McDonough State Forest
Managed by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
1,653 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Photo: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY · CC BY-SA 2.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Preston
Few parks or trails are on the map in Preston
9% of Preston’s land is conserved, about 2,025 acres. 1,885 acres are parks and preserves, 2,202 per 1,000 residents. 1.4 miles of mapped trail cross Preston.
Conserved land
9%
2,025 acres · of 34.7 sq mi of land
Trails
1.4 mi
0.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,885 ac
2,202 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
19%
of residents within ½ mile
Lakes & rivers
3
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
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
2 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Who protects it
2,025 conserved acres
9% of Preston’s land. Who manages Preston’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State conservation1,665 ac
State parks215 ac
County152 ac
State Conservation Area · 1,665 acState Park · 215 acLocal Conservation Area · 152 acLocal Park · 1 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 4 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 | 1,665 | Open |
| Bowman Lake State Park State Park | State parks | 215 | Open |
| Chenango County Lands Local Conservation Area | County | 152 | Restricted |
| Chenango County Land Local Park | County | 1 | Unknown |
Trails & water
3 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
The best walking months in Preston: 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 | 67 | 75 | 79 | 77 | 70 | 58 | 45 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 3.2 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.6 |
February is the driest month (2.7 in) and July the warmest (highs of 79 °F). 4.8 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Preston →
Next door
Preston and its neighbors
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preston | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Norwich | 1% | 0.1 | 105 | 31% | C+ |
| Plymouth | 14% | 0.1 | 2,773 | 26% | B |
| McDonough | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Oxford | 8% | 0.2 | 769 | 55% | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Preston
Are dogs allowed on Preston’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 Preston?
59,198 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Preston or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,885 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Preston 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 →