woodland loops, a western ridge view, planted and naturally developed forest, and several water features. Together they give a walk a concrete local setting and a management history to think about along the way.

Fun facts

1. R. Milton Hick Memorial State Forest covers 1,293 acres in Roseboom, Otsego County.
2. Its 4.75-mile ski network offers roughly two-mile and three-mile loop choices for summer hiking.
3. The longer loop climbs a small ridge with westward views.
4. A separate 1.7-mile snowmobile corridor crosses the northwestern corner.

Read the official sources →

Capture

1. Where a legitimate route provides a view, frame the ridge outlook without moving beyond the established route.
2. Compare visible young spruce and mature mixed woodland.
3. Do not reconstruct an exact overlook, pond shoreline, trail map or wildlife encounter.

Social

R. Milton Hick Memorial State Forest offers a choice of woodland loops. #Cre8Travel

The 1,293-acre property lies in Roseboom, Otsego County.

Its ski network can also be used for hiking in summer.

The shorter loop is about two miles; a longer option is about three.

The longer route climbs a small ridge with views toward the west.

A 1930s reforestation history helps explain the mix of plantations and natural woodland.

A pond east of LaFleure Road and two Perry Hill Road stream crossings add separate water settings.

Choose a route and notice the stages of forest growth. The trail system and the woodland’s management history belong together.

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3. #LandscapeHistory
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Sources & visitor information

• Source — R. Milton Hick Memorial State Forest