Consisting of 1,289 acres, Yellow Barn State Forest was purchased by NYS in 1956. The land primarily came from 12 separate old farms which had been abandoned in the 1930s due to the great depression and general poor quality of soil in the area. The main trail is a maintained snowmobile track that runs through the center of the forest, but hiking on it and in the rest of the forest (unless specified by sign) is permitted.