91% of Wells’ land is conserved, about 102,802 acres. The biggest trail networks: Wilcox Lake Wild Forest (22.4 mi), Siamese Ponds Wilderness (21.9 mi), Silver Lake Wilderness (12 mi). 31,281 acres are parks and preserves, 46,618 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
91%
102,802 acres · of 176.8 sq mi of land
Trails
87 mi
0.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
31,281 ac
46,618 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
88%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
3,258 ft
South Pond Mountain
Lakes & rivers
16
1 beach · 1 boat launch
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Forks Mountain Primitive Area9 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Sacandaga Primitive Area19 acres
Who protects it
102,802 conserved acres
91% of Wells’ land. Who manages Wells’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State conservation114,619 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits155 ac
Other state land35 ac
Town or city29 ac
State Wilderness · 59,624 acState Conservation Area · 30,888 acUnknown Easement · 11,992 acForest Stewardship Easement · 11,990 acState Recreation Area · 159 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 12,104 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 9 of 19 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
Parcel (PAD-US)
Managed by
Acres
Public access
Siamese Ponds Wilderness
State Wilderness
State conservation
37,620
Open
Wilcox Lake Wild Forest
State Conservation Area
State conservation
23,466
Open
Silver Lake Wilderness
State Wilderness
State conservation
22,004
Open
Jessup River Wild Forest
State Conservation Area
State conservation
7,366
Open
Sacandaga Campground
State Recreation Area
State conservation
159
Open
Charley Lake
State Conservation Area
Other state land
35
Restricted
Town Of Wells Land
Local Park
Town or city
29
Unknown
Sacandaga Primitive Area
State Conservation Area
State conservation
13
Open
Forks Mountain Primitive Area
State Conservation Area
State conservation
9
Open
Things to do
69 places to go in Wells
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Wells
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
The best walking months in Wells: 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)
27
30
39
52
65
73
77
76
69
56
43
32
Rain (in)
3.9
3.2
3.8
4.3
4.3
4.8
4.2
4.4
3.9
4.7
4.1
4.3
February is the driest month (3.2 in) and July the warmest (highs of 77 °F). 4.8 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Wells →
— not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Wells
Where can I hike in Wells?
The longest trail networks: Wilcox Lake Wild Forest, 22.4 miles; Siamese Ponds Wilderness, 21.9 miles; Silver Lake Wilderness, 12 miles; Jessup River Wild Forest, 6.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Wells’ trails?
Wilcox Lake Wild Forest and Siamese Ponds Wilderness don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Wells?
533,392 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Wells or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 91,284 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Wells neighbors.
Photo: Dclemens1971 · CC BY 4.0