California Hill State Forest
Directions
Take the Pudding Street exit off the Taconic State Parkway, heading east. Note: from the southbound Taconic Parkway, this is a left exit. There are 3 places to access the park:
- Pudding Street parking: there is signed, roadside parking on the right side of Pudding Street, 1.4 miles from the Taconic Parkway. Note: Be sure to bear right 0.2 mile from the Taconic Parkway to stay on Pudding Street.
- Waywayanda Lake parking: From the Taconic Parkway, proceed east on Pudding Street for 2 miles, turn right on Wawayanda Court, and follow it for about a mile to its end. Parking area and boat launch, 4 car capacity -- GPS Coordinates: 41.437222, -73.782889
- Gordon Road parking:
From the Taconic Parkway, proceed east on Pudding Street for 2.9 miles; turn right on Gordon Road, and proceed for 0.6 mile to the signed entrance on the right. Parking area, 5 car capacity -- GPS Coordinates: 41.442719, -73.765199
From the east, the park can be accessed from NY 301 and County Route 21/Peekskill Hollow Rd in Kent.
- Pudding Street and Wawayanda Court. parking: From NY 301, proceed south for 0.1 mile on Rt. 21/Peekskill Hollow Rd.; turn right on Richardsville Rd. Go .5 miles and turn left on Pudding Street. Waywayanda Court is a left turn 1.5 miles down Pudding Strreet. The signed roadside Pudding Street parking is on the left 2.2 miles down Pudding Street from Richardsville Road.
- Gordon Road parking: From NY 301, go south 1.4 miles on Rt. 21/Peekskill Hollow Rd. and turn right on Gordon Road. The signed entrance to the park is 0.6 mile on the left.
Park Overview
Bring your compass and/or GPS skills to this undeveloped land with a few rudimentary trails. At the end of Waywayanda Court there is a launch for cartop boats onto shallow, marshy Waywayanda Lake.
Trail Overview
There are roughly 2 miles of multi-use trails and woods roads in the forest, none blazed. Hunting is a major activity, so be aware of hunting seasons.
Use the Web Map link on this site to view a trail map.
Park Description
In 2004, New York State purchased a 617-acre parcel in Putnam County which contained most of the 90-acre Waywayanda Lake, and in 2007 it bought land that made the former Pudding Street, Gordon Road and California Hill Multiple Use Areas one contiguous open space. Today, these three areas have been combined to form the 980-acre California Hill State Forest, devoted to sustainable forest management, recreation, watershed protection and the enhancement and protection of natural resources.