Path Type: Grass Path
-
Abraham Lincoln Park – Blue Trail
Location: Penfield, NY Abraham Lincoln Park (formerly Bay Park East) is located 10 minutes east of Rochester, NY. The Blue Trail has a small loop, a branch to Smith Road, and a longer loop. I parked in one of the parking spaces across from the Smith Road Community Residence building and hiked the small loop,… Read more
-
Abraham Lincoln Park – Play Area
Location: Penfield, NY Abraham Lincoln Park (formerly Bay Park East) is located 10 minutes east of Rochester, NY. This is one of our favorite play areas in the area! There is a traditional playground next to the parking lot, but down the hill is a newly renovated natural log play area. There is a small log… Read more
-
Audubon Community Nature Center – Arboretum
Location: Jamestown, NY This nature center is located 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo, NY. One great spot in this nature center is the arboretum with 60 native trees! There are winding grass paths through the arboretum with small signs to identify each tree. Dogs are NOT allowed at… Read more
-
Audubon Community Nature Center – Big Pond Trail
Location: Jamestown, NY This nature center is located 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo, NY. The Big Pond Trail is a 2 mile long loop trail blazed with yellow triangles and takes you through fields, forests and wetlands. This trail shares sections with the Overlook Trail and the Spatterdock… Read more
-
Audubon Community Nature Center – Outdoor Areas
Location: Jamestown, NY This nature center is located 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo, NY. There are several hiking trails as well as hands-on activities inside of the nature center. There are also some beautiful spots to visit just outside of the nature center building, including a birds of… Read more
-
Audubon Community Nature Center – Overlook Trail
Location: Jamestown, NY This nature center is located 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo, NY. The Overlook Trail is a 0.6 mile long loop blazed with blue circles. The paved, stroller-friendly section of Overlook Trail takes you past ponds to the Blue Heron Overlook. The rest of the trail… Read more
-
Audubon Community Nature Center – Spatterdock Trail
Location: Jamestown, NY This nature center is located 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo, NY. The Spatterdock Trail is a 1 mile loop trail blazed with orange squares. The trail passes by ponds, goes through both hemlock and hardwood forests, and leads to a photo blind and a side… Read more
-
B. Forman Park
Location: Pultneyville, NY (Williamson) There are two playgrounds, one traditional and one with some fun features as well as a storybook walk! There are a couple gravel paths that lead down to the water, but to walk along the water there is only grass. There are many benches, grills, and beautiful views of Lake Ontario.… Read more
-
Beatty Point Trails
Location: Greece, NY NOTE: Hunting is allowed at this site; check with DEC for hunting season dates. This trail is located 20 minutes northwest of Rochester, NY near the shore of Lake Ontario. This hiking area is located in the town of Greece open space, surrounded by the Braddock Bay Wildlife Management Area. The hike… Read more
-
Bicentennial Trail
Location: Pultneyville/Williamson, NY This lovely 0.8-mile hiking trail is located 35 minutes east of Rochester, NY near the shore of Lake Ontario. We parked in the small parking lot right near the fence to the water treatment facility. There are a couple signs and arrows showing the way to the trail across the road. The… Read more
-
Black Creek Park – Fairy House Trail
Location: North Chili, NY It was difficult to find information on this Fairy House Trail located 20 minutes west of Rochester, NY. This short trail starts with a small pine tree grove and then goes a short ways down a narrow dirt path. The trail has a handful of small fairy houses on the ground… Read more
-
Blue Cut Nature Center
Location: Lyons, NY This beautiful hiking area is located 45 minutes east of Rochester, NY. We parked at the parking lot near the restrooms and picnic area then walked along the line of evergreen trees and past the field to the next pavilion and picnic area. According to the official website there are several trails… Read more
-
Braddock Bay – Marina Trail
