Natural Feature: Meadow
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Beechwood State Park
Location: Sodus, NY This beautiful park is located 40 minutes east of Rochester, NY along the shore of Lake Ontario. Camp Beechwood used to be a girl scout camp and is now maintained by the town of Sodus. We parked at the gravel parking area on Gates Drive (off of Lake Road) and hiked the… Read more
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Buckland Park Outer Loop
Location: Brighton, NY This beautiful, grassy, flat path loops around a large field of goldenrod and other wild flowers. It branches off of the Buckland Park Loop near the Veterans Memorial, Historic Buckland House, and Community Garden. I did the smaller loop (about 1 mile) but there was a second loop as well that appears… Read more
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Canandaigua Vista Nature Preserve
Location: Canandaigua, NY NOTE: Canandaigua Vista Nature Preserve is open for hunting during appropriate seasons. Please use caution. This nature preserve is located 45 minutes south of Rochester, NY. There is a 1.2 mile loop with an optional 0.2 mile cut through path. When we visited, the loop was unable to be completed due to… Read more
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Corbett’s Glen Nature Park
Location: Brighton, NY This beautiful nature park is 7 minutes east of Rochester, NY. There are two entrances to the park: the parking lot on Penfield Road provides access to Corbett’s Glen North and the street parking on Glen Road provides access through the tunnel to Corbett’s Glen South. (*Park patrons must park at the… Read more
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Eva & Harlan Braman Preserve
Location: Webster, NY This Genesee Land Trust nature preserve is located 15 minutes east of Rochester, NY! We visited this trail on a gloomy November day, and even in those conditions it was very peaceful and pretty. I imagine in the spring and summer it is full of flowers, pollinators, birds and other wildlife. This… Read more
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Finn Park Nature Trail
Location: Webster, NY This beautiful nature park is located 15 minutes northeast of Rochester, NY. My hike was overall 1.3 miles long. It started with quarter mile path through a wooded area with a few small bridges and one spot with two benches that leads to a meadow. Then I hiked the ~0.75 loop around… Read more
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Ganargua Creek Meadow Preserve
Location: Macedon, NY This beautiful nature preserve has so much to offer! Wooded paths, creek views, and wildflower meadows full of butterflies make this trail great in every season. We visited this lovely nature preserve to look for wildflowers and we found a ton as well as many bumblebees and butterflies! We parked at the… Read more
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Gosnell Big Woods Preserve – Big Woods Trail
Location: Webster, NY NOTE: Gosnell Big Woods Preserve is open for hunting during the appropriate season. Read all posted signs and follow safety precautions during hunting season. This beautiful nature preserve is located 15 minutes east of Rochester, NY near the shore of Lake Ontario. The Big Woods Trail is a 0.7-mile round trip out… Read more
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Gosnell Big Woods Preserve – Meadow Trail
Location: Webster, NY NOTE: Gosnell Big Woods Preserve is open for hunting during the appropriate season. Read all posted signs and follow safety precautions during hunting season. This beautiful nature preserve is located 15 minutes east of Rochester, NY near the shore of Lake Ontario. The Meadow Trail is a 1/2 mile (round trip) loop… Read more
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Helmer Nature Center
Location: Irondequoit, NY This beautiful nature center is part of the West Irondequoit Central School District and is located 15 minutes north of Rochester, NY. There are wooded trails, meadows, wetlands, a stream, and a pond. In addition there are some bridges, benches, and a wildlife viewing area. There are a network of short trails… Read more
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Irene Gossin Nature Preserve
Location: Penfield, NY This beautiful Genesee Land Trust nature preserve is located 15 minutes east of Rochester, NY. This is such a lovely spot to walk and hike! There is a small gravel parking lot right in front of the preserve or you can park across the street at Rothfuss Park and walk over. The… Read more
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MaryFrances Bluebird Haven
Location: Victor, NY We visited this beautiful nature area on an October morning. This park is supposed to be great for birdwatching, particularly bluebirds so I look forward to returning in the spring/summer! There is a 1-mile trail around the perimeter of the park that is through low trees and then a forest area. It… Read more
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Mendon Ponds Park – North Meadow Trail
Location: Mendon/Pittsford, NY This trail located in Mendon Ponds Park, 20 minutes south of Rochester, NY. The trail is a 1.8-mile loop with some medium-sized hills and path that switches between grass, dirt, and some gravel. There are some cut through trails that can make this shorter. According to the Monroe County website: “The North… Read more
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Mendon Ponds Park – Southern Meadow Trail
Location: Mendon/Pittsford, NY This park is located 20 minutes south of Rochester, NY. This trail is an approximately 3 mile hike over gently rolling terrain but can be made shorter by using the cut through trails. The grass and dirt path takes you through beautiful woodland areas and alongside large wildflower meadows – perfect for… Read more
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Meridian Centre Park
