A 36-year-old hiker collapsed at the top of Bald Mountain fire tower on April 18. Forest Rangers responded and administered Narcan due to suspected drug use; the hiker was evacuated via rope systems and recovered.

Forest Rangers conducted a limited search on April 18 for Tom Messick, a hunter missing since 2015, in the Town of Horicon Warren County Wilderness. The search involved three rangers and 19 LASAR volunteers and served as a training exercise for search and rescue skills.

DEC Forest Ranger and Albany Pine Bush staff conducted a controlled prescribed burn of 11.5 acres on April 18 as part of land management and habitat improvement.

Temporary trail reroutes in Bear Mountain State Park due to construction between the parking area and trailheads, expected to continue until summer 2027. Detours posted around Hessian Lake with alternative routing options provided.

Two hikers reported concerns about potential frostbite after wetting their feet while crossing a creek on Mount Marcy. Forest Rangers assessed the teenagers and found only muscle soreness, no frostbite; both were able to walk out with ranger escort.

Two hikers became overdue on the Santanoni Range on April 19 and were located by Forest Rangers in cold, wet conditions. Rangers rewarmed the subjects and assisted them back to the trailhead.

Two hikers (ages 61 and 28) became stranded on the Lillian Brook trail while attempting Macomb, South Dix, Grace, and Hough mountains on April 18. They underestimated snowy conditions and daylight and lacked headlamps; Forest Rangers located and escorted them out.

Two teenage hikers became lost off-trail in Moose River Plains Wild Forest on April 18. Forest Rangers located them in good health and escorted them to the trailhead.

A 15-year-old went underwater near Fawn's Leap in Kaaterskill Creek on April 18 and was pronounced deceased at the hospital. The incident involved multiple emergency response agencies and is under investigation.

DEC announces the return of the Adirondack Mountain Reserve parking reservation system for the 2026 season beginning April 17. The no-cost reservation system is required for parking and trail access at AMR from May 1 through October 31 to improve visitor safety and manage parking congestion along Route 73.

Two wilderness rescue incidents in early April involving a hiker who fell 50 feet down a gully in High Tor Wildlife Management Area and a lost hiker found in a swamp near Raquette Lake. Both subjects were safely located and assisted by Forest Rangers.

A 0.1-acre wildland fire caused by debris burning was reported on Elk Creek Road in Delhi, Delaware County on April 10; the landowner was issued a ticket for violating New York's statewide burn ban.

A 4.3-acre brush fire in the Town of Northumberland, Saratoga County was reported on April 9 and contained by 7:45 p.m. with assistance from DEC Forest Rangers and local fire departments.

A 0.5-acre grass fire caused by a fallen tree on a powerline in Fort Ann was reported on April 9 and extinguished within two hours.

Forest Rangers and local fire departments responded to and contained a 4.1-acre wildland fire in Unadilla, Otsego County on April 9, caused by downed power lines spreading to leaf litter.

DEC Forest Rangers conducted a series of prescribed burns across multiple state forests and preserves in April 2026 to improve wildlife habitat and reduce invasive species. The controlled burns totaled approximately 488 acres across six locations including Otis Pike Pine Barrens, Albany Pine Bush, Long Pond State Forest, Cameron Mills State Forest, and Mashomack Preserve.

Three hikers became lost and unprepared for weather conditions on Haystack Mountain and required assistance from Forest Rangers to return to the trail. Rangers provided food and water and advised checking weather forecasts before hiking.

A section of the Highlands Trail in Byram, New Jersey will be closed from July 2026 to July 2027 for EPA cleanup work at the Mansfield Dump Superfund site. No detour is planned; hikers are advised not to trespass and to either bypass the section or wait for reopening.

A 16-year-old jumped from a train trestle into the Hoosick River and was rescued by Forest Ranger Jackson and other emergency responders after becoming stranded on a rock upstream from a waterfall. The subject was extracted using rescue equipment and transported to Albany Medical Center with a lower leg injury.

Two overdue hikers in the Town of Hunter were located safely at Echo Lake lean-to on March 31; the delay resulted from a miscommunication about trip duration with the reporting party.

DEC Forest Rangers conducted prescribed burns totaling 87 acres across two locations in Dutchess and Chenango Counties on March 30 to manage grassland habitat and reduce invasive species.

DEC announces 2026 spring turkey hunting season in Suffolk County (May 1–31), with Youth Turkey Season April 25–26. Reservations for state-managed lands now use an online system through ReserveAmerica on a first-come, first-served basis.

DEC announces temporary closure of Stony Creek Fishing Access Site in Jefferson County beginning April 6, 2026 due to a DOT bridge replacement project on State Route 3. Full public access is expected to resume in late summer 2026.

DEC announces temporary closure of Severne Point Boat Launch Access Site on Seneca Lake due to high water levels from recent weather.

First-person account of a bushwhack ascent of Nippletop via Walker Brook on April 7, 2026, involving a waist-deep cold river crossing, deep snow with supportive conditions, significant cliff-finding challenges in the col between the two summits, and exposed icy terrain near the summit with strong winds.

A 37-year-old hiker became exhausted on the Slide-Cornell-Wittenberg Trail in the Catskills on April 5 after underestimating the difficulty of the route amid heavy rain and fog. Forest Rangers provided assistance, hydration, food, and guided the hiker to the trailhead.

DEC released visitor use management reports for the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness and Kaaterskill Clove examining impacts from increasing visitation, crowding, and trail degradation. Public feedback is being solicited through June 1, 2026, with virtual public meetings scheduled for April 22 and 29, 2026.