Location: Greece, NY This trail begins near the marina at Braddock Bay and goes past several small beaches along the shore of Lake Ontario. There is an informational sign and bench at the start of the trail. The trail is short (about a half mile each way). We saw swans and heard many different types… Read more
-
Brookdale Preserve
Location: Chili, NY This Genesee Land Trust nature preserve is located 18 minutes southwest of Rochester, NY. According to their website, Brookdale Preserve ” contains wooded wetlands, an open wet-meadow, and hardwood uplands. The Preserve is home to a Floodplain forest which is a rare ecological community in New York State and one of the… Read more
-
Browncroft Rose Garden Park
Location: Rochester, NY This small corner park is located at the intersection of Merchants Road and Browncroft Blvd in the city of Rochester. While there are no paths in the park, there is a grassy area to walk around or sit on a bench and enjoy the varieties of roses and other plants. There are… Read more
-
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
-
Burroughs Audubon Nature Club Sanctuary
Location: Victor, NY This beautiful trail network is located 20 minutes southeast of Rochester, NY. This sanctuary is private property belonging to the Burroughs Audubon Nature Club (BANC). Members may use the trails without a fee. Non-members may also use the trails but should donate to contribute to trail maintenance. The trails pass through woodlands… Read more
-
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
-
Canawaugus Park
Location: Scottsville, NY We really enjoyed this peaceful park about 25 minutes southwest of Rochester, NY. It is located along Oatka Creek. in Scottsville. There were two benches overlooking the creek at the “Oatka Overlook”. There is a bridge, known as the “George Bridge”, more benches, picnic tables, and a grassy field. From Canawaugus Park,… Read more
-
Chili Nature Trail
Location: Chili, NY We really enjoyed the Chili Nature Trail at the Town of Chili Nature Area, located 20 minutes west of Rochester. It was a nice 1-mile loop trail with grassy paths. There were also some inner cutoff trails that you could take – we used AllTrails to make sure we stayed in the… Read more
-
Cornwall Preserve – Cass Meadow Trail
Location: Williamson, NY This Genesee Land Trust nature preserve is located 30 minutes east of Rochester, NY on the shore of Lake Ontario. We parked at the trailhead on Lake Road and walked about 0.4 mile on the Cass Meadow Trail to the Lake Bluff Trail and enjoyed beautiful views of the lake and informational… Read more
-
Durand Eastman Park – Arboretum
Location: Rochester, NY The beautiful arboretum at Durand Eastman Park is located within the city of Rochester, NY near the shore of Lake Ontario. The arboretum extends between Zoo Road, Pine Valley Road, and Sweet Fern Road. There are several parking areas along Zoo Road where you can get out and view many varieties of… Read more
-
Durand Eastman Park – Daffodils
Location: Rochester, NY Durand Eastman Park is located along Lake Ontario in the city of Rochester. In the arboretum along Zoo Road is an area with many daffodils! We parked at the parking lot on Zoo Road (approximate GPS: 43.2318048, -77.5555822). If you walk down the road (which is closed to vehicles seasonally), you will… Read more
-
Durand Eastman Park – Pinetum
Location: Rochester, NY On my hunt to find all of the pine tree hikes in the Rochester area, I had to check out the pinetum at Durand Eastman Park. We parked in the lot on Zoo Road (near this GPS location: 43.231822, -77.555594 and the sign for the “Labor Center”). During the winter months, Zoo… Read more
-
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
-
Farmington Town Park
Location: Farmington, NY This small park located 25 minutes southeast of Rochester, NY has a short storybook walk around the playground. The walk is only through grass and doesn’t have a designated path. Official Website: Town of Farmington Read more
-
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
-
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
-
Ganondagan – Granary Trail at Fort Hill
Location: Victor, NY Note: There is hunting allowed at Ganondagan. Do your research before visiting these hiking trails and take safety precautions. Ganondagan, located 25 minutes south of Rochester, is the original site of a 17th century Seneca town. Today, it is home to the Ganondagan State Historic Site and miles of beautiful trails. The… Read more
-
