Tug Hill Commission
The Tug Hill Region lies between Lake Ontario and
the Adirondacks. Larger than the states of Delaware or
Rhode Island, its 2,100 square miles comprise one of the
most rural and remote sections of New York State and
the Northeast. A scattering of public lands covers a tenth
of the region, with most of that land used extensively for
timber production, hunting, and recreation. The rest is
privately owned forest, farms, and homes, all of it working
land that supports the region’s way of life.
Tug Hill’s total population is just over 100,000, twothirds
of which is concentrated in villages around its edge.
Its densely forested core of about 800 square miles is
among New York’s most remote areas, with a population
of just a few thousand and few public roads.