Trail maintenance work was completed on Lost Clove trail in fall 2019, including clearing blowdown, pruning overgrown vegetation, and removing debris. The trail is a steep, underutilized woods road suitable for backcountry skiing and offers alternate access to Balsam Mountain.

A 15-mile, 3,600-foot elevation gain route up Mount Marcy via Van Hoevenberg Trail featuring long forest sections with multiple junctions, stream crossings, and a broad, exposed summit with 360° views. The hike is demanding but non-technical, requiring careful route-finding on the descent.

The MacIntyre Range is a striking ridge chain west of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack High Peaks, featuring Wright Peak, Algonquin Peak, Iroquois Peak, and Mount Marshall. The classic traverse spans roughly 12 miles and offers steep alpine terrain with panoramic views, suitable late June through early October, with conditions that can change rapidly even in summer.

Breakneck Ridge, Wilkinson Memorial, and Lower Brook trailheads in the Hudson Highlands remain closed until mid-2027 due to the Breakneck Connector and Bridge construction project that began in April 2025.

Forest Ranger responded to a grass fire in Little Valley caused by burning wood and rubbish; fire departments extinguished the 0.1-acre fire and the property owner was cited for failure to clear adequate clearance from the fire.

A 1.5-acre wildland fire near railroad tracks in Town of Reading, Schuyler County was started by a train spark and extinguished by multiple fire departments on March 25.

DEC Forest Rangers conducted a controlled prescribed burn of 18 acres at Albany Pine Bush on March 25 as part of land management to reduce invasive species and fuel buildup.

DEC announces an immediate temporary closure of the Fishing Pier at Crown Point Campground due to structural damage to the pier roof. The closure may continue through the 2026 season while structural evaluation and repairs are underway.

The New York State DEC announced $5.1 million in grants across 51 projects statewide to control invasive species and restore damaged habitats, supporting ecosystem health and community wellbeing through prevention, detection, management, and restoration efforts.

A hiker sustained a lower leg injury on Devil's Path Trail in the Indian Head Wilderness and was rescued by a Forest Ranger on March 29 at 8:30 p.m. The ranger located the hiker near the Platte Clove Road trailhead and transported them to their vehicle for medical attention.

First-person hike on Table, Peekamoose, and Lone on March 28, 2026, with crusty supportive snow and ice in shaded areas. Route-finding was challenging on the descent to Lone due to remaining snowpack obscuring the trail, requiring GPS and compass navigation. The return route from Lone down to the Neversink was also faint with intermittent snow cover and fallen leaves obscuring the path.

Hiker ascended Sentinel Mountain via Liscomb Brook and a bushwhack up steep slopes to 3250 feet on March 28, 2026, encountering 2–5 feet of snow, supportive crust, extensive blowdown, and tight spruce growth near the final cone before turning back. The return descent via tracked route was uneventful.

DEC announcement of the April 1 start of New York's spring trout fishing season, including stocking information and resources for anglers.

DEC announces the start of prescribed fire season from March through early May 2026, with planned burns across eight regions of New York State to reduce fuel loads, prevent wildfires, and achieve ecological management goals.

DEC announces that upstate New York drought regions (II-VIII) have returned to "Normal" status after recent precipitation and snowmelt improved stream flows and groundwater levels. Long Island remains in Drought Watch, and DEC continues to encourage water conservation statewide.

DEC and Orange County Water Authority announced the acquisition of a 13.5-acre conservation easement in the Brown's Pond watershed to protect the drinking water supply for Newburgh. The protected forested land will filter pollutants and prevent contaminant sources from entering the water supply.

DEC announces record-breaking 2025 bear harvest estimates across New York State, with 1,759 bears harvested statewide, including a new Southern Zone record of 1,202 bears. The report highlights bear population recovery and range expansion, noting that bears now occupy most areas of the state including the Adirondacks and Catskills.

DEC announces start of wetland enhancement construction at Lakeview Wildlife Management Area in Jefferson County; temporary restricted access to portions of the area during construction, which is expected to be completed in early 2026.

A comprehensive winter snowshoe guide to Red Hill Fire Tower via Denning Road, describing a moderate 4-mile round-trip climb through open hardwood forest with deep snow cover and fire tower views of nearby Catskills peaks. The final steep section to the summit requires crampons or microspikes due to icy tower stairs and snow-covered rocky terrain.

Two hikers completed a winter ascent of Giant and Rocky Peak Ridge on March 21, 2026, finding unexpectedly limited snowpack, bare patches, and mostly cloudy views. Microspikes sufficed for most of the day, though crampons were required or strongly preferred for the steep ascent and descent of the "problem ledge" on the way back up Giant. Afternoon warming and stream flow created increasingly slushy conditions on the lower trail.

DEC is closing seasonal access roads and gates in upstate New York regions due to spring mud season and damage from motor vehicle use. High water and muddy trail conditions present hazards for backcountry recreation, and a Recreational Use Advisory remains in effect.

Four hikers became lost on Blackhead Mountain on March 20 and were rescued by Forest Rangers and volunteers after becoming cold, wet, and disoriented. The group was assisted down the Escarpment Trail and provided emergency supplies before reaching the trailhead.

DEC has announced a temporary closure of Gordon Pond and its campsites in the Hickok Brook Multiple Use Area in Sullivan County due to safety repairs to Gordon Dam, which may last through the end of 2026. Fishing and boating will not be possible during construction. The rest of the property remains open.