Genesee County Park & Forest – Play Area
Location: East Bethany, NY This beautiful park is located 45 minutes west of Rochester, NY. In the northeast corner of the park property is a parking area that is closed in the winter. There are pavilions to rent, public restrooms, benches, a traditional playground, and beautiful evergreen trees. From here, you can access the Plantation Trail… Read more
-
High Acres Nature Area – Frog Pond Loop
Location: Perinton, NY This nature area is located 20 minutes east of Rochester, NY. This area contains public trails on Waste Management property. If you don’t mind the occasional smell of the landfill, this is a lovely place to take an easy nature hike! We did the 0.5 mile loop around the Frog Pond which… Read more
-
Highland Park – Poets Garden
Location: Rochester, NY This 275-foot long pathway is a peaceful spot in Highland Park located across from the Lamberton Conservatory. There are stone benches with Shakespeare’s quotes, a sundial, bird bath, and a variety of plants and trees. Just next to this path is the paved walking path, a hollowed out tree, and a traditional… Read more
-
Highland Park – Sunken Garden at Warner Castle
Location: Rochester, NY This beautiful garden is a peaceful place to walk around at Highland Park. The Warner Castle is home to the Landmark Society offices, but the garden in the back is open to the public. There is parking in front or it can be reached by walking from the other parts of the… Read more
-
Holley Canal Park
Location: Holley, NY This is a lovely park located on the Erie Canal in Holley, NY. Up near the canal there is a gazebo, a pavilion, a Little Free Library, restrooms and a porta potty, accessible parking, informational signs, benches, and a paved path along the canal. There is a paved path or a gravel… Read more
-
Hojack Trail
Location: Webster, NY The Hojack Trail is a 5-mile long rail trail located in Webster, NY. It connects to several other trails including the Bird Sanctuary Trail, Charles E. Sexton Memorial Park, John Ungar Nature Trail, Michael A. Johnson Nature Preserve, and Vosburg Hollow Nature Trail. Official Website: Friends of Webster Trails Trail Map: Trail… Read more
-
Hundred Acres Nature Park
Location: Rush, NY This nature park is located 20 minutes southwest of Rochester, NY. There was a small gravel parking lot with a sign that looks like it fell over. We walked the grassy path through the fields and saw many new trees growing. This path led us to some beautiful views of the Genesee… Read more
-
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
-
John L. Brown Memorial Park – Dr. Henry Foster Trail
Location: Clifton Springs, NY This park and trail are located 45 minutes east of Rochester, NY. This is a super short, mostly flat dirt trail. To reach the trail, we parked at the library and walked past the pavilion and playgrounds to cross the cute bridge over Sulphur Creek. (FYI the bridge is steep and… Read more
-
Jones-Blunt Park
Location: Shortsville, NY This park is located 30 minutes southeast of Rochester, NY. It is a really cute park along the Canandaigua Outlet in Shortsville. There are swinging benches along the river, an overlook platform, a large gazebo, and a small hiking area with two small bridges. We walked across the grass toward the small… Read more
-
Kent Park – Hiking Trails
Location: Webster, NY This park is located 20 minutes east of Rochester, NY. Behind the Webster Arboretum at Kent Park is a network of short hiking trails. The paths are grassy and can be very muddy and wet after rain. There is a bench, a boardwalk, a small bridge, a swamp area with a poem,… Read more
-
Kershaw Park
Location: Canandaigua, NY This beautiful park is located 40 minutes southeast of Rochester, NY along the shore of Canandaigua Lake. There is a gazebo, pavilion, benches, a swimming beach, restrooms, playground, and picnic area. The paved path has beautiful views of the lake. Official Websites: Visit Finger Lakes, City of Canandaigua Read more
-
Krull Park
Location: Olcott, NY This park is located on the shore of Lake Ontario, 1.5 hours west of Rochester, NY. It’s a lovely view with the lake down below, with many benches and picnic tables as well as an observation deck overlooking the water. There are many shady trees, restrooms, pavilions, and tic tac toe shelters.… Read more
-
Letchworth State Park – Balloons Over Letchworth
