BOYLSTON, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recently announced the completion of the Little Sandy Creek Bridge — a 110-foot structure that extends over Little Sandy Creek in the Winona State Forest. The newly constructed bridge, located in the town of Boylston in Oswego County, is part of the new […]
BOYLSTON, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recently announced the completion of the Little Sandy Creek Bridge — a 110-foot structure that extends over Little Sandy Creek in the Winona State Forest.
The newly constructed bridge, located in the town of Boylston in Oswego County, is part of the new one-mile Little Sandy Creek Trail, completed this fall in partnership with the Winona Forest Recreation Association (WFRA).
“In the region and across the state, DEC continues its commitment to connect more New York families and visitors to the great outdoors,” DEC Region 6 Director Randall Young said in a release. “By investing in strategic infrastructure projects like the Little Sandy Creek bridge and trail improvements in Winona State Forest, DEC is increasing access to year-round recreation opportunities for all outdoor enthusiasts.”
The bridge will boost recreational access in the Winona State Forest, particularly its attractiveness for competitive races that draw participants from across the country.
“The Little Sandy Creek bridge construction is one critical component to the larger ‘event loop expansion’ project, which will provide recreational users, as well as event participants, one of the longest course loops available, about 25K. This makes Winona events a standout in the recreational event community,” WFRA President Matt Westerlund said. “Our events are world class, and are becoming more widely known across the USA and beyond. The bridge allows for a connection to areas underutilized, and logistically impossible to reach without the bridge. It is a game changer for us.”
The new Little Sandy Creek Trail connects the existing Winona Way trail to the Bargy Road trail. The network continues on to the newly added Stinson Creek Trail, leading to the Raspberry Trail. The new trail segments were constructed by DEC Operations staff and volunteers from WFRA, the department said.
The 9,233-acre Winona State Forest is located in southern Jefferson County and northern Oswego County on the western edge of the Tug Hill Plateau. The forest includes 31.1 miles of cross-country ski trails, 8.7 miles of snowmobile trails, and 9.9 miles of forest roads.
Winona State Forest’s trails and forest-access roads provide opportunities for hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, biking, and snowmobiling. The forest also attracts hunters, birders, and those who simply enjoy being outdoors. Events include the Tug Hill Tourathon ski race, Tug Hill Challenge Sled Dog Race, snowshoe races, fat-tire bike races, and trail-running events, among others.
The Little Sandy Creek Bridge project was funded with about $56,000 from NY Works and is part of the DEC’s Adventure NY Initiative to connect New Yorkers with the outdoors.
