McDonough State Forest
Managed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
5,091 acres9.6 mi of trail
Finger Lakes TrailKopac Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in McDonough
Few parks or trails are on the map in McDonough
The biggest trail networks: McDonough State Forest (9.6 mi), Bowman Lake State Park (3.1 mi). 33% of McDonough’s land is conserved, about 8,283 acres. 8,305 acres are parks and preserves, 8,779 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
33%
8,283 acres · of 39.0 sq mi of land
Trails
19 mi
0.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
8,305 ac
8,779 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
86%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
1,617 ft
Meeker Hill
Lakes & rivers
4
1 beach
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 McDonough State Forest, with 9.6 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Bowman Lake State Park
Managed by New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
596 acres3.1 mi of trail
Kopac TrailFinger Lakes TrailLake Loop
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Genegantslet State Forest
Managed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
1,183 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Ludlow Creek State Forest
Managed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
427 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
All 6 parks & preserves
McDonough State Forest5,091 acres · 9.6 mi of trail · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Bowman Lake State Park596 acres · 3.1 mi of trail · New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
DirectionsGenegantslet State Forest1,183 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Ludlow Creek State Forest427 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Balsam Swamp State Forest370 acres · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Five Streams State Forest237 acres · New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Who protects it
8,283 conserved acres
33% of McDonough’s land. Who manages McDonough’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State conservation7,454 ac
State parks915 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)42 ac
Town or city3 ac
State Conservation Area · 7,453 acState Park · 915 acConservation Easement · 42 acLocal Park · 3 acState Other or Unknown · 1 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 42 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 3 of 10 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mcdonough State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 5,213 | Open |
| Genegantslet State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 1,193 | Open |
| Bowman Lake State Park State Park | State parks | 915 | Open |
| Ludlow Creek State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 432 | Open |
| Balsam Swamp State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 374 | Open |
| Five Streams State Forest State Conservation Area | State conservation | 240 | Open |
| Town Of Mcdonough Land Local Park | Town or city | 2 | Unknown |
| Berry Hill Radio Facility State Other or Unknown | State conservation | 1 | Unknown |
| Town Lot Land Local Park | Town or city | 1 | Unknown |
Things to do
7 places to go in McDonough
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in McDonough
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in McDonough
1 playground without a name on the map.
Fishing spots in McDonough
Genegantslet Creek Fishing Access
DirectionsPeaks in McDonough
Meeker Hill1,617 ft elevation
DirectionsKeater Hill1,532 ft elevation
DirectionsPurdy Hill1,450 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in McDonough
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Trails & water
7 named trails and 4 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 11.6 mi
Finger Lakes Trail3.4 mi
Kopac Trail2.9 mi
Burpee (Orange) Trail0.9 mi
Lake Loop0.7 mi
Brant (Yellow) Trail0.5 mi
Blue Trail0.1 mi
Pink Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
Calvary Epsicopal ChurchBuilding · listed 1998
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in McDonough: May and 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) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 30 | 32 | 41 | 54 | 66 | 75 | 79 | 77 | 70 | 58 | 45 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 3.2 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 3.7 |
February is the driest month (2.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 4.9 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in McDonough →
Next door
McDonough and its neighbors
McDonough has the most mapped trails of the 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonough | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Pharsalia | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Preston | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| German | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Smithville | 26% | 0.2 | 5,471 | 56% | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in McDonough
Where can I hike in McDonough?
The longest trail networks: McDonough State Forest, 9.6 miles; Bowman Lake State Park, 3.1 miles; Genegantslet State Forest, 0.4 miles; Ludlow Creek State Forest, 0.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on McDonough’s trails?
McDonough State Forest and Bowman Lake State Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near McDonough?
63,768 acres of parks and open public land lie inside McDonough or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 8,305 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from McDonough 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 →