Location: Castile, NY This park is located 1 hour southwest of Rochester, NY. Balloons Over Letchworth is a hot air ballooning company that operates scenic balloon rides over Letchworth State Park. The balloon rides give passengers incredible views of the Genesee River, its waterfalls, and the surrounding forests and hills. We did not ride in… Read more
-
Lollypop Farm
Location: Fairport, NY There is a lot to do at Lollypop Farm, located 20 minutes southeast of Rochester. You can walk around the farm and look at the animals when they are out. There is a StoryWalk along the fence near the horses. If you continue walking, there is an entrance to nature trails near… Read more
-
Long Point State Park on Lake Chautauqua – The Point Trail and Minturn Trail
Location: Bemus Point, NY This park is located in Chautauqua County – 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo. Long Point, which juts into Lake Chautauqua, is one of the moraines left by a retreating glacier long ago. A highlight of the park is the Point Trail or Minturn Trail,… Read more
-
Luensman Overview Park
Location: Portland, NY This park is located in Chautauqua County – 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo. Just near the parking lot you can find a pavilion, a large mowed sloped area, and two observation decks with wide views of the surrounding hills and Lake Erie in the distance.… Read more
-
Lusk Farm Trail
Location: Pittsford, NY This trail is located 20 minutes east of Rochester, NY. I parked at the Mile Post School and walked .12 miles down the sidewalk along Mendon Road to the entrance to Lusk Farm Trail. The path becomes grassy then dirt as it enters a wooded area with some small hills. The trail… Read more
-
Lynch Woods Nature Park
Location: Brighton, NY This undeveloped nature park is located 10 minutes south of Rochester, NY. We hiked the grassy and dirt paths that made several loops through the park. There were wooded areas and some wetland areas. There is no parking lot for this trail, but I was told by Brighton Recreation that there are… Read more
-
Maplewood Rose Garden
Location: Rochester, NY The Maplewood Rose Garden is located in the City of Rochester. This park has grassy paths through many varieties of roses. There are a couple of gazebos, benches under the shade of trees, and a fountain. There is access to the Genesee Riverway Trail and Lower Falls Park (there are stairs down… Read more
-
Mark Tubbs Memorial Park
Location: Lima, NY This park is located 30 minutes south of Rochester in Lima, NY features a playground, gazebo, and a gravel/grass trail that leads to a pond. We walked around the well-marked stone dust trails starting with the Bluebird Crossing trail and made our way to the pond. There was one section of rough… Read more
-
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
-
Mendon Ponds Park – Log Play Area
Location: Mendon/Pittsford, NY Mendon Ponds Park is located 20 minutes south of Rochester, NY. The natural log play area is located near Wild Wings Nature Center and birds of prey sanctuary, Sharon’s Sensory Garden, and the Birdsong Fairy Trail. There are large logs to climb over and inside of, a wooden table and several other… Read more
-
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
-
Mendon Ponds Park – Sharon’s Sensory Garden
Location: Mendon/Pittsford, NY This beautiful garden is located in Mendon Ponds Park, 20 minutes south of Rochester, NY. I obviously did not visit at the right time – this garden would be much better in spring or summer when things are in bloom and not covered in snow! This sensory garden is located right next to… Read more
-
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
-
Montezuma Heritage Park
Location: Montezuma, NY This beautiful and historic park is located one hour east of Rochester, NY. I walked the 0.4 mile wide, grass Aqueduct Trail (trail 2 on the map) to the historical aqueduct ruins. I then made a loop by walking back along the Seneca River Barge Canal Trail (trail 10) and Lock 62… Read more
-
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
-
Onanda Park – Uplands Trail
Location: Canandaigua, NY This park is located 45 minutes south of Rochester, NY. The trail started out as wood chips with a bit of an incline. There is a small lookout point about a quarter mile into the hike with two Adirondack chairs where you can see bits of Canandaigua Lake in the distance and… Read more
-
Onondaga Lake Park – Butterfly Garden of Hope
