Swancott Mill State Forest
Managed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
737 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Lewis
Few parks or trails are on the map in Lewis
The biggest trail networks: Swancott Mill State Forest (1.3 mi), Swancott Hill State Forest (1.1 mi). 26% of Lewis’ land is conserved, about 10,806 acres. 4,260 acres are parks and preserves, 4,666 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
26%
10,806 acres · of 64.4 sq mi of land
Trails
28 mi
0.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
4,260 ac
4,666 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
42%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
4
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Swancott Mill State Forest, with 1.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Swancott Hill State Forest
Nature preserve
573 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Lewis Forest Preserve Detached Parcel
Nature preserve
871 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Cottrell State Forest
Nature preserve
403 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
All 9 parks & preserves
Swancott Mill State Forest737 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Swancott Hill State Forest573 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
Lewis Forest Preserve Detached Parcel871 acres
Cottrell State Forest403 acres
Raywood Unique Area310 acres
Mohawk Springs State Forest274 acres
DirectionsBig Brook State Forest224 acres · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
East Branch Fish Creek State Forest78 acres
Town of Leyden Recreation Park5 acres
Who protects it
10,806 conserved acres
26% of Lewis’ land. Who manages Lewis’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State conservation16,469 ac
Town or city735 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)29 ac
County21 ac
Regional agency4 ac
Forest Stewardship Easement · 6,541 acConservation Easement · 6,458 acState Conservation Area · 3,489 acLocal Park · 735 acLocal Conservation Area · 21 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 6,548 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 4 of 20 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis Fp Detached Parcel State Conservation Area | State conservation | 881 | Open |
| Swancott Mill State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 738 | Open |
| City Of Rome Water Dept Land Local Park | Town or city | 725 | Unknown |
| Swancott Hill State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 576 | Open |
| Cottrell State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 404 | Open |
| Raywood Unique Area State Conservation Area | State conservation | 316 | Open |
| Mohawk Springs State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 276 | Open |
| Big Brook State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 225 | Open |
| East Branch Fish Creek State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 73 | Open |
| Lewis County Lands Local Conservation Area | County | 21 | Restricted |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
4 places to go in Lewis
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Lewis
1 playground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Fishing spots in Lewis
East Br Fish/Big Alder Creek Fishing Access
DirectionsFish Creek Fishing Access
DirectionsKotary Road Fishing Access
DirectionsTrails & water
4 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
3Baseball
1Basketball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Lewis: May to September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 26 | 29 | 37 | 51 | 64 | 72 | 76 | 75 | 68 | 56 | 43 | 32 |
| Rain (in) | 4.6 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 5.6 | 4.7 | 4.9 |
February is the driest month (3.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 76 °F). 5.6 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Lewis →
Next door
Lewis and its neighbors
Lewis has the second most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| West Turin | 40% | 0.2 | 6,961 | 61% | A |
| Osceola | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Ava | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Annsville | 16% | 0.1 | 2,297 | 33% | B+ |
| Florence | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Leyden | under 1% | 0.1 | 2 | 30% | D |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Lewis
Where can I hike in Lewis?
The longest trail networks: Swancott Mill State Forest, 1.3 miles; Swancott Hill State Forest, 1.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Lewis’ trails?
Swancott Mill State Forest and Swancott Hill State Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Lewis?
65,295 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Lewis or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 4,260 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Lewis neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →