Two hikers were lost in Bluestone Wild Forest in Ulster County on May 16. A Forest Ranger made phone contact, instructed them to remain in place, and successfully located and escorted them out with water provided.

On May 13, a 47-year-old lost hiker was found one mile down the Street and Nye Mountain trail near Indian Pass Brook and was safely escorted back by Forest Rangers. On May 15, a 63-year-old angler was injured (left ankle) while wading at Neversink River Unique Area and was rescued by rangers and fire department personnel.

On May 12, Forest Rangers assisted with a 2-acre brush fire in Warrensburg that damaged a structure and was contained by 8:35 p.m.

Two incidents involving DEC Forest Rangers: a water recovery operation for a missing kayaker in the Schroon River (May 10-11) and a wilderness rescue for a hiker injured on Quick Lake trail in Willowemoc Wild Forest (May 12).

Forest Rangers responded to a 0.25-acre brush fire on private property in Corinth caused by improperly disposed stove ashes, which was quickly contained.

On May 21, a 53-year-old climber fell 30 feet from the Arrow Wall at Mohonk Preserve in the Town of Gardiner, Ulster County, suffering spine and pelvis injuries. A rope rescue was required to evacuate the climber from a steep slope above rocky terrain, with the patient ultimately transported to MidHudson Regional Hospital.

First-person account of a challenging traverse of three Sawtooth peaks (8, 7, and 1) with difficult bushwhacking between peaks 7 and 1 taking 3 hours to cover approximately one mile. Woods conditions have become more overgrown and chaotic in the 11 years since the author last hiked the traverse, with increased blowdown and loss of views from the summits.

A person from Brooklyn became stuck in a crevice 400 feet into Merlin's Cave in Columbia County on May 17. Forest Rangers and National Cave Rescue Commission members worked for six hours to free the subject, who was wedged by the rib cage and pelvis and experiencing early hypothermia.

First-person bushwhack ascent of Halcott Mountain via Shaft Road and an old road up the ridge, with descent via a herd path south of the standard ravine route. Route features steep terrain, cliff bands, prickers, and historic structures; best attempted in winter or early spring.

First-person trip report from May 16, 2026 hiking Big Range and Cross Mountain in the Speculator area. Trail conditions included abundant blowdown and mud in early sections, improving to quieter footpaths; black flies were active in the col between peaks. Summits were unremarkable with open ledges providing views south and west.

Route guide for the Catskill 6 traverse covering Friday, Balsam Cap, Rocky, Lone, Table, and Peekamoose peaks. The hike involves 4,000 feet of elevation gain over 10-12 hours, with an unrelenting 2,400-foot climb on Friday Mountain followed by tricky off-trail navigation through remote bushwhack sections and a long descent.

On May 15, three subjects capsized in a canoe and kayak at Lincoln Pond; two were rescued and treated for hypothermia, while the third subject, a 30-year-old from Syracuse, was recovered deceased.

DEC announces a final Recreation Management Plan for three Hamilton County conservation easement tracts (Speculator Tree Farm, Perkins Clearing, and Burnham Mountain) totaling 38,233 acres, detailing recreational access including snowmobiling, hiking, camping, and paddling alongside sustainable forest management practices.

DEC announces temporary closure of Hamlin Marsh Wildlife Management Area trail in Onondaga County following fire damage to a boardwalk and viewing blind on May 13. Trail will reopen after debris cleanup and investigation completion, expected in a few days.

A trail guide describing the Black Mountain Loop near Lake George, noting the forgiving ascent and more complex descent with navigation challenges. The hike offers excellent summit views overlooking Lake George and pleasant forest walking, with tricky route-finding through intersecting trails on the descent.

Forest Rangers and local fire departments responded to and controlled a 2.4-acre brush fire on Lincoln Pond Road in Elizabethtown on April 29. The fire damaged a bus on the property and was caused by illegal burning of garbage.

Forest Rangers and multiple fire departments responded to a brush fire in Cambridge, Washington County on April 29, containing it to 0.8 acre. One shed and four vehicles were damaged; charges for illegal debris burning were filed.

A 46-year-old who had been missing for two days was located deceased in a creek in Tioga County on April 30, following a multi-agency search effort involving state police, forest rangers, and environmental conservation officers.

Forest Rangers responded to a brush fire in Queensbury, Warren County on April 28 that damaged structures including a child's playhouse. The fire was contained to 0.5 acres by multiple fire departments, and a ticket was issued for leaving a fire unattended.

An 11-year-old hiker on the Escarpment Trail became lethargic due to dehydration on May 10 and required rescue assistance to reach the trailhead.

Two hikers became lost off-trail in the area between the Brothers and Phelps trails/Cold Brook Pass on May 9 after a dropped 911 call. They were located by Lake Colden Caretaker and assisted to shelter, then escorted out via Marcy Dam Outpost to the South Meadows trailhead.

Assistant Forest Ranger Brendan Jackson, 42, died at a remote campsite in the Adirondacks in June 2025 and was found at Duck Hole along the Northville-Placid Trail. Following his death, the DEC has implemented significant policy reforms requiring assistant rangers to work day shifts from trailheads with mandatory check-ins and prohibiting overnight camping with DEC equipment.

DEC announces water system maintenance at Sugar Hill Recreation Area in Schuyler County ahead of the May 18, 2026 season opening; potable water and restroom services will be unavailable for an indeterminate period, though accessible portable restrooms will be provided.