Location: Liverpool, NY This park is located just over an hour east of Rochester, NY on the shore of Onondaga Lake near Syracuse. The Onondaga Lake Park – Butterfly Garden of Hope is located on the northeast shore of the lake. According to the official website, “The Butterfly Garden of HOPE is a memorial to… Read more
-
Onondaga Lake Park – Willow Bay
Location: Liverpool, NY This park is located just over an hour east of Rochester, NY on the shore of Onondaga Lake near Syracuse. The Willow Bay area of the park is located at the northwest end of the lake. From Willow Bay you can walk or bike on the East Shore Recreation Trail which connects… Read more
-
Ontario Pathways – Art Trail
🚨 Read this before visiting!!! This is a temporary trail exhibit. Check the Ontario Pathways website/Facebook to check when it’s assembled and taken down for the year 🚨 Location: Canandaigua, NY Along certain sections of the Ontario Pathways trail is a temporary Art Trail! The trail features weatherproof artwork (paintings and photographs) of scenes around… Read more
-
Pal-Mac Aqueduct Park
Location: Palmyra, NY This park is located 30 minutes east of Rochester, NY. This small park has historic remnants of the Erie Canal, including the 1857 Mud Creek Aqueduct, the 1858 Aldrich Change Bridge (the oldest iron bridge in New York), and a unique spillway waterfall. There are picnic areas, restrooms, and access to the… Read more
-
Papermill Falls at Papermill Park
Location: Avon, NY This roadside waterfall is located 30 minutes south of Rochester, NY. There is a bridge to walk over the Conesus Creek with views of another bridge to one side and a view over the small waterfall on the other side. There are several picnic tables here and a sign about the history… Read more
-
Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve – Lily Pond Loop
Location: Depew, NY This wonderful nature preserve is located a little over an hour west of Rochester, NY. Brick paths lead to a network of trails and a woodchip path to a natural log play area. This 0.3 mile flat path over crushed stone and mowed grass circles Lily Pond. The trail has views of… Read more
-
Royalton Ravine Park
Location: Gasport, NY This beautiful park is located 1 hour west of Rochester, NY. The park starts with a pavilions, restrooms, grassy fields, and a beautiful pond. There is an opening through the trees beyond the pond that leads to wooded trails. Along the trails are a suspension bridge, a wildflower meadow, a small waterfall… Read more
-
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
-
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
-
Sanctuary at Crowfield Farm
Location: Arcadia, NY NOTE: The Sanctuary is closed to hikers during hunting season. This beautiful nature trail is located 45 minutes east of Rochester, NY. While there are 1.6 miles of trails, we only did a short section of them. There was a grassy road down to a trailhead sign and a porta potty. I… Read more
-
Sandy Bottom Park and Nature Trail
Location: Richmond, NY This park is located 40 minutes south of Rochester, NY at the north end of Honeoye Lake. There is a beautiful view of the lake and surrounding hills with benches and picnic tables, two playgrounds, swimming beach, boat launch, fishing area, porta potty, and informational signs. Be sure to look for signs… Read more
-
Saunders Finger Lakes Museum – Izaak Walton League Verdi Burtch Wildlife Sanctuary
Location: Branchport, NY The Saunders Finger Lakes Museum is located 1 hour southeast of Rochester, NY. There are nature trails, a kayak launch, StoryWalk, and a natural playscape. Other exhibits are currently under construction. Across the road from the Creekside Center is the Verdi Burtch Wildlife Sanctuary maintained by the Izaak Walton League. There is… Read more
-
Saunders Finger Lakes Museum – StoryWalk
Location: Branchport, NY The Saunders Finger Lakes Museum is located 1 hour southeast of Rochester, NY. There are nature trails, a kayak launch, StoryWalk, and a natural playscape. Other exhibits are currently under construction. At the Creekside Center, there is a StoryWalk trail. It begins near the Natural Playscape and goes along the creek, passing… Read more
-
Saunders Finger Lakes Museum – Townsend-Grady Wildlife Preserve
Location: Branchport, NY The Saunders Finger Lakes Museum is located 1 hour southeast of Rochester, NY. There are nature trails, a kayak launch, StoryWalk, and a natural playscape. Other exhibits are currently under construction. Across the road from the Creekside Center is the Townsend-Grady Wildlife Preserve. The Sugar Creek Trail goes from a grassy parking… Read more
