Ferris Lake Wild Forest consists of 147,454 acres of State Forest Preserve lands located on the southwestern edge of Adirondack Park in the Towns of Salisbury and Ohio in Herkimer County; the Towns of Morehouse and Arietta in Hamilton County; and the Towns of Stratford, Caroga, Oppenheim, and Ephratah in Fulton County.

The Ferris Lake Wild Forest is roughly bounded on the north and west by NY 8, on the east by NY 10, and on the south by the Adirondack Park "Blue-Line." Surrounding nearby state lands include the Black River Wild Forest and West Canada Lake Wilderness to the north, and Shaker Mountain Wild Forest and Silver Lake Wilderness to the east.

Ferris Lake Wild Forest most distinguishing characteristic is its old growth spruce stands which still exist and can be found along the Powley-Piseco Road, the north side of Alderbed Stream, around Blind Man's Vly, and on the slopes of Big and Little Alderbed Mountains. The attractiveness of this area lies in its numerous ponds, lakes, and streams which attract sportsman and other outdoor enthusiasts throughout the year.

Cars parked at the popular Nine Corner Lake trailhead on NY 29A

The most popular hikes in this wild forest include Jockeybush Lake, Big Alderbed Lake, Potholers, Goldmine Stream Falls, Nine Corner Lake, Broomstick Lake, Sand Lake, Clockmill Pond, Spectacle Lake, Dry Lake, Dexter Lake, Third & Fourth Lakes, Good Luck Lake, Echo Cliffs on Panther Mounatin and Good Luck Mountain Cliffs.  Look for a trail map below.  There are no lean to's in this wild forest, however there are numerous of road side campsites along Powley-Piseco Road.

You'll find many of the trails in this area listed in the book Guide to Adirondack Trails: Southern Region.  This guide book is produced by the Adirondack Mountain Club.

The Ferris Lake Wild Forest is readily accessible by car, lying approximately 20 miles north of the Mohawk Valley. The Powley-Piseco Road, one of the last old Adirondack dirt roads, extends about 17 miles from NY 10 near Piseco Lake to Stratford, and cuts through the approximate center of this large, diverse, and interesting piece of Forest Preserve land. It provides the public with motor vehicle access through practically unbroken forest, quite comparable to some wilderness areas.

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