Quick Hike Description

This is an 8 mile hike rated moderate near the little town of Newark Valley. We will hike the blue trails in the forest.

There is an hour drive to Oakely Corners each way from Ithaca.

Dress in layers you can easily peel off as you heat up, wear sturdy waterproof hiking boots, bring water and lunch. We will stop briefly for lunch.

If you will need assistance navigating to the trailhead, contact the hike leader at the email address above.

Detailed Hike Description

Oakley Corners is located in rural Tioga County near the town of Newark Valley. The hike includes a route that will take us up and down along the hills and ravines in this state forest. The blue trails offer some moderate challenge with a bit of elevation change.

From the DEC website: The forest was established between 1933 and 1947 in an effort to reduce soil erosion problems, produce forest products, and provide future recreational opportunities. Most of the property was former pasture or tilled acreage that was suffering from poor agricultural practices. The DEC immediately planted this land with 837,000 pine, spruce, cedar and larch seedlings. The planting was accomplished in 1936 through the hard labor of the boys of the Civilian Conservation Corps. Today Oakley Corners State Forest is fulfilling the vision which started in 1933. Almost 100% of the area is forested, the soils have been improved, and the harvesting of forest products supports all management activities including recreation.

An alternate and conflicting narrative from researchers is that the state took title to this land, and millions of acres of other farmsteads, when farmers were most vulnerable during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Markets for farm produce, along with almost everything else, collapsed, impoverishing farmers. There was no market for sale of their farms should they choose to move. With few alternatives to generate income, they abandoned their farms. Many moved to the cities, others moved to the West in hopes of better land and a better life. As a result, thousands of farms, and millions of acres, were foreclosed upon. The federal and state governments took title to the land, and the State Forests as we know them today were created.

Coincident with these events was a push for larger, more specialized and more mechanized farms. This approach uprooted the traditional small, diverse farms that had proliferated in rural New York. But it appealed to large farm equipment manufacturers, big seed and fertilizer companies, and the land grant colleges that collaborated with them. Public policy and government action followed.

Dress in layers that you can easily peel off as you heat up, wear sturdy waterproof hiking boots, bring water and lunch.

If you need assistance navigating to the trailhead, email the hike leader at the addess above.