-
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
-
Sherburne Park Nature Trail
Location: Walworth, NY This park with a nature trail is located 25 minutes east of Rochester, NY. There is an easy and flat 1 mile nature trail around the perimeter of the park. When we visited in March, the road all the way to the playground and dog park was closed with a gate so… Read more
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Taughannock Falls State Park – Lakefront Area
Location: Trumansburg, NY NOTE: Deer hunting (bow only) is permitted in this park in season. Take precautions. This beautiful state park in the Finger Lakes is located 1.5 hour southeast of Rochester, NY along Cayuga Lake near Ithaca. Across the road from the waterfall trails is the lakefront area. This is not a hiking trail,… Read more
-
Tinker Nature Park – Demonstration Gardens
Location: Henrietta, NY This cute little garden is right near the main parking lot at Tinker Nature Park. According to the sign the garden has an alphabet garden, native perennial garden, vegetable garden, mini garden, hummingbird garden, flowering shrub garden, butterfly garden, and herb garden. Be sure to stay on the grass path and not… Read more
-
Trillium Nature Center – Arboretum
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. Down the road a bit from the interpretive center is an arboretum. There is a lean-to, picnic area, benches, fields, a small stream, and a variety of… Read more
-
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
-
Trillium Nature Center – Storybook Trail
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. A short walk behind the interpretive center was a short storybook trail. It was partially on the grassy path and partially in the woods on a dirt… Read more
-
Twin Cedars Environmental Area
Location: Avon, NY This beautiful hiking area is located 25 minutes south of Rochester, NY. The property is owned by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). We hiked the ~1 mile trail clockwise around the pond. It started by an adorable red A-frame and then along a grassy path along the north… Read more
-
Veterans Memorial Park (Rush)
Location: Rush, NY This small park is located 20 minutes south of Rochester, NY. There are no trails in this park but there is a veterans memorial, gazebo, and you can walk down the grass for two viewing platforms of Honeoye Creek and the small waterfall over the dam. The dam was once part of… Read more
-
Victor Municipal Park
Location: Victor, NY This nice park located 25 minutes southeast of Rochester, NY features a StoryWalk, fitness area, playground, and a fishing pond with a small dock. The StoryWalk is on grass, so would be stroller friendly only for strollers that can be pushed over uneven grass. There is a stone dust path in the… Read more
-
Webster Park – Ridge Trail
Location: Webster, NY Webster Park is located 25 minutes northeast of Rochester, NY near the shore of Lake Ontario. The Ridge Trail is a beautiful 1.4 mile trail that follows a mowed lane and dirt path through the woods. I especially loved the grove of spruce trees located near the sign for Wolf Cabin. There… Read more
-
Wickham Farms
Location: Penfield, NY This beautiful farm is located 15 minutes east of Rochester, NY. The farm is open seasonally for different activities like picking apples, sunflowers, and pumpkins. Depending on the season, there are tractor rides, photo ops, rides and play areas for kids, live animals, a barn to play in corn, a corn maze,… Read more
-
The Wild Center – Wild Walk
Location: Tupper Lake, NY The Wild Center is located in the Adirondacks 4 hours northeast of Rochester, NY. The Wild Walk is a trail of bridges in the treetops of the forest. There is a four-story twig tree house, a spider’s web to walk on, and a bald eagle’s nest at the highest point with… Read more
-
Winter Festival of Lights (CLOSED)
Location: Macedon, NY NOTE: IT HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED THAT THIS EVENT IS CLOSED DURING THE 2025-2026 SEASON. The Winter Festival of Lights is located behind the Log Cabin restaurant 20 minutes east of Rochester, NY. This experience includes tractor rides and horse drawn wagon rides through a huge holiday light display in a hay field.… Read more