Tracy Creek State Forest

Discover

Tracy Creek State Forest occupies 512 acres near New York's southern boundary, in Vestal in Broome County and Owego in Tioga County. Upland hardwoods, planted conifers and a small wetland give the property several subjects for a woodland outing. A quarter-mile section of its southern boundary follows the New York–Pennsylvania line. That geographical detail helps place the forest, while its acquisition and tree cover give it a more particular local story.

The state purchased the land in 1933 from several owners. That date describes the assembly of this public holding, rather than the age of its trees. It gives a useful starting point for considering a landscape now managed for several purposes. Different former holdings became one named forest, but the ground within it continues to contain contrasts in cover, elevation and moisture. A single public name need not mean a uniform woodland.

The forest takes its name from Tracy Creek, which flows north from near the property toward the Susquehanna River. This drainage direction is a useful counterpoint to the nearby state line: the forest sits close to Pennsylvania, while the named watercourse connects it with a river to the north. Understand that as a geographical relationship. It does not establish a maintained creekside trail or public access along every part of the stream beyond the forest.

DEC lists several cover types here: northern hardwoods, hardwood-hemlock and hardwood-white pine mixtures, oak, red pine and Norway spruce. The variety is a stronger observation theme than trying to identify one supposedly characteristic tree. Where differences are visible from appropriate access, compare the spacing of trunks and the shape of the canopy. A more regular stand can prompt questions about planting and management without supplying a precise date for each tree.

A roadside Norway spruce stand along Crumm Road provides another documented detail. DEC describes its role as winter wildlife cover. That relationship gives a reason to notice the stand itself, even when no animal appears. The forest's southeastern boundary also contains a two-acre wetland. Wet ground and planted spruce are separate features; their presence does not mean that a signed route joins them or that they can both be seen from a single stopping place.

Terrain varies from about 1,200 to 1,850 feet above sea level. Those figures describe the property, not the ascent on an individual walk. There are no formal trails. Former logging paths provide access through the woods, but they are unmarked and unmaintained. An outing should therefore begin with the current official map and a specific objective, rather than an assumption that a visible track forms a marked circuit or leads back to the starting road.

Four pull-offs are described, two on Collins Road and two on Crumm Road. Select the one appropriate to the intended part of the property and keep road access clear. Tracy Creek's character comes from a combination of details: a 1933 purchase, varied woodland, a small wetland, a north-flowing drainage connection and a state-line boundary. Giving those elements time can make a modest woodland visit more interesting than a search for a single landmark. This is the Broome–Tioga forest, distinct from the other Tracy Creek State Forest in Steuben County.

Fun facts

1. The 512-acre forest lies in Vestal, Broome County, and Owego, Tioga County.
2. The state purchased the land from several owners in 1933.
3. A quarter-mile portion of its southern boundary follows the New York–Pennsylvania line.
4. A two-acre wetland lies along the southeastern boundary.

Read the official sources →

Capture

1. Use visible contrasts between broadleaf woodland and conifers as a composition subject without dating individual stands.
2. Observe wetland vegetation from appropriate ground rather than entering sensitive wet areas.
3. Use gentle side light to show the different shapes of broadleaf and conifer branches from the selected route.

Social

Tracy Creek State Forest in Broome and Tioga counties covers 512 acres. #Cre8Travel

The state assembled this public holding through purchases from several owners in 1933.

A quarter-mile boundary section follows the New York–Pennsylvania line.

The named creek flows north from near the forest toward the Susquehanna River.

Hardwood, hemlock, white pine, oak and planted conifers contribute different woodland forms.

A two-acre wetland adds another habitat setting along the southeastern boundary.

Former logging paths are unmarked and unmaintained, rather than a formal hiking network.

Choose a specific objective with the current map, and keep this Broome–Tioga property distinct from its Steuben County namesake.

Hashtags

1. #Cre8Travel
2. #NewYork
3. #WoodlandObservation
4. #LandscapeHistory

Sources & visitor information

• Source — Tracy Creek State Forest