DEC and Peconic Land Trust completed trail realignment, habitat restoration, and waterfront access improvements at the 100-acre Broad Cove Preserve in Suffolk County. The work included removing invasive species, planting native vegetation, creating new trail segments, and installing observation areas to enhance visitor experience and wildlife habitat.

A DEC press release summarizing 2025 law enforcement activities and reporting recent illegal burn violations in Ulster and Sullivan counties during fire season (March 16 – May 14 burn ban period).

A 3-year-old child and family dog went missing from a residential area in Allegany County on May 8. Forest Rangers and emergency responders coordinated a search, and the child was found 1.4 miles away in a field after about two hours.

DEC announces temporary closure of Big Otter Lake Road to motorized vehicles due to spring washout damage; road remains open for non-motorized use with caution advised.

DEC announces temporary closure of the Braddock Bay Wildlife Management Area parking lot from May 10–16, 2026 for a paving project to improve parking conditions.

On April 26 at 6:45 p.m., 11 Forest Rangers and local firefighters responded to five separate fires along Route 8 and Route 28 in Johnsburg, Warren County. One shed was burned but no structures were endangered; fires were contained by 9:15 p.m. The cause was material ejected from a faulty catalytic converter.

Forest Rangers responded to a 0.5-acre wildland fire on Windfall Road in the Town of Wells on April 26 and quickly contained it, issuing a burn ban-related citation.

Forest Rangers and multiple fire departments responded to an 11-acre brush fire near Marmon Road in Lewis County on April 24, 2024. The fire was controlled by 9:45 p.m.

Solo hike of Whiteface on May 2 in wet conditions; light rain and drizzle at lower elevation, transitioning to wet snow above 700m elevation, with heavy brush dripping water. Slippery snow-covered rocks on descent, with graupel storms encountered on the way back down and at Whiteface Landing, but mostly dry by return to parking area.

On April 26, DEC Forest Rangers and local firefighters responded to and contained five wildland fires in Johnsburg sparked by material from a faulty catalytic converter; one shed was destroyed but no other structures were threatened.

Forest Rangers assisted local fire departments in containing an 11-acre wildland fire in McDonough State Forest on April 24. The fire, caused by a downed power line, was brought under control within approximately 2.5 hours.

A wildland fire burned approximately 11 acres near Marmon Road in the Town of Lyonsdale, Lewis County on April 24, 2026. Forest Rangers and multiple fire departments responded and controlled the fire by 9:45 p.m.

Forest Ranger Laymon responded to a wildland fire along County Highway 40 in Worcester, Otsego County on April 23. Fire departments contained the fire to three acres, with the landowner facing charges for conducting an unauthorized prescribed burn.

DEC Forest Ranger conducted Earth Day public outreach on wildfire dangers and spring fire risk. Residential brush burning is prohibited statewide from March 16 through May 14.

DEC Forest Rangers conducted multiple prescribed fire operations across New York State from April 20–27, totaling over 580 acres across wildlife management areas and state forests to reduce invasive species and wildfire risk.

A solo backcountry hike in the MacIntyre West tract near Newcomb exploring Lake Andrew and two unnamed peaks (approximately 2800' and 3100') on a dry, leaf-off day in early May. Conditions were dry and pleasant with minimal trail obstacles beyond some overgrown sections and scrambling on the steep south slope of Mount Andrew.

DEC announces temporary closure of Carncross Road to Howland Island at Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area due to flood-stage water from continued precipitation events. Alternative access to Howland Island is available by boat only.

Solo bushwhack ascent of Sentinel Mountain via an off-trail route from Bartlett Road with significant blowdown and cliff navigation challenges. Descent route-finding involved compass/phone navigation in whiteout conditions to find an open descent corridor avoiding cliffs and dense woods.

A hiker on Wittenberg Mountain had an allergic reaction to tree nuts in their trail mix on April 27, developing hives and swollen lips. Forest Rangers responded and escorted the hiker to the trailhead where EMS evaluated them; symptoms had subsided and further treatment was refused.

A bushwhack loop up Windham High Peak starting from Big Hollow Road, crossing old logging roads and first-growth forest, connecting to the Escarpment Trail for the final push to the summit, and returning via a different descent bushwhack. The hike emphasized forest history and first-growth forest mapping during the ascent and descent.

DEC Forest Rangers responded to a 0.5-acre wildland fire on Windfall Road in Wells, Hamilton County on April 26. Fire crews contained the fire and issued a citation related to the burn ban.

DEC and Hudson River Valley Greenway completed paving improvements on a 9.5-mile section of the Albany-Hudson Electric Trail in Columbia County, replacing stone dust with asphalt to address erosion and improve trail safety and resilience. The project was funded by the Environmental Bond Act and completed in June 2025 with additional drainage improvements finished in October.

Forest Rangers responded to a 2-acre wildland fire in Dunham Bay Marsh on April 23, bringing it under control by 8:30 p.m. The cause is under investigation.

Forest Rangers responded to a report of a subject stranded on Watch Island with a canoe who had already capsized once in cold water. Rangers used a motorboat to rescue the subject and their dog.

Forest Rangers and volunteers conducted a search operation on April 18 for a missing hunter, using the search as an opportunity to train and improve rescue skills.

Two teen hikers in the Moose River Plains Wild Forest called for rescue on April 18 due to frostbite concerns but were located by Forest Rangers in good health and safely escorted to the trailhead.

Two Forest Rangers rescued a subject and their dog from Watch Island on April 18 after they capsized in cold water while canoeing and were stranded.