Location: Brighton, NY This lovely park is tucked behind some office buildings 12 minutes south of Rochester, NY. This park contains meadows, wetlands, and forest areas. There is a nice playground near the parking area with a few paths to take. The paved paths around the park are stroller friendly and accessible. When the trail… Read more
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Oatka Creek Park – Bluebird Trail
Location: Scottsville (Wheatland), NY Oatka Creek Park is located 30 minutes south west of Rochester, NY. The Bluebird Trail follows the blue trail markers and connects the green/black trails and the white trail. The Bluebird Trail has some grass, bumps, and hills and I would not consider it stroller friendly. The trail goes through some… Read more
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Powder Mills Park – Daffodil Meadow
Location: Pittsford, NY This beautiful meadow of daffodils is located 15 minutes southeast of Rochester, NY in Powder Mills Park. There are two ways to reach the Daffodil Meadow. Trail Map: Trail Map; Satellite Map AllTrails: Daffodil Trail Official Website: Monroe County Parks Other Websites: Day Trips Around Rochester Read more
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Robert C. Corby Arboretum and Wildlife Sanctuary
Location: Pittsford, NY This beautiful arboretum is located 15 minutes east of Rochester, NY in Pittsford. We parked in one of the parking lots at the Old Pickle Factory and started on the Auburn Trail. We then made a left onto the Frog Pond Trail and then a quick left onto the Meadow Trail. We… Read more
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Rush Oak Openings Unique Area
Location: Rush, NY NOTE: Rush Oak Openings Unique Area is open for hunting during appropriate season. This park is located 20 minutes south of Rochester, NY. The 230-acre park features a rare plant community commonly called an “oak opening” or “oak savanna”. Rush Oak Openings is the only known intact oak opening left in New… Read more
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Salmon Creek Nature Preserve
Location: Hilton, NY This Genesee Land Trust nature preserve is located 25 minutes northwest of Rochester, NY. This preserve opened in 2022 and is adjacent to the Braddock Bay Wildlife Management Area. The preserve is located along Salmon Creek and contains a small pond. There are wooden benches and an accessible observation deck. This is… Read more
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Shadow Pines
Location: Penfield, NY This former golf course is now a hiking and walking area as well as located 10 minutes east of Rochester, NY. There are a few different areas of this large park. The map below shows the different sections (the STAR is the parking for the recreation/playground area, the SQUARE is the parking… Read more
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Sibleyville Nature Reserve
Location: Mendon / Honeoye Falls, NY This nature reserve is located 30 minutes south of Rochester, NY. There are meadows and wildflowers, beautiful wooded areas, creek access, and a prominent drumlin with wonderful views over the area. There is a trailhead at the end of Gravel Ln (it’s a large cul-de-sac) and a gravel parking… Read more
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State Road Nature Preserve
Location: Webster, NY This nature preserve is located 20 minutes east of Rochester, NY. This 84-acre preserve was created in 2019. The area consists of second growth forest, wetlands, meadows, ponds, and Four Mile Creek. We parked in the lot off of State Road and hikes the 1.1 mile Red Trail loop. It started in… Read more
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Sterling Nature Center – Eagle’s View Trail
Location: Sterling, NY This nature park is located 1.25 hours east of Rochester, NY along the shore of Lake Ontario. This hike leads to the most beautiful view of bluffs high above Lake Ontario. We parked at the end of McIntyre Road and walked the path a quarter mile to the “eagle’s view” of Lake… Read more
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Sterling Nature Center – Lakeview Trail
Location: Sterling, NY This nature park is located 1.25 hours east of Rochester, NY along the shore of Lake Ontario. The Lakeview Trail is a short, accessible stone dust path that leads from the interpretive center down to an observation deck looking out over Lake Ontario. There is also a wildflower meadow with benches. The… Read more
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Tinker Nature Park – Grounds
Location: Henrietta, NY This park is located 15 minutes south of Rochester, NY. If you park in the main parking lot, you can find some really nice spots. There are the Demonstration Gardens, beautiful wildflower meadows with benches and picnic tables, honeybee house, memorial labyrinth, Hansen Nature Center, and the Tinker Homestead and Farm Museum.… Read more
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Trillium Nature Center – Fox Trail & Hawk Watch
Location: North Java, NY This Buffalo Audubon Society nature center (formerly Beaver Meadows Nature Center) is located 1.25 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 40 minutes from Buffalo. The Fox Trail starts in the Arboretum. The path is grassy and goes through a beautiful wildflower meadow and passes small groves of evergreen trees. Branching off… Read more
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Trillium Nature Center – Grounds
Location: North Java, NY This Buffalo Audubon Society nature center (formerly Beaver Meadows Nature Center) is located 1.25 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 40 minutes from Buffalo. The outdoor areas outside of the interpretive center are really beautiful. There are wildflower meadows in late summer, informational signs, gardens with a small pond, and a… Read more