Oswego County’s rolling terrain and abundant snowfall offer outstanding skiing and snowshoeing opportunities. The warm waters of Lake Ontario combine with cold air masses from Canada to form lake effect snowfall — a giant snow-making machine.
From the novice to the expert, thousands of skiers are challenged by over 150 miles of trails. Some areas feature groomed trails, or skiers can blaze their own trails in rural public areas such as parks and forests.
Happy Valley Wildlife Management Area
Recreation Areas
Many of the recreation areas listed for cross-country skiing are suitable for snowshoeing. Due to grooming considerations, please avoid groomed cross-country ski and snowmobile trails.
• Amboy 4-H Environmental Center: 3 miles of ungroomed, marked trails open to the public daily, from dawn to dusk, year round. Trails may be used for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Marked snowshoe trails and rentals. No motorized vehicles. Off NYS-183, Amboy. 315-963-7286. Amboy 4H Environmental Education Center Trail Map
• Battle Island State Park: NYS-48, Fulton (Granby). 315-593-3408.
• Chateaugay State Forest: 7 miles marked trails. Co. Rte. 2, Orwell. 800-388-8244 x217. Chateaugay State Forest Map
• Fallbrook Recreation Center: Links to Rice Creek area; total 188 acres. Thompson Rd., Oswego. 315-342-2557.
• Great Bear Springs Recreational Area: City of Fulton and Town of Volney Comprised of 236 acres owned by the City of Fulton and the 78 acre Town of Volney Park.
• Happy Valley State Wildlife Management Area: 8 miles of marked trails in 8,000-acre wildlife management area. Map of Happy Valley WMA
• Littlejohn Wildlife Management Area: 18.8 miles of marked trails. Off Co. Rte. 17, Littlejohn Drive, Redfield and Boylston. 800-388-8244 x251. Map of Littlejohn State WMA
• Oswego County Nature Park at Camp Zerbe: .5 mile marked trail. Trails aren’t groomed but can still be used. NYS-104, Williamstown. 315-349-3451.
• Oswego County Recreation Trail: 26-mile groomed trail. From Maple Ave. near Fulton to NYS-49, Cleveland.
• Rice Creek Field Station at SUNY Oswego: Trails to ski, hike, or bike; watch wildlife from the indoor viewing area; see exhibits inside building. Open to the public most Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Trails open during daylight hours. Thompson Rd., Oswego. 315-312-6677
• Sandy Creek Community Park: 1.5 miles of marked trails. Off US-11, Sandy Creek.
• Selkirk Shores State Park: 4 miles of marked trails. NYS-3, Pulaski. 315-298-5737.
• Three Mile Bay Wildlife Management Area: 10 miles of trails. Off Toad Harbor Rd., West Monroe. 800-388-8244 x217. Map of Three Mile Bay/Big Bay State WMA
• Winona State Forest Recreation Area:
Winona Forest, located on the boundary of southern Jefferson County and northern Oswego County in Northern NY, is a 9,233-acre state forest that offers many recreational opportunities, including: snowmobiling, snowshoeing, hiking, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, hunting, fishing, trapping, dog sledding, bird watching and horseback riding.
Winona Forest is one of the snowiest places east of the Rockies with an average snow fall of 250 inches per year! In winter, the prevailing westerly winds move cold winter air over the warm water of Lake Ontario producing massive lake effect snow falls on the Winona Forest in the Tug Hill area.
Maintained by Winona Forest Recreation Association winonaforest.com. Contact info@winonaforest.com. Maps for trail system and event course map